Subject of the book "The Great Divorce" by Ilyon Woo.

James was born to Phineas Chapman and Mary Hillier in 1763 in Saybrook, Connecticut. He married first, at age 26, to Temperance and they had a daughter Fanny. Temperance Chapman died in 1792.

In early 1804, James Chapman married Eunice Hawley. Together, they had three children but theirs was an unhappy marriage. When James decided to live a celibate life as a Believer in the Shaker community at Watervliet, he snatched the children from Eunice and with the Shakers' help, hid them from their mother. Eunice petitioned the New York legislature for a divorce, gathered anti-Shaker support, wrote a scathing book called "An Account of the Shakers" and waged a years-long battle against the Society to try to win custody of her son George and daughters Susan and Julia.

James, with his children, lived hidden at the Shaker village at Enfield, New Hampshire for a time during the custody battle but eventually returned to Watervliet and lived the remainder of his life as a Believer.

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Affidavit of John Lyon
Church Family 1818

I John Lyon of lawful age depose and say that on Monday morning the 25th of May we were informed that a mob was collecting and that they would be on the next day at eight am that Joseph Merrill Esq. being at our village I told him what I had heard, who pretended ignorance of the matter when I requested him as an officer of the peace to suppress such proceeding if it came within his knowledge. However threatening and menaces continued day and night till Thurs. the 28th during which time we were watched on all directions by day and night and some were patrolling on horseback others were seen lying under the fences which very much disturbed our peace day and night.

On Thursday the 28th in the pm Samuel Cochran and Eunice Chapman came to our village and desired to see James Chapman which when I heard I immediately sent for him, but he was not at home. (and as I have since learned, he had secreted himself and children from the reported mob) as he could not be found, the time was taken up till about 6 o'clock when the aforesaid Cochran and Esq. Merrill came forward in a pretendedly pacific manner, saying they wanted a conference with James Chapman. I told them that he was not here nor did we know where he was.

By this time there was a large collection of people on the ground about our buildings at which time the aforesaid Merrill put himself forward and with a commanding voice demanded that we should bring Chapman forth, saying we will not leave the ground until satisfaction was given; also in my hearing, he declared a number of times, we can raise four or five hundred men. At one time he said, You won't have much sleep tonight I will warrant you. And we can have five hundred people assembled by tomorrow at 9am and a number of other times too.

I heard him threaten to raise a large company. At other times he would say what they would do. When I requested him as an officer of the Peace to disperse said company and to suppress such proceedings, to which he as often replied "The people are all stirred up and I am too and I will not do anything about it." And further I took particular notice of the above transcription having the care of the family in which the said James Chapman resided.

John Lyon, Grafton, June 10, 1818
Sworn to and subscripted before me. John Currier, Justice Peace
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Ministry Correspondence
Written from Canterbury
Dec. 14, 1818

We have not heard from James Chapman since he left Enfield for Watervliet which was on the second week in October last; we were satisficed he could not be protected there as he could not submit to any lead. We should like to hear from James, as two of his children are still at Enfield. Amidst all the opposition of the adversary and all our tribulation we are laboring to do the best we can. We mean to keep the unity of the faith in the bond of peace.