Surname Saturday: Chapple

It’s Surname Saturday and this series is intended to give genealogy bloggers a chance to discuss a family surname by giving details about its origin, its geographical location(s), and how it fits into their family research.

ORIGIN

According to Ancestry.com, the meaning of Chappel/Chapple is,

English: variant spelling of Chappell. French: from a diminutive of Old French chape ‘hooded cloak’, ‘cape’, ‘hood’, or ‘hat’ (from Late Latin cappa, capa), hence a metonymic occupational name for a maker of cloaks or hats, or a nickname for a habitual wearer of a distinctive cloak or hat.”Even though the surname may suggest that Chapels may have been makers of cloaks or hats, I believe ‘my’ ancestors were more of what the nickname suggest — habitual wearers of cloaks or hats — because majority of the Chapel immigrants who were living in the United States during the 1880’s, and my ancestors in particular, were farmers.

VARIANT SPELLING

One of the challenges I’ve had with my maternal family research has been with the various spelling of the surname (Chapple, Chappell, Chappel, Chapel) in birth, census, death, marriage, and social security records. But what I have observed is that the variations in the spelling actually occurred with my ancestors around the the turn of the 20th century. They seem to prefer to spell the surname with an “e” at the end, instead of with the 2 (l’s) or 1 (l) as so many of my ancestors’ did prior to the 20th century.

GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION(S)

In the 1840’s, majority of the Chapels that were living in the United States (25% – 47%) were located in New York and Connecticut. But by the 1920’s, the largest number of Chapels (27% – 51%) were located in the states of Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Texas. So when exactly did my Chapple ancestors arrive in Texas? I have no idea – LOL! Finding out how and when “my” Chappel ancestors arrived in Texas will be my main focus this summer. So stay tuned . . . there’s more fact-finding and information to come!

MY PEDIGREE

1. Me

2. John Taylor (1927-2010)

3. Carrie Chapple Taylor (1928-2019)

4. Willie Taylor (1909-1985)

5. Louise Newsome (1909-1975)
   6. Jopseh Chapple, born 2 June 1902 in Eagle Lake, Colorado, Texas, USA; died 23 August 1966 in Houston, Harris, Texas, USA. He is the son of #12 – Louis Chappel and #13 – Carrie Blanton. He married Estella Smith on 23 May 1921; then he married Ethel Abram Thompson on 19 Jan 1939.

7. Estella Smith, born about 1903 in Houston, Harris, Texas, USA; died 3 Jul 1930 in Houston, Harris, Texas, USA. She is the daughter of #14 – Richard Snith and #15 – Mary Joyce White.

Children of Joseph & Estella Smith Chapple are:
Dorthey J Chapple – b. Sep. 10, 1921 d. Nov. 13, 1921
Ella Louise Chapple Marshall – b. Sep. 18, 1923 d. Apr. 2, 1969
Joseph Lee Chapple – b. Dec. 26, 1924 d. Jul. 5, 1994
Estella Chapple Thomas – b. Aug. 24, 1926 d. Aug. 30, 1954
Josephine “Josie” Chapple – b. Jan. 11, 1927 d. Apr. 24, 1928
Living Chapple
Richard Mary Chapple – b. May 9, 1930 d. Jun. 3, 1930
Child of Estella Smith Chapple is:
Altha Mae Banks Sheffield Scott – b. Dec. 27, 1919 d. Sep. 5, 1987

1. Luke Taylor (1885-????)
2. Birdie Green (1889-1977)

3. Henry Newsom (1869-1952)

4. Olivia Moten (1891-1967)

5. Charles Lewis Chappel (1883-1952)

6. Carrie Blanton (1883-1944)

7. Richard Smith (1865-1925)

8. Mary Joyce White (1868-1920)

Are any of my pedigree ancestors in your family tree? Yes?! Then, let me hear from you because . . .
I’m claiming kin!

Source Citation:

1. Ancestry. (n.d.). Chappell Family History. Ancestry.com. Retrieved June 2, 2012, from http://www.ancestry.com/name-origin?surname=chappell

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Surname Saturday: My mtDNA Kit and Taylor Surname Project

“Welcome to the exciting world of Genealogy by Genetics!” – was the opening line of the letter I received with my mtDNA Kit from FamilyTreeDNA.com. Well, I’m happy to report that my DNA samples are on their way back to their labs right now for processing – woo-hoo!

