Last month I told the story of a letter written in 1903 and sent
from the Hotel Del Coronado by Marion Carter Chapman (1876-1963) to her brother
Philip Freeland Chapman (1884-1949) who was back in Maine recovering from
smallpox. If you have not read that part of the story yet, you can find
it here:
https://undereverytombstone.blogspot.com/2022/01/a-1903-letter-from-hotel-del-coronado.html
Last month we
looked at the sender of the letter, Marion Chapman. This month we will
look at the recipient, Philip Chapman.
Philip Freeland Chapman was born November
03, 1884 in Portland, Maine. He was the fourth child of Charles Jarvis
Chapman (1848-1898) and Annie Dow Hinds (1852-1908). Charles Chapman had
been the Mayor of Portland, Maine from 1886-1888. Charles Chapman and
Annie Hinds married September 15, 1875 in Portland. In addition to
Philip, they had four other children: Marion Carter (1876-1963), Robert
Franklin (1878-1964), Charles Jarvis (1883-1919), and Harrison Carter (1888-1975).
Since the 1890 US Census for Portland,
Maine is lost, Philip Chapman does not make an appearance until the 1900 US
Census. The 1900 US Census shows the family was living at 375
Spring Street in Portland, Maine:
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| 375 Spring Street, Portland, Maine |
Philip's father Charles Jarvis Chapman had died in 1898. the family moved to the Spring Street address after Charles' death. In 1900 the family consisted of Annie Chapman, a 48 year old widow, and her children Robert F. (22), Marion C. (23), Charles J. (17), Philip F. (15), and Harrison C. (11). There were also two live-in servants. Mrs. Chapman said she had given birth to five children, and all five were still alive in 1900. Mrs. Chapman said that she and Marion had no occupation, and that the remaining children were all in school. She said they owned their home, and they owned it free and clear. All of the Chapmans, including the servants, could read and write and were fluent in English.
Now we come to the time the letter was written. Marion Chapman was twenty-six years old, Philip Chapman was eighteen. It had been announced that Marion would be getting married in October of 1903, so perhaps Marion's trip was a "last fling" before marriage.
Poor Philip however, was at home on Spring Street in Portland recovering from smallpox. Marion was at the Hotel Del Coronado after the side trip she and her brother Harrison took to Mexico where Harrison was eaten alive by "fleas."
Now let's take a look at what had been going on with Philip since the letter was written in 1903. Most importantly he recovered from smallpox. Perhaps the original intent of the trip was to have Philip accompany his sister Marion and brother Harrison to Mexico and Coronado but his bout with smallpox put an end to that. But life went on for Philip as it does for all of us. He graduated from Portland (ME) High School as part of the Class of 1902. Afterward he entered Phillips-Exeter Academy and Bowdoin College. He graduated summa cum laude with a BA degree from Bowdoin College in 1906. Here are some bills for his tuition at Bowdoin College - $25.00 for each term:
After graduation from Bowdoin College, Philip Chapman went to Harvard University where he graduated with a Law Degree in 1909.
On October 23, 1909, Philip married Gladys Doten (1887-1980) in Portland, Maine. The groom was twenty-four; the bride was twenty-two.
By the 1910 US Census, you can see where Marion and Philip's lives begin to take different directions. As noted in last month's story, Marion Chapman was with her husband Samuel Shartle living in Berlin. Philip and his wife are living with her father at 234 State Street in Portland, Maine:
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| 234 State Street, Portland, Maine |
The family consisted of Robert F. Doten (60 years old), Philip F. Chapman (26), Gladys D. Chapman (23) and a line-in servant. Robert Doten was a Grain Merchant, Philip was the General Partner for a law firm and Gladys did not list an occupation. Robert Doten owned the house free and clear.
Things did not stay static in the Chapman house for long. On September 15, 1910, Philip and Gladys welcomed their first daughter, Virginia Chapman (1910-2011). They would ultimately have two more children, Marion Carter Chapman (1913-1965) and Philip Freeland Chapman Jr. (1917-2001).
Philip Chapman registered for the Draft during World War I on September 12, 1918. He listed his occupation as "Lawyer and Banker" and his address as 375 Spring Street in Portland, Maine. You will remember that 375 Spring Street was where the Chapman family moved after Charles J. Chapman the family patriarch died. Philip's mother had remarried in 1903 and died in 1908 so perhaps Philip was inherited the home, or he purchased it from his mother:
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375 Spring Street, Portland, Maine
|
The Draft Registrar described Philip as "tall," with a medium build, "brown" eyes and "dark" hair.
