JAMES CHIPMAN

JAMES CHIPMAN

This history given by Mrs. Christa Jones at the 1980 Chipman Reunion has been taken in very large part from a history of James Chipman composed by his son, Stephen L. Chipman, and read at his funeral.by E. W. Robinson.

JAMES CHIPMAN

April 8, 1839 - Oct. 13, 1922

For Chipman reunion August 8 & 9, 1980

(Sources: Hearsay, Prominent Men of Utah 1913, The Chipmans by Bert Chipman, and obituary read at his funeral)

The name Chipman according to Etymologists, is a variant of the English Chapman, which means “Merchant, Tradesman, Dealer”. But many historians both English and American incline toward the belief that the name of CHIPMAN is a shortened form of the ancient English name CHIPPENHAM, which means “Chapman’s Village, Mart, Emporium, or Market Place: and was assumed by its first bearers because of their residence at a place so called”. The same writing also states, “of varied talents and abilities, the Chipmans have been successful in many lines of endeavor including law, politics and business, as well as in military and literary fields. They may be generally described as STRONGWILLED, CAPABLE AND FORCEFUL, UPRIGHT, & INDEPENDENT.”

Most of the ‘in-laws” of said Chipmans will no doubt be ready to avow that at least one of these attributes, “strong-willed”, is applicable to most of those who have the honor to be the posterity of the Chipman progenitors. However, to one man, James Chipman,, we must agree that he fulfilled the full definition of the name, and that the general description of “strong-willed, capable, forceful, upright, and independent: is extremely applicable.

To these things he added the humbleness of a persecuted religious people, trying to prove themselves, and had great foresight to understand the trend of events, which was necessary in the early pioneer empire builders. They had to judge and control, be financiers, LEADERS! And James Chipman was a handsome man with a keen mind, certainly not one of the underlings, but a leader whose name will be remembered, gratefully, and appreciated by those of us who share the blood line, and with respect by others.

Grandfather, James Chipman, was born in DeWitt (Far West), Carroll County, Missouri, on April 9th 1839, the fifth of six children born to Stephen. September 25, 1847 was when James arrived in Utah with his parents.

His father, Stephen, was among those who carted the huge blocks of granite from Cottonwood Canyon, swung beneath the cumbersome two-wheeled ox carts. In all these beneficent activities young James took an active part, getting his first experience and inspiration in the wonderful work of empire building.

In Mill Creek he attended school, that is, he gleaned such information as those early schools afforded. His education was largely derived from human experiences and from daily lessons taught by the efforts of the pioneers to subdue and control the unpromising natural conditions.

At the age of twenty James Chipman was in business for himself; farmer, stock-raiser, and freighting across the mountains with mule teams. Experience was his textbook and stood him in good stead in railroad contracting, and in assisting to build the Union Pacific and Rio Grande Railroads.

The store of Chipman, Adams & Company was started in the year of 1872, and in 1880 he bought out his partners, Arza Adams and George Watterman. In 1892 the Chipman Mercantile Company was incorporated by James Chipman with his children as stockholkers. One longtime resident of American Fork commented on how nice it was to walk into Chipman’s and say, “Charge it”, for anything from groceries to coal, lumber or even clothing, etc. The business was guided through the depression years, but by the 1970's the business had been sold and ceased to be a mercantile business. In 1979 the doors were closed after 107 years!

James Chipman was a banker of no mean repute. He was not only president, director, etc., of banks, insurance companies, industries and mining companies, but he was interested in the civic affairs and education of the youth of Utah, realizing that it must be better than his own. To him is due in a large part the credit for establishment of the first free public schools of the Territory of Utah. He was active in civic affairs; he served as mayor of American Fork for a number of years, and was a councilman and school trustee in that city.

It has always been a source of pride with me to hear his name read at various times as “The first Treasurer of the State of Utah....James Chipman!” It was truly a distinction, and the duties of that office were the means of his moving his family to Salt Lake City, where he continued to reside up to the time of death.

By October 1922 he had disposed of or merged his larger personal holdings into the Chipman Investment Co., almost as if anticipating an early demise, but was still president or director in such as Utah Idaho Sugar Company, Beneficial Life Ins. Co., Chipman Mercantile, Midvale, Lehi and American Fork Banks, and several mining companies.

Sixteen children, fifty-nine grandchildren and forty great grandchildren constituted the posterity (in 1922) of this splendid husband and father, and were living examples of a purity of blood that can come only from a good ancestral line.

James was twenty when he married my grandmother, Sarah Annadella Green who was but 14 years of age. I learned for myself from the tombstone in the American fork Cemetery, when but a child, that she was only twenty when she died, leaving four little children; Betsey (or Bessie), James, Jr., Alphonso, and Stephen L. Very little is known about Sarah Annadella Green, which one can easily understand, but from bits and records of others, she was born Jan. 1844, and was married to James Feb 10, 1859. She died Dec. 21, 1864. But from the tidbits a small child hears and things she conjures up in her mind, Sarah Annadella became somewhat of a legend of fairy tale princess. She was like the Book of Mormon said of Nephi of old, born of goodly parents, Alphonso and Betsy Bonny Murdock Green, who were also pioneers of 1847, and also one of the first families who settled American Fork. Betsy (Bessie) who was the oldest of Sarah Annadella’s children and the oldest child of James was raised by Grandma Green who was a very loving and colorful person.

Salena Huntsman, who was James’ second wife, we will hear more of.[during the Chipman reunion - Joy Viehweg]. She bore him 12 of his 16 children. Her first child, Sarah, was just one year younger than Stephen L, so she probably had two babies to care for at the same time.

In 1913 he married Miss Salena Pusey, who was a loving and devoted companion to him until he died. Those of James’ posterity who knew her speak very highly of her.

James Chipman had the confidence and respect of the entire State of Utah. Few men possessed more warm and loyal friends than he. It has been said of him, ‘His success is entirely due to his own efforts...Self-educated and self-made, he built up a fortune and career by his own sturdy character and industry”.

True, Grandfather must have been an individualist. I have even heard rumors he had the “audacity’ to make a business venture of a dance hall not under the jurisdiction oft he church. And at another time his originality and verve brought him before the hierarchy of the church. Proving he was not only a Mormon “Saint”, but a very human man. Perhaps that was a part of his greatness, his enthusiasm, foresight, and his ability to adjust with a new generation.

Many times I have wished I knew of a personal journal to read from. It would have been interesting, I am sure, and would have no doubt contained his testimony of the gospel. He came to Utah as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints FOR their religion. “Self-made, Self-educated” Yes! But being a Mormon Pioneer he must have felt himself to be in partnership with, and grateful to, an ever-loving father in heaven, our Savior Jesus Christ. Who could ask for more than this man had; the abiding faith in God of a pioneer, health, wealth in material things, and a great POSTERITY. He was blessed, and we in turn are Blessed!

Christa Jones

Notes from Joy Viehweg, descendant of James Chipman and Salena Huntsman:

James Chipman was excommunicated by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I visited the Historian’s Office of the Church and tried to learn the reason for that action. That information was not made available to me, even as a descendant, a great granddaughter. Fern Chipman Eyring, daughter of James Chipman, told me that the reason for the excommunication was that James had a dance hall on the second floor of the Chipman store. This was probably frowned upon by Church leaders. We know that people in those days were often cut off for what we today would call small issues.

With James’ second marriage (to Salena Huntsman), he entered the common practice of polygamy. Mrs. Jones writes in her history that Salena had two babies to care for; her own Sarah and Sarah Annadella’s Stephen L. who were born very close in age. A few years later in the 1870 US Census of American Fork, Utah, Salena is shown caring for Sarah Annadella’s three sons (Betsy was living with her Green grandparents) and her own three youngest children. At that time she was pregnant with Luna Amanda who would be born a few months later. No doubt this was a daunting task for Salena, perhaps overwhelming. Living with James and Salena were her mother and teenage sister and brother; these were Roxana Leavitt Fletcher Huntsman Snow, Melissa Snow and John Snow. Roxana was a teacher, but, no doubt, with her Snow children, was a tremendous help to Salena in caring for six children under the age of ten in the window of time.

It must be noted that James Chipman was blind or nearly so at the time of his death. It was told to me by Fern Chipman Eyring that James’ third wife, Salena Pusey, provided his every need and was a very attentive, loving companion to her husband at a time when he was so dependant on others around him.

Stephen L. Chipman wrote in his history, “About the year 1852 the family, including the boy James, came to American Fork, where they engaged in agricultural pursuits. About this time, also, James was sent among others back to the North Platte to assist the snowbound pilgrims on their way to the Land of Zion.”.....

“At the age of twenty, Mr. Chipman started out for himself as a farmer and stock raiser, and later engaged in freighting goods across the mountains with mule teams. In this work he made three trips from Montana to Los Angeles, each round trip consuming an entire season. The route that he followed from Salt Lake City to the Coast is virtually the same as that over which the San Pedro, Los Angeles, and Salt Lake Railroad now extends.”

The October 14, 1922 Salt Lake Tribune printed the obituary of James Chipman. A part of that obituary follows:

“Resident 335 Fifth Avenue, 83 years of age, died after an illness of six weeks. For several years he had been accustomed to spend his winters in California, although keeping in close touch with his Utah business. He appeared in reasonably good health until early in September, when he was taken to a hospital for treatment of an acute disorder of the prostate gland. His condition varied, but he lost strength and passed away yesterday morning shortly after 4 o’clock.”