Scope and Content
The Chapin family business records consist of three daybooks and two ledgers of William Chapin, 2nd, and his sons, William Chapin, 3rd, and Heman Chapin, of Springfield, Massachusetts, dated 1782-1866. Included are accounts of cider and saw mills; lumbering, carpentry, and day labor; and sales of farm produce.
Dates
- Creation: 1782-1866
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research. Materials stored onsite. Please contact specialcollectionsref@hbs.edu for more information.
Extent
4 linear feet (4 volumes, 1 box)Historical Note
Descended from Deacon Samuel Chapin who settled in Springfield, Massachusetts in 1642, William Chapin, 2nd, son of William and Mary (Chapin) Chapin, was born May 26, 1758 in Chicopee, Massachusetts. William 2nd married Mary Church in Springfield on May 20, 1780. The couple had five children. He engaged in a variety of agricultural pursuits as well running a cider mill and a saw mill. William 2nd died on May 9, 1826.
William Chapin, 3rd, son of William 2nd and Mary (Church) Chapin was born in Chicopee, Massachusetts on May 23, 1783. As the oldest son, William 3rd, resided for many years in the ancestral home and assisted his father with farming and millwork until the growth of the community caused him to move to another location. He relocated yet a third time when railroads entered neighboring Springfield claiming much of his property. William 3rd married Lucy Day on April 12, 1804, and they had eleven children. William 3rd died June 17, 1861.
Heman Chapin, son of William 2nd and Mary (Church) Chapin was born in Chicopee, Massachusetts on April 15, 1786. He married Phena Chapin on November 5, 1809 and eventually settled in South Hadley, Massachusetts. He and his wife produced nine children. In addition to agricultural pursuits, Heman engaged in the paper making trade. He died April 5, 1873.
Physical Location
MANU
Provenance:
Purchase, 1942
Digitization Funding
Collections and items have been digitized with the generous support of The Polonsky Foundation.
- Title
- Chapin Family. Chapin Family Business Records, 1782-1866: Finding Aid
- Author
- Baker Library
- Language of description
- und
- EAD ID
- bak00001
Repository Details
Part of the Baker Library Special Collections and Archives, Harvard Business School Repository
Baker Library Special Collections and Archives holds unique resources that focus on the evolution of business and industry, as well as the records of the Harvard Business School, documenting the institution's development over the last century. These rich and varied collections support research in a diverse range of fields such as business, economic, social and cultural history as well as the history of science and technology.
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