Isabelle "Belle" (Dunkelbarger) Chapman (1848-1931)

DUNKELBARGER, CHAPMAN, GOODSON, SMITH, APPLEGATE, HARRINGTON, HAMMOND

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 5/17/2021 at 16:53:11

From Nevada Evening Journal February 2, 1931 (page 1)

MRS. CHAPMAN, SR. CALLED BY DEATH

AGED PIONEER WOMAN CALLED LESS THAN YEAR AFTER HER HUSBAND.

Mrs. Belle Chapman, 82, widow of the late Edwin A. Chapman, Sr., died the home of her daughter, Mrs. J. B. Smith, 605 Tenth street Sunday night at 9:30 after a very brief illness.

The funeral will be held at the Smith home Tuesday afternoon at 2:30, after which interment will be in the Nevada cemetery, by the side of her husband who died February 28 last.

It was not until Friday that Mrs. Chapman, who had been making her home with her daughter since shortly before the death of her husband, was taken ill. Saturday she appeared to be better but the rally was of short duration and her death came suddenly and was a great surprise to the family and friends.

Mrs. Chapman, who came to Nevada with her parents, when a girl of about 12 years, had been a continuous resident here since and was one the real pioneers of the community.

Born in Warren county, Pennsylvania, June 27, 1848, the eldest of the three children of Nathan and Mary Dunkelbarger, she accompanied the family from their home in Pennsylvania to Iowa and located in Nevada until about 1860.

She was united in marriage to Edwin A. Chapman at Iowa Center, July 4, 1872, and they located on a farm home in the southwest corner of the town of Nevada. There they raised their family of seven children and continued to make their home until shortly before the death of the husband, when they were brought to the home of their daughter, where they could be better cared for.

She leaves six of the seven children. One daughter, Mrs. Mary Goodson, is deceased. The surviving children are Gertrude Smith of Nevada, Orr L. Chapman of Sidney, Montana, Nathan Chapman of Downey, Calif., Edwin A. Chapman Jr., of Nevada, Mrs. Belle Applegate of Nevada and Mrs. Elva Harrington of Colo.

In addition to these members of her immediate family, she leaves a number of grandchildren and great grandchildren and one brother O. L. