History of Saginaw county, Michigan; together with ... portraits ... and biographies ... History of Michigan ...

CHESANING TOWNSHIP.

815

came a resident of Marshfield, Mass., and lived there until the
time of his death, which occurred in the autumn of 1671. He had
a daughter Mary, who married, in 1666, William Troop. This
name, though variously spelled, occurs in the family of George W.
Chapman many times. His Great-grandfather Tlroop, when lie
was a boy, he well remembered seeing. This ancestor, at the age
of 91, rode on horseback from Reedsborough, Vt., to Belchertown, Mass., to visit his relatives. George, although very young
at the time of this visit, took much pleasure and interest in the old
gentleman, and years afterward related to his children many amusing incidents of the early life of his ancient progenitor. Throop
Chapman had a number of children, among them William, who
in turn, had among others, Daniel, the father of George, who was
born Dec. 23, 1782, and died at Canton, Mass., April 12, 1867.
He married May 25, 1809, Nancy Smith, who was born in Walpole,
Mass., Jan. 9, 1790, and died March 9, 1838. Their second son,
George, the subject of this memoir, was born at Belchertown,
Hampshire Co., Mass., Nov. 15, 1812.
Mr. Chapman passed his youth in his native town, where, at a
very early age, he learned from his father the trade of wheelwright,
and soon became a skillful workman, obtaining that practical information which enabled him in after years to apply his
naturally mechanical mind so successfully, and devise and invent
many improvements in the implements and machinery which he
employed in his chosen vocation. In early manhood he engaged
in the construction of railroads, and a greater portion of his ever
active and busy life was passed in this manner, sometimes as a
superintendent, sometimes as a contractor, and, indeed, almost
every position required in building railroads has, at one time or
another, been filled by him. Nearly every State east of the Mississippi and north of the Potomac bear the imprints of his handiwork. His first experience in building railroads was during the
year 1835, when he was at work on the Boston & Providence
road, near Canton, Mass. In the year 1836 he went to Philadelphia, Penn., where, at this time, his cousin, Mr. William Otis,
invented the steam excavator (since so generally and successfully
used forthe construction of railroads and canals, and in deepening rivers and harbors, one or more having been used on the Saginaw river, for years). Mr. Chapman superintended the entire
construction of the first excavator, and with his own hands built
the wood-work. The first attempt to work it was between Baltimore and Washington, on what is now part of the Baltimore
& Ohio railroad. Several weeks were spent in a vain
attempt to make the excavator work. At length Mr. Chapman persuaded his cousin to permit him to attach what has since been known
as " the arms; " the first trial was satisfactory, and from that time
the excavator was a success. While engaged in the construction
of the Washington & Baltimore branch of the Baltimore & Ohio
railroad, he made a brief visit to his native State, and was married
Nov. 3, 1836, to Miss Abigail J. Whipple, who was born in Pel