Lloyd Washington Chapman
Dodd. Co. Prosecuting Attorney 1933-1937
As some of our readers know, I did genealogy professionally (for hire) for many years. This was before computers, the internet, and cell phones made such research so easy. I have been researching the prominent Chapman family surname from Grove this past year. My focus has been on the family of Jan E. Chapman’s line, who were early homesteaders in that area.
Like his ancestors who came before him, Jan is a very successful businessman in his own right. Those ancestors would be very proud of Jan’s success in the oil business, owning and operating Key Oil Company. I’m sure most residents here are familiar with his company’s trucks traveling our local roads and backroads with the famous blue Key Oil logo. I have always known Jan to work with the landowners, honor his word, and support his hometown and community. I am proud to call him a native son of Doddridge.
In the process of my research, I came upon an interesting story I found regarding the life of Lloyd Washington Chapman, son of Rufus Chapman (Jan’s great-uncle and the nephew of Stewart Lester Chapman). Lloyd Chapman’s father, Rufus Chapman, and Stewart Lester Chapman were brothers. Interestingly, Lloyd’s middle name was Washington, pointing to a possible Warner Washington Chapman connection. However, I still haven’t made a positive connection with him at this time.
We do know from U.S. Census records that the Grove area Chapmans came to Doddridge County from Barbour County, and before that, I found them in both MD and VA, but that is detailed history best left for another time.
According to an article in an early West Union Record newspaper, Lloyd Chapman was a successful, self-made man, an attorney, a former two-term mayor of West Union, and a school land commissioner from 1913-1931. He was prosecuting attorney for Doddridge County in 1933. At the first ballot count, Chapman supposedly lost by a handful of votes. However, he disagreed with the count and demanded a recount. He had to take it to the WV Supreme Court of Appeals, but he won his case and was recognized as the legitimate winner.
The case to which I refer is as follows in the newspaper of the time:
“In the spring of 1933, Mr. Chapman won a case in the WV Supreme Court of Appeals in the case of L. W. Chapman vs. the Doddridge County Court. The following order was entered:
The members of this court being advised of the action of the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia taken on the 28th day of February 1933, in awarding a writ of mandamus in the case of Lloyd W. Chapman vs. the County Court of Doddridge County, obedient to said order, being now reconvened as a board of canvassers of elections of said county; thereupon came Lloyd W. Chapman in person and by counsel and moved the court to declare said L.W. Chapman duly elected to the office of prosecuting attorney of said county, and to issue to him a certificate of election to said office. And in support of said motion, exhibited to the court the writ of mandamus issued as aforesaid, as well also a copy of the opinion of said Supreme Court of Appeals in said case.
And it appearing from said opinion that the said Supreme Court of Appeals, reviewing the action of this court in the recount of the ballots cast for said office of prosecuting attorney, rejected two ballots which on said recount were counted for Lloyd W. Chapman, and rejected other ballots which on said recount were counted for Clay D. Hammond and counted said four ballots for said Lloyd W. Chapman, and that no other changes were made in said recount. Wherefore it appears that the general election held in said recount. Wherefore it appears that the general election held in said county on the 8th day of November, 1932, for the office of prosecuting attorney, Lloyd W. Chapman received a total of 2289 votes and Clay D. Hammond a total of 2284 votes.
It is therefore considered by the court, convened and acting as a board of canvassers of elections as aforesaid, as commanded by the order of the said Supreme Court of Appeals and so declare and order that the said Lloyd W. Chapman was duly elected to the office of prosecuting attorney of Doddridge County and doth order and direct that there be forthwith issued to said Lloyd W. Chapman a certificate of election to said office in accordance herewith.
And it is further ordered that the certificate of election heretofore issued to Clay D. Hammond as prosecuting attorney, based upon this court’s recount of ballots cast for said office at the election aforesaid, be and the same is hereby recalled, rescinded and revoked.
And on the further motion of the said counsel, it is ordered and adjudged that the said Lloyd W. Chapman recover of and from the said Clay D. Hammond his costs about the prosecution of the recount of said election had in this court.
And the clerk of this court is directed to make, certify and forward to the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia a copy of this order as evidence of the action of this court taken in response to the mandamus order of the said Supreme Court of Appeals.”
I also found an interesting article describing Lloyd Chapman’s 98th birthday and it is as printed in 1951, except for a few grammatical corrections and punctuation:
“Lloyd W. Chapman, a local lawyer, quietly celebrated his 98th birthday anniversary Wednesday, October 24, at his home on Front Street in West Union.
He was born Oct. 24, 1853, on Arnold’s Run of Elk Creek in Elk District, Barbour County, a son of the late Rufus and Margaret Peck Chapman and came with his parents as a child to Doddridge county, where he has resided ever since.
Mr. Chapman was closely related to Melville Peck of Philippi, who in 1908 was the Democratic nominee for Judge of the State Supreme Court, and the eminent Henderson Peck, a New York Lawyer who was a law partner of the late Gov. Frank Black of that state. He is the only surviving member of a family of three children. He first married Miss Lucy A. Frashure, and to this union were born three children, of whom a son, Winfield Scott Chapman, of Charleston, and a daughter, Mrs. Lelia Williams, of West Union, survive. In 1926, two years after the death of his first wife, Mr. Chapman married Mrs. Laura A. Duckworth. He now resides with his stepson, Harry Duckworth.
He has five great-great-grandchildren, Billie Lynn and Barbara Knight of West Union: Deborah Lee and Claudia Lane Knight of Bridgeport, and James Bradford Williams of Cumberland, Md.
Until he was 18 years old, Mr. Chapman attended the common grade school at Grove, Doddridge County. He did not take up the study of law until he was 35. At that time, law school and bar examinations were not pre-requisite to the practice of law. Mr. Chapman secured several law books, which he studied at home, and at the end of two years study, he passed tests in practical law before three circuit judges, who approved his license to practice. He is still actively engaged in his profession and, not long ago, won a case in the State Supreme court.
In 1900 Mr. Chapman began two successive terms as mayor of West Union, and he served as school land commissioner from 1913 to 1931. He was prosecuting attorney for Doddridge County from 1933 to 1937 and was again nominated by the Democratic party but was defeated.”
Doddridge County Officials in Mid-20th Century
“Mr. Chapman gets around remarkably well. He walks from his home to the business section of town nearly every day—quite a hike for one of his age—and he walks without the aid of a cane. He wears glasses only to read the fine print, and he attends each session of the circuit court.
Besides being his town’s oldest citizen, Mr. Chapman is one of the oldest, if not the oldest, practicing attorneys in the United States.”
Mr. Chapman went to live with his stepson, Harry Duckworth, in Charleston, Kanawha County. Shortly after going to live with his stepson, Harry Duckworth died. His date of death was on January 7, 1952. After his stepson’s death, he went to live with his only living son, Winfield Scott Chapman. Less than two months after moving to live with his son, Lloyd Washington Chapman succumb to pneumonia and died at the age of ninety-eight years, four months, and three days.
His funeral services were held on Friday, February 29, 1952, at the West Union Methodist church at 2 p.m. Rev. Willis Summers officiated the service. He was laid to rest beside his first wife, the mother of his children, Louisa Frashure Chapman. His daughter, Mittie Chapman Kinney, was also buried there, and her name is on the same gravestone as her parents.
I plan to go more in-depth on this proud family history in the future, but Lloyd Chapman’s story was so good that it was just in need of being told early.
God Bless
Patricia Richards Harris
Doddridge County Historical Society