Before placing my online order for a kit, I was advised to search the website for a Surname Project for my last name, which may entitle me to a discount on my kit. A quick search revealed a Taylor Surname Project already in progress! So I received a great discount on my mtDNA Kit – YEAH! When my kit arrived it consisted of: 2 individually wrapped cheek scapers, 2 collection tubes, 1 release form, and 1 Family Tree DNA storage bag. The collection tubes, release form, and storage bag all have the same number that was assigned to me at the time I placed my order.

The DNA Collection process was very easy to follow. With clean hands, I opened one of the wrapped cheek scrapers and scraped forcefully the inside of my right cheek for about 60 seconds. Once I was done, I unscrewed the top of one of the collection tubes and pushed the scrapper inside by firmly pushing the plunger at the top of the scrapper which released it into the tube just under the liquid solution. Then I replaced the top back on the collection tube, twisting it tightly, to ensure the quality of my sample. Three hours later, I did the same thing again on the inside of my left cheek. Once I had both of my DNA samples and completed release form ready, I placed them in the storage bag which I sealed before placing everything in the padded envelope that came with my kit.

So why did I choose Family Tree DNA? According to reports I read:

Family DNA currently has the largest database that has helped many genealogists match and uncover common ancestors.

The genetic tests that they offer can determine relationships with a 99.9% degree of accuracy – which is why more and more people are testing with them today.

I like the fact that they will keep my DNA stored for 25 years at no charge!

They follow the most stringent guidelines for privacy – they control the DNA Database Library and test results, while the Arizona Research Labs located at the University of Arizona controls and maintains my genetic assets in a locked refrigerator on their behalf — as a double safety net!

Now that my DNA samples are on their way to their labs, it’s time for me to get connected with all the members of the Taylor Surname Project. So stay tuned, for there’s more information to come.  In the meantime,  feel free to explore my site and check out the surnames that are apart of my family history. And if by chance you have some Taylors from Texas in your family tree, let me hear from you because I’m . . . Claiming Kin!

Surname Saturday: Routt, 2nd Generation – The Children

The 2nd Generation of Routt ancestors in my Texas Family Tree are the children of Osborn and Sallie Routt:

Buchanon Routt, born 1860 in Chappell Hill, Washington, Texas, USA; he died ????

Jefferson “Jeff”  Routt,   born 1863 in Chappell Hill, Washington, Texas USA; he died 27 April 1935, Chappell Hill, Washington, Texas,  USA. He married Daisy Newsome, 27 January 1917, Chappell Hill, Washington, Texas,  USA

Mary Francis Routt, born 1865 in Chappell Hill, Washington, Texas, USA; she died ????

Lou “Lula” Routt, born 12 September 1867 in Chappell Hill, Washington, Texas, USA; she died 14 March 1964, Chappell Hill, Washington, Texas, USA. She married James “Jim” Green, 27 September 1888, Chappell Hill, Washington, Texas, USA

Charlotte “Lottie” Routt, born 1872 in Chappell Hill, Washington, Texas, USA. She married Washington “Wash” Nelson, Jr., 04 March 1893 in Brenham, Washington, Texas, USA

William “Willie” Routt, born 1874 in Chappell Hill, Washington, Texas, USA; he died 21 November 1933 in Prairie View, Waller, Texas, USA. He married Rosa “Rosie” Baltimore, 15 September 1901, Chappell Hill, Washington, Texas, USA

John “Johnnie” Routt, born 1874 in Chappell Hill, Washington, Texas, USA; he died 30 June 1931, Chappell Hill, Washington, Texas, USA. He married Isabelle Whitfield, 22 December 1897, Chappell Hill, Washington, Texas, USA

Buchanon and Mary Francis Routt, listed above, are my “brick wall” Routt ancestors for the moment. I have researched many of the online databases, family trees, and newspapers for them, but I haven’t had any luck finding them beyond the late 1870 and 1880 census. So my next step is to schedule a road trip in the coming months to Washington County to search the holdings where they lived. So stay tuned, there’s more to come!

In the meantime, if you have some of my 2nd Generation Routt ancestors in your family tree, let me hear from you because I’m — Claiming Kin!

—–

Source Citation

1. Year: 1870; Census Place: Precinct 2, Washington, Texas; Roll: M593_1608; Page: 14A; Image: 31; Family History Library Film: 553107.

2. Year: 1880; Census Place: , Washington, Texas; Roll: 1331; Family History Film: 1255331; Page: 74A; Enumeration District: 142; .

Surname Saturday: Routt, 1st Generation

Surname Saturday is one of the popular “Daily Blogging Series” going on at GeneaBloggers.com! This series is intended to give genealogy bloggers a chance to discuss a surname and mention its origin, its geographical location(s), and how it fits into their family research. So I’ve joined the foray and plan to share information regularly about the surnames I’m researching in hopes that others who are researching those surnames will connect with me!

ORIGIN

With regards to origin, in Ancestry.com’s THE ROUTT NAME IN HISTORY, Routt is English and “probably a topographic name for someone who lived by a patch of rough ground.” According to the 1920 US Federal Census, majority of the Routt immigrants that came to America were from England.

One of the challenges I’ve faced with my Routt research has been with the various spelling of the surname (Rault, Roatt, Rout, Routt, Routte, Route, Roult, Rowte, Rote) in birth, census, death, and marriage records. I believe the reason why there are so many variations of  this surname is due to my ancestors, who were slaves, not being able to read or write. Therefore, they could not tell the person recording their information how to accurately and consistently spell their name all the time. So if the person recording their information wasn’t familiar with how the surname was spelled, or wasn’t a good speller in general, then variations of the surname was bound to happen. But from what I have been able to glean from records, most of my ancestors spelled Routt with two t’s at the end — which was the same way their slave owner, William Routt, spelled his name.

 GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION(S)

Routt immigrants came to the United States from the Eastern region of England (Norfolk, Suffolk, and Cambridgeshire). Once in the US, by the 1840’s there were Routt households in Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maryland, and South Carolina. By the 1920 census, a majority of Routt households resided in Kentucky, Texas, and Ohio.  With farming being the principal occupation among most Routt immigrants, and with the rise of plantation agriculture in colonial America, many Routt immigrants owned slaves and operated medium to large plantations.

In an email I received from Genealogist, Virginia Hill in 1998 who shared information from ALL OUR YESTERDAYS: A BRIEF HISTORY OF CHAPPELL HILL compiled by Mr. & Mrs. Nath Winfield (very knowledgeable local historians), cotton merchants observed that certain Texas counties — Brazoria, Washington, Ward, and Matagorda – “were superior to regions in the United States for cotton production. Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, and Carolina then produced an average of 3 bales ‘to the hand’ while the average production of cotton in these Texas counties were seven bales.” I’m sure the prospect of producing seven versus three bales ‘to the hand’ of cotton was what prompted cotton merchant, William Routt, to move to the Washington County Texas area from Huntsville, Alabama bringing with him one of the 1st generation of  ancestors on my father’s father side  – Osborn & Sallie Routt

MY FIRST GENERATION OF ROUTTS

According to the 1870 United States Federal Census
Osborn was 28 yrs old, born about 1842 in the State of Virginia.
Sallie was 23 yrs old, born about 1847 in the Alabama.

Children of Osborn & Sallie:
Buchanon 10 yrs old, born about 1860 in TX
Jefferson Routt  7 yrs old, born about 1863 in TX
Mary F Routt  5 yrs old, born about 1865 in TX
Louisa Routt  9 months old, born about 1869 in TX

Per the Washington County Marriage Records (Certificate No. 12680, Vol. 3, Pg 488) Osborn and Sallie were joined in marriage as husband and wife on 9 July 1871. Considering the date of their marriage and the birth of their children, one can only conclude that even though the institution of slavery did not officially allow slaves to marry, Osborn and Sallie obviously stayed together. Once slavery ended in Texas, they made their union legal!

According to the 1880 United States Federal Census
Osborn is 45 and Sallie is 30, which is a major discrepancy with how old they should be by this time. This also tells me that they literally had no idea as to how old they were, or when they were born (which is not unusual when you consider they could not read or write). But if I believe the 1880 Census information with regards to their ages, then Osborn would have been born around 1835 and Sallie around 1850.

Another change in this census is regarding a young male child stated as “son” – Buchanon, who would be 20 yrs old by this time. He is no longer living with the family.  
Some possible reasons for him not being enumerated with them are:
1) he is a young adult living and working on his own,
2) he’s married with a family of his own nearby or in another town, county or state,
3) he may have died between 1870-1880 from an illness or accident.
4) he may not be the biological son of Osborn and Sallie; he may be an extended family member to Osborn or Sallie (i.e. brother, nephew, cousin) living with them with
5) even though he was listed under the surname Routt in the 1870 Census, his given surname may not be Routt

But, three more children are now listed with this family:
Charlotte Routt  8 yrs old, born about 1872 in TX
William Routt 6 yrs old, born about 1874 in TX
John Routt 4 yrs old, born about 1876 in TX

So if you have some of my 1st Generation Routts in your family tree, let me hear from you because I’m — Claiming Kin!