Family Histories of Coleman County, Texas

L. B. Chapman
by Sylbia Ransberger

From A History of Coleman County and Its People, 1985 
edited by Judia and Ralph Terry, and Vena Bob Gates - used by permission
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

      Little Berry Chapman was born December 29, 1859 in Alabama, but later moved to Texas and met an Alabama girl, Florence A. Jordan, born August 18, 1869, and were married December 30, 1886 in Falls County, moving to Coleman County from Strawn by way of wagons and on horseback in 1911.  They settled about 3½ miles northeast of Coleman.  They already had nine children who were all born in Lott, and one child was born in Coleman County.  The children are:

     (1) Bessie, born January 6, 1888, married A. C. Rose in Waco. They had three daughters, Oleta, Sarah, and Christine.  Bessie and A. C. both died in 1919 during a flu epidemic.  Oleta and Christine lived with the Chapman grandparents for several years.

     (2) Mason Daniel, December 27, 1891, married Grace Gibson.  Three children: Rufina, Mason Jr., and Mack Edward (deceased).  The children lived in the Springfield, Missouri area.  Mason, Sr. was a rig builder and worked in the oil fields at Ranger, Longview, and Kilgore.  He died in 1942.

     (3) Homer Lee, May 11, 1894, married Billie Lawless, had one son, Homer Joe, born in Lott.  He has never married and lives in Oklahoma.  Homer L. worked in the oil field.  He passed away in 1973, buried at Lott.

     (4) Mattie Love, March 15, 1897, married Paul Ransberger, July 12, 1914 (see William Henry Ransberger). (5) Floy, July 10, 1899, married to Aleene, a teacher.  They lived in California, and he died there in 1964.

     (6) L. B., Jr., October 31, 1901, married Ina Jewel Hurst, December 27, 1933 (see W. C. Hurst).  L. B. was a dairy farmer at the time.  He was a policeman in Coleman from 1945 until 1966.  She became an L.V.N. and worked at Holiday Hill Nursing Home until her retirement.  He retired in 1966 and they Iive in Coleman.  They are very active members of the Northside Baptist Church.

     (7). Mary Lou, July 4, 1904, married Daniel Talmadge Williamson, Sr., October 2, 1936, at Coleman.  He was a cattle buyer and ran a slaughter house.  They had two children: Mary Elizabeth, born May 10, 1928, at Novice, and Daniel T. Jr., October 15, 1934, at Coleman.  In about 1944, they moved to Texarkana, Arkansas, where both children graduated from high school and reside there today.  Mary passed away in 1982.

     (8) Mollie Irene, September 24, 1908, married (1) Vestal D. Walker in Coleman.  They had three children: Margie Dean; Martha Lynn and Vestal D., Jr.  Mollie married (2) C. C. Cornelius of Eastland and she resides in Eastland.

     (9) Charlie Trice, July 27, 1906, married Ruth Flo.  They have three children: Jimmie, January 3, 1948 in San Francisco, California; Mary Liz, November 24, 1951 in Casper, Wyoming; and Trice, Jr., October 22, 1961 in Corsicana, Texas.  They live in Wellston, Oklahoma.  Trice, Sr. has worked most of his life in the oil fields.  He is a toolpusher.

     (10) Florence, June 13, 1911 at Coleman, attended school in Coleman, married Willie Lee Heaton, born October 31, 1917, June 13, 1952 in Houston.  She is a housewife and he salesman.  They live in Houston.  Florence A. moved into the city of Coleman later in their lives.  They lived together for almost 60 years.  He passed away August 20, 1946, and she passed away September 22, 1950.


 
Families History Index
Coleman County Index