History of the Upper Ohio Valley Brant & Fuller, 1890; Vol. I, pages 247-248.
W. H. Chapman, member of the well-known firm of Wilson & Chapman, wholesale dealers in painters' and builders' supplies, was born in Jefferson county, Ohio, on January 24, 1838. His father was Aaron Chapman, a native of New Jersey, and his mother was Comfort Shumar, a native of West Virginia. Aaron Chapman was one of the early settlers of Jefferson county, Ohio, going there between 1828 and 1830. He was a carpenter and contractor. He erected a frame residence for himself in Tiltonsville, in 1834, which house still stands, and in which all of his children save three were born. The mother died in 1884, at the age of seventy-six years, and the father died in September, 1889, at the age of eighty-six years. To the parents ten children were born, seven of whom survive. W. H. Chapman was reared in Jefferson county, and educated in the public schools. He began learning the chair making trade in Warrenton, Ohio, in 1852, and came to Wheeling in 1855 and finished his trade. He worked at the trade until the breaking out of the rebellion, when, on September 21, 1861, he enlisted in Company C, First Virginia infantry, Col. Joseph Thoburn's regiment, and served three years; then re-enlisted and served a year, and was mustered out in August, 1865. He entered the army as a private, was then made corporal, then commisary sergeant, and served as such until the end of three years' enlistment, and after re-enlisting was commissioned first lieutenant of Company B, of Second Veteran regulars, and assigned to duty as acting regimental quartermaster until mustered out. He returned to Wheeling after the war, and was engaged in the retail grocery business for a while, and then went into the sewing machine business, representing the Florence Machine company. He next engaged in the grocery business, and then effected a partnership with Hanes, Wilson & Co., with which firm he remained through its various changes until the present, part of the time as salesman, part of the time manager, and in 1884 was made a partner in the concern. He is a member of I.O.O.F. Lodge No. 40, also of the Wheeling Encampment. He is a charter member of Lodge No. 12, Alpha lodge 424, K. of H., is also a member of the National Union, and belongs to the Holliday Post, G.A.R. He was married December 26, 1859, to Virginia E. Phillips, who was born in Wheeling. To them eight children have been born, of whom seven survive.
