The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1920-02-06
LONG time IN THIS CITY
He Came When Mankato
Was In Her Infancy
... -.r.Fs..
WATCHED PLACE GROW
... D..
Among the Connecting Links
That Bound Years Past
With Present

Death claimed one of Mankato's
oldest and most highly respected cit
liens when Charles A. Chapman pas
sed away AT his home last night at
1918, following q general breakdown,
due to advanced years, which he
suffered just a week ago today while
working as usual at his office in the
Odd Fellows block. During the past
week, however, he continued to
transact business matters at his
home as it was not until two days
ago that 1t was necessary for him to
be confined to his bed.
Mr.. Chapman was one of the pio-
neer settlers of this section and at
all times during his residence here
/ too keen interest in all affairs for
the betterment and general welfare
OF the city and county. He was a
strong factor in the development of
this city. He was a man of spllendid
character, chief among his charac
/ teristics being his interest in public
life and his benevolence toward all
worthy causes.
Graduate of Harvard.
Charles A. Chapman was born at
Cambridge, Miss, October IA, 1888.
He was educated in the public
school of that town, and in the Law
renee Scientific School of Harvard
university, from which he graduated
/ in 1856 In the spring of that year
he came west seeking employment
as a railroad engineer. The hard
, times then coming on caused a ces-
sation of railroad building, so hav-
ing emigrated as far as Des Moines,
| Iova, he concluded to stop there and
pursue the business of surveyor. In
the autumn of 1856, he was engaged
! in the survey of the Des Moines
River Improvement Company's land
grant. In the spring of 1857 in COM
pany With DR.. Byron Dewitt of Os-
! wego, he left Des Moines, with the
intention of settling in Minnesota.
Having purchased a wagon, pair of
horses, and the necessary stock OF
provisions and cooking utensils, they
commenced their journey up the
river road, passing through Fort
, Dodge, Algona, then consisting OF only
| two or three houses, Blue Earth and
Vernon and Garden City. There We're
all embryo towns, just beginning to
be settled For about forty miles
near the border of Minnesota terri
tory and Iowa there was no road,
and the pioneers were obliged to
steer by the compass. They arrived
at South bend, June 10, 1857, where
they lived during that summer at the
, boarding house of Elijah K. Bangs.
Soon after arriving there they bought
| in company with several others, the
! farm of Noah Armstrong, on which
! they laid out the site of LeHillier
City.
Moved to Mankato.
In the fall of 1857, Mr.. Chapman
moved to Mankato and opened a sur
yeyor's office with A. d. McSweeney
| in a small shanty on the spot where
the Patterson's Mercantile company
now stands. During the following
years he surveyed and plated sew
eral additions TO Mankato, Warren's
Hanna's Owens and Lewis, More
! land, Freeman and Bucks, Shaubuts,
Dukes, and Roelofson's first and sec
ond additions.
He was married, March 81, 1859, to
Hannah A. Chapman of Bethel.
Maine. They have had three chill
dren, two of whom died in infancy.
| The third son, Mr.. James F. Chap
man of Pueblo, Colo. arrived in the
city this morning to take charge OF
| funeral arrangements. His wife died
four years ago last September.
Mr.. Chapman during his years of
public life served one term as audi
| tor of Blue Earth county,, and was
| the first city engineer of Mankato.
He was for about twenty years Sec
rotary of the Mankato Board of
| Trade, and has been secretary of the
Mankato Cemetery association from
the time of it's organization in 1863
| to the time of his death. At the
time of his death he was also presi-
dent of the Mankato Savings bank,
president of the Territorial Old Set
| tiers association. He was also Sec
rotary and a trustee of the Presby-
terrain church board in which posi-
tions he has served for great many
years.
Was An interesting Character.
In the early days of the Presbyter-
| ian church, Mr.. Chapman also occu-
pied the position of organist. He was
a prominent member of the Masonic
order and in that order was past
master. past high priest, past emin-
ent commander, past grand worthy
patron of the Eastern Star as well
! as past patron of the Eastern Star.
No man in the northwest was better
| informed on Masonic lore than Mr..
[ Chapman. Politically, Mr.. Chapman
was once a strong democrat, but in
late years, ne voted Independent OF
party ties. He was an interesting
conversationalist AMI had stored
away in his mind the early day
events in this neighborhood. He
was one of the remaining links which
connect the, past with the present.
There are but few Of Mr. Chapman's
contemporaries living. In recent years
the pioneer settlers have been fast
passing to their last resting place.
Mr.. Chapman was one of the ORR
ginal advertisers in The Free Press.
Ever since 1857 he has continuously
carried an advertisement in this