Henry Austin Chapin, owner of the famous Chapin iron mine and a resident of our city, originated in Leyden, Franklin county, Mass., Oct 5 1813, son of Lorenzo and Maria Kent Chapin, farmers. The lineage of this gentleman goes back to Deacon Samuel Chapin, a settler in Springfield, Mass., in 1642. Owing to migration westward. Mr. Chapin learned to read, write and do other things of that sort in a country settled in Portage county, Ohio, and he set foot on the first round of the ladder of business life as a clerk in a general store in Akron, Ohio, climbing high enough to open a store of his own in Michigan. How high he subsequently ascended is denoted by the fact that to Mr. Chapin belongs the fee of the land on the upper peninsula of Michigan upon which the Chapin iron mine is now operating. A royalty is paid for every ton of ore taken out, and, it is said, Mr. Chapin's revenue from that source has sometimes amounted to between $100,000 an $300,000 a year. The principle ownership of the paper mills on the east side of the river in this city and the electric lighting plant in South Bend are included among his holdings now, as well as real estate in Chicago and shares in various corporations not named.
Mr. Chapin first settled in Edwardsburg in 1836 and came to Niles in the spring of '46. He engaged in the business of buying produce and wool in frame building situated where Rudolf Wohlrah's business is now located, taking in S.S. Griffin as a business partner. Later he bought his partner's interest and moved his business now occupied by Snyder. Later in 1860 Mr. Chapin again transferred his quarters and was the first owner to occupy the Mirror building where Lowry is now situated. About the commencement of the civil war Mr. Chapin met with the tide of adversity which bore him under and he failed as did many others in war times. Later on he bought wood and produce on the streets and in 1870 he and his son, Charles A., engaged in the insurance business which they followed until 1880. Mr. Chapan's business career was checkered and he experienced not a little of the seamy side of life. At the time that the rich deposit of ore was discovered on Mr. Chapin's property, he had succeeded in satisfying the demands of his creditors. In 1865, he bought the fee to what is now known as the Chapin mine at Iron Mountain, Mich. In 1880 the mine was developed and it proved to contain the largest deposits of iron ore then discovered in the United States, was worked successful and through its operation he had amassed a very large fortune. A small city has sprung up about the mine, which gives employment for the majority of its people.
In 1836 he was married in Mattaway, Portage county, Ohio, and he and Mrs. Chapin had lived together 62 years last April. To them were born four children as follows: Sarah M.,
Carrie E., Charles A., and Henry H. Sarah, who married a Mr. Banfield, died at her home in Dowagiac at the age of 21 years. Carrie E. married a Mr. Bracken of Port Huron, and died at her home in the latter city at the age of 31 years. Henry E., the youngest child died at the tender age of two years and 11 months and Charles A. the youngest of the children but one, alone survived his parents. Mrs. Chapin also lives to mourn her companion of over three score years.
He was a member of the Masonic order, and once a Whig and later a Republican, and a man with a wide circle of friends.
Mr. Chapin first settled in Edwardsburg in 1836 and came to Niles in the spring of '46. He engaged in the business of buying produce and wool in frame building situated where Rudolf Wohlrah's business is now located, taking in S.S. Griffin as a business partner. Later he bought his partner's interest and moved his business now occupied by Snyder. Later in 1860 Mr. Chapin again transferred his quarters and was the first owner to occupy the Mirror building where Lowry is now situated. About the commencement of the civil war Mr. Chapin met with the tide of adversity which bore him under and he failed as did many others in war times. Later on he bought wood and produce on the streets and in 1870 he and his son, Charles A., engaged in the insurance business which they followed until 1880. Mr. Chapan's business career was checkered and he experienced not a little of the seamy side of life. At the time that the rich deposit of ore was discovered on Mr. Chapin's property, he had succeeded in satisfying the demands of his creditors. In 1865, he bought the fee to what is now known as the Chapin mine at Iron Mountain, Mich. In 1880 the mine was developed and it proved to contain the largest deposits of iron ore then discovered in the United States, was worked successful and through its operation he had amassed a very large fortune. A small city has sprung up about the mine, which gives employment for the majority of its people.
In 1836 he was married in Mattaway, Portage county, Ohio, and he and Mrs. Chapin had lived together 62 years last April. To them were born four children as follows: Sarah M.,
Carrie E., Charles A., and Henry H. Sarah, who married a Mr. Banfield, died at her home in Dowagiac at the age of 21 years. Carrie E. married a Mr. Bracken of Port Huron, and died at her home in the latter city at the age of 31 years. Henry E., the youngest child died at the tender age of two years and 11 months and Charles A. the youngest of the children but one, alone survived his parents. Mrs. Chapin also lives to mourn her companion of over three score years.
He was a member of the Masonic order, and once a Whig and later a Republican, and a man with a wide circle of friends.