Chapman actually served during World War I as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Maine Naval Guard.
The 1920 US Census found the Chapman family still living at 375 Spring Street in Portland, Maine. The family consisted of Philip F. Chapman (35 years old), Gladys D. (33), children Virginia (9 3/12), Marion (6 3/12) and Philip Jr. (2 5/12). There were also two live-in servants. Philip reported that he was "President of a Bank." No one else reported occupations except the French cook and the Swedish "Nurse Maid."
The bank that Philip was president of was the Chapman National Bank of Portland, Maine, which had been founded by his father in 1893.
During the 1920s, in addition to his banking responsibilities, Philip Chapman was active in real estate development and was largely responsible for Wildwood Park at Cumberland Foreside. You can read the history of Wildwood, Cumberland Foreside, Maine here:
Philip F. Chapman purchased the Concord Realty Company which included all the Wildwood land not already privately owned on October 31, 1923. The Chapmans converted the Wildwood Inn into their home. The famous shore dinners the Inn had been noted for were no more. However, Mrs. Chapman did remember people coming around for many years who wanted to eat at the Inn.
In 1924 Philip Chapman decided to build a new building for his bank in Monument Square:
At twelve stories, it was the tallest building in Portland, Maine at that time. The building is still standing today and is now known as the Peoples-United Bank Building:
In addition to his banking and real estate pursuits, Philip Chapman also held a major interest in the Portland Evening News newspaper and was a member of the staff of Governor Owen Brewster when he was governor of Maine from 1925-1929.
The 1930 US Census shows the Brewster family still living in what now was the family homestead at 375 Spring Street in Portland, Maine. The family consisted of Philip F. Chapman (45 years old), his wife Gladys (43), daughters Virginia (19), and Marion (16), and son Philip F. Chapman, Jr. (13). There was also a live-in servant, and a live-in cook. Philip said he was "President of a Bank." The Chapman family owned their home and said it was worth $50,000.00.
1930 also saw Philip Chapman sever his relations with the Chapman National Bank, the bank his father had founded in 1893. His Portland Evening News newspaper ceased publication in 1938. He did however, remain active in his law firm of Chapman & Brewster. Lest you think he was slowing down, here is a partial list of the organizations he was involved with:
The 1940 US Census saw the Chapman family still living at 375 Spring Street, but the family was down to just Philip (fifty-five years old) and his wife Gladys (fifty-three). The Great Depression had affected everyone. The Chapmans no longer had any live-in servants, and the house they said was worth $50,000 in 1930, they said was only worth $10,000 in 1940. (It is estimated to be worth $2.4 million today). Philip gave his occupation as "Lawyer in Private Practice," and said he worked an average of 44 hours per week.
Philip Chapman retired from his many activities in 1944 and divided his time between his winter home in Portland, Maine and yachting from his summer home in Daytona Beach, Florida.
In April of 1949, Chapman was injured in an automobile accident in Coco, Florida. His family reported he never really recovered from the effects of the accident, and he died on his yacht in Daytona Beach on May 20, 1949. The Cause of Death was listed as a "heart ailment." He was sixty-two years old.
He was, of course, buried in the Chapman Family Plot at Evergreen Cemetery in Portland Maine, Section R, Lot 240, Grave 4:
Now you know about the interesting lives behind the letter sent from the Hotel Del Coronado dated March 6, 1903 from Marion Carter Chapman to her little brother Philip Freeland Chapman.
Philip's funeral was held on June 29, 1949 at 4:00 p.m. in the private chapel of his sister Marion Chapman Shartle, at Delano Park, Cape Elizabeth, Maine. The Rt. Rev. Dean Hughes of St. Luke's Cathedral officiated. Only the family was present. The following poem in memoriam written by one who knew him well, recording appreciation and deep affection. It was read during the service by Marion's husband, Colonel Shartle:
We can not mourn
As yet -
It is a cloud as thick
And still - as death -
It is death
To him we loved
And even more to us
We knew we could not have
Him always -
And yet we hoped
And clung to moments
When his radiant voice
Spread cheer and humor
Where e'er he went
His kindness was from above
Dear God - how close to Thee
He walked
The thread that
Draws to Thee
Away from us
Has parted - on our side
We reach for it
Only with our inner mind
Our eye of memory,
May we touch him
How can it be
May Philip Freeland Chapman and Marion Carter Chapman Shartle rest in peace.
