This post was going to be about Harvey Edward Chapman's suicide and efforts by his father Addison to retrieve his body for burial. But the more I learned about Harvey, his brother Willis, Willis's wife Addie, and Addie's children Irene and Carl, I realized all these stories fit the topic of "Solitude", as a word meaning alone or lonely.
Part 1 - Harvey Edward Chapman
Harvey Edward Chapman was born in rural Cayuga County New York in1871, the fifth child and second son of Addison (the subject of previous posts - here and here) and Susan Blakeman Chapman. In 1900, Harvey is living in Auburn, NY, boarding with his widowed sister-in-law Addie Chapman and her two children, Irene and Carl. In 1910, Harvey is still boarding with Addie and her son Carl. Harvey's occupation is listed as a coachman. He worked for the International Harvester company in Auburn, a large manufacturer of mechanized farming equipment.
In September 1912, Harvey loses his job, and despondent, attempts to take his own life. Addie (identified by the newspaper as his wife) finds him, summons help, and Harvey is revived although ill from the effects.
Unfortunately, Harvey's second attempt the next day was successful.
Addie has Harvey buried in Fort Hill Cemetery in Auburn. The photo at the beginning of this post is his headstone.
This article was in the March 21, 1913 Auburn Semi-Weekly Journal.
Harvey's father Addison Chapman was suing Addie Chapman to recover Harvey's body and bring it home for burial.
The next mention I find of Harvey is this June 24, 1913 article again from the Auburn Semi-Weekly Journal. Addison has sued Addie for Harvey's clothes and other possessions. The article indicates the dispute over Harvey's body was "settled" however Harvey is still buried in Auburn's Fort Hill Cemetery to this day.
I don't know why Addison never recovered Harvey's body. Addison died November 11, 1913. It's possible he just ran out of time.
Part 2 - Willis Chapman
Willis Eugene Chapman was born in rural Cayuga County New York in1860, the second child and first son of Addison and Susan Blakeman Chapman. By the age of 20, Willis was working as a servant for a nearby family. In May1882, he married Addie Estelle Abbott, a local woman. Their daughter Irene was born in December 1882 and son Carl was born in 1887.
In 1897, Willis and his brother Edward show up in their local newspaper in a short, two-sentence article: "During a quarrel between Ed and Willis Chapman, brothers, in a Weedsport saloon Thursday night the latter snapped an empty revolver at the former. Saturday Willis was arrested for assault with intent to kill." I haven't found a follow up to this incident (what were they quarreling about? was Willis put on trial? was he acquitted or found guilty?) Willis and Addie are no longer living together by 1900, although both are in the same small town of Auburn NY.
Willis shows up in various newspaper articles for the next decade, getting arrested for public intoxication, petit larceny, and theft. The few records I've found for the remainder of Willis's life are sad - he lives alone and works as a cemetery caretaker. He dies in 1935 and is brought back to his hometown of Weedsport for burial, however the cemetery has no gravestone for him or record of his burial.
Part 3 - Addie Abbott Chapman
Addie Estelle Abbott was born in 1863, in Weedsport, Cayuga County, New York, the daughter of John and Almira Abbott. At the age of 18 she married Willis Chapman. However, in the 1900 census, Addie describes herself as a widow and is living in Auburn NY with her two children. She supports herself by having boarders, including her brother-in-law Harvey.
Addie is the exception to the "Solitude" label as she lived her remaining years with her son Carl in Albany, NY. Addie died September 10, 1945. Her obituary simply states "Mrs. Addie Abbott Chapman, formerly of Auburn, died last night in Albany. She was the widow of Willis Chapman. Mrs. Chapman was born in Weedsport, but passed much of her life in Auburn. Her only survivor is a son, Carl C. Chapman, of Albany. " Addie is buried in Fort Hill Cemetery in Auburn NY.
Part 4 - Irene Chapman Breese
Irene married Arthur Breese in 1900. He was a baker and in 1907, he and Irene moved to Fort Collins, Colorado where Arthur was the pastry chef for the American Hotel and Irene a chambermaid. Sadly, Irene died in December 1907. Arthur wired home to ask for a loan of $100 to transport Irene's body back to New York for burial. He lost the money, was accused of gambling it away, and was fired from his job. A few months later, a commercial traveler (traveling salesman) from Cleveland wrote to the Colorado newspaper to say he had found the money and Breese's card in a pocketbook on the street outside of the American Hotel and requested help returning the money to it's rightful owner. Arthur was vindicated. He remarried in 1914 but passed away from unknown causes in 1918. Irene is buried in Fort Hill Cemetery, Auburn NY.
Part 5 - Carl Chapman
Carl Chapman started working for the New York Telephone Company in 1904 in Auburn and had a long and successful career with them, including 23 years as the chief auditor in Albany, NY. He passed away in 1950, having never married and leaving no survivors. He is buried in Fort Hill Cemetery in Auburn, NY, next to his mother Addie.