Henry Austin Chapin, owner of the famous Chapin iron mine and a resident of our city, originated in Leyden, Franklin county, Mass., Oct 5 1813, son of Lorenzo and Maria Kent Chapin, farmers. The lineage of this gentleman goes back to Deacon Samuel Chapin, a settler in Springfield, Mass., in 1642. Owing to migration westward. Mr. Chapin learned to read, write and do other things of that sort in a country settled in Portage county, Ohio, and he set foot on the first round of the ladder of business life as a clerk in a general store in Akron, Ohio, climbing high enough to open a store of his own in Michigan. How high he subsequently ascended is denoted by the fact that to Mr. Chapin belongs the fee of the land on the upper peninsula of Michigan upon which the Chapin iron mine is now operating. A royalty is paid for every ton of ore taken out, and, it is said, Mr. Chapin's revenue from that source has sometimes amounted to between $100,000 an $300,000 a year. The principle ownership of the paper mills on the east side of the river in this city and the electric lighting plant in South Bend are included among his holdings now, as well as real estate in Chicago and shares in various corporations not named.
Mr. Chapin first settled in Edwardsburg in 1836 and came to Niles in the spring of '46. He engaged in the business of buying produce and wool in frame building situated where Rudolf Wohlrah's business is now located, taking in S.S. Griffin as a business partner. Later he bought his partner's interest and moved his business now occupied by Snyder. Later in 1860 Mr. Chapin again transferred his quarters and was the first owner to occupy the Mirror building where Lowry is now situated. About the commencement of the civil war Mr. Chapin met with the tide of adversity which bore him under and he failed as did many others in war times. Later on he bought wood and produce on the streets and in 1870 he and his son, Charles A., engaged in the insurance business which they followed until 1880. Mr. Chapan's business career was checkered and he experienced not a little of the seamy side of life. At the time that the rich deposit of ore was discovered on Mr. Chapin's property, he had succeeded in satisfying the demands of his creditors. In 1865, he bought the fee to what is now known as the Chapin mine at Iron Mountain, Mich. In 1880 the mine was developed and it proved to contain the largest deposits of iron ore then discovered in the United States, was worked successful and through its operation he had amassed a very large fortune. A small city has sprung up about the mine, which gives employment for the majority of its people.
In 1836 he was married in Mattaway, Portage county, Ohio, and he and Mrs. Chapin had lived together 62 years last April. To them were born four children as follows: Sarah M.,
Carrie E., Charles A., and Henry H. Sarah, who married a Mr. Banfield, died at her home in Dowagiac at the age of 21 years. Carrie E. married a Mr. Bracken of Port Huron, and died at her home in the latter city at the age of 31 years. Henry E., the youngest child died at the tender age of two years and 11 months and Charles A. the youngest of the children but one, alone survived his parents. Mrs. Chapin also lives to mourn her companion of over three score years.
He was a member of the Masonic order, and once a Whig and later a Republican, and a man with a wide circle of friends.
Mr. Chapin first settled in Edwardsburg in 1836 and came to Niles in the spring of '46. He engaged in the business of buying produce and wool in frame building situated where Rudolf Wohlrah's business is now located, taking in S.S. Griffin as a business partner. Later he bought his partner's interest and moved his business now occupied by Snyder. Later in 1860 Mr. Chapin again transferred his quarters and was the first owner to occupy the Mirror building where Lowry is now situated. About the commencement of the civil war Mr. Chapin met with the tide of adversity which bore him under and he failed as did many others in war times. Later on he bought wood and produce on the streets and in 1870 he and his son, Charles A., engaged in the insurance business which they followed until 1880. Mr. Chapan's business career was checkered and he experienced not a little of the seamy side of life. At the time that the rich deposit of ore was discovered on Mr. Chapin's property, he had succeeded in satisfying the demands of his creditors. In 1865, he bought the fee to what is now known as the Chapin mine at Iron Mountain, Mich. In 1880 the mine was developed and it proved to contain the largest deposits of iron ore then discovered in the United States, was worked successful and through its operation he had amassed a very large fortune. A small city has sprung up about the mine, which gives employment for the majority of its people.
In 1836 he was married in Mattaway, Portage county, Ohio, and he and Mrs. Chapin had lived together 62 years last April. To them were born four children as follows: Sarah M.,
Carrie E., Charles A., and Henry H. Sarah, who married a Mr. Banfield, died at her home in Dowagiac at the age of 21 years. Carrie E. married a Mr. Bracken of Port Huron, and died at her home in the latter city at the age of 31 years. Henry E., the youngest child died at the tender age of two years and 11 months and Charles A. the youngest of the children but one, alone survived his parents. Mrs. Chapin also lives to mourn her companion of over three score years.
He was a member of the Masonic order, and once a Whig and later a Republican, and a man with a wide circle of friends.
Family Members
Siblings
Advertisement
Records on Ancestry
Advertisement
