Editor’s Note: The Enterprise is pleased to partner with the Colonel Abram Penn Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution to present My Patriot Ancestor, an ongoing series highlighting Revolutionary War patriots through the stories of local DAR members and their families.
By Julie Sager Brannon and Ann Robertson McConnell
Not all soldiers in the American Revolution were traditional infantrymen carrying firearms. Because armies require logistical and operational support, troops served in a wide variety of specialized roles. Artillery men, drummers and fifers, laborers, and medical staff were among the many other positions required in non-combat roles. Also among these roles were the army chaplains. Vital to the Continental Army’s endurance, chaplains provided spiritual comfort, boosted moral and fostered discipline. The clergymen conducted worship services, advised commanders and ministered to soldiers on the battlefield. Colonel Abram Penn Chapter member Julie Sager Brannon’s patriot ancestor served as an army chaplain in the War for Independence.
Reverend Jedediah Chapman was born in East Haddam, Connecticut in 1741. In 1762 he graduated from Yale College and in 1766 he was ordained at the First Presbyterian Church of Orange in New Jersey. Throughout the Revolutionary War Chapman divided his time between his parish and serving as an army chaplain for Colonel Ephraim Martin’s and General Nathaniel Heard’s New Jersey militia regiments. He frequently preached sermons in support of the Patriot cause, making him a major threat to British forces. The British made several attempts to capture him and actively camped in the cemetery adjoining his church.
Chapman’s first wife, Blanche Smith, died before the outbreak of the Revolution leaving at least three children. Chapman married his second wife, Margaretta Le Conte, after the Revolution. They had at least two children together. Of note is a son born to his first wife and named Robert Hett Chapman (1771-1833). He was a noted Presbyterian minister and the second president of the University of North Carolina.
Reverend Chapman left New Jersey in 1800 to become a missionary in western New York where he planted many churches. He organized the Seneca church (now the First Presbyterian Church in Ovid, NY) and officially settled in Geneva, New York, where he remained until his death in 1813.
“From the very beginning of Mr. Chapman’s pastorate, he was an uncompromising defender of Colonial rights. When war came, he espoused the patriot cause with his whole soul. He preached Rebellion in the pulpit and taught it from house to house. No portion of his large parish was forgotten. He was a marked man. More than once, he served as a volunteer chaplain in the army. His ringing voice and his eloquent appeals encouraged the soldiers to heroic deeds.” History of the Oranges, U.S. Family History Book (Information for this article is from Wikipedia, Family Search, U.S. Family History Book, revolutionarywarnewjersey.com and personal notes of J.S. Brannon.)
Everyone has a story to tell. Let us help you tell yours. Any woman 18 years or older, regardless of race, religion or ethnic background, who can prove lineal descent from a patriot of the American Revolution is eligible for membership. NSDAR is a non-profit, non-political volunteer women’s service organization. Help researching and proving your lineage can be provided by the Colonel Abram Penn Chapter by contacting Ann Robertson McConnell at [email protected].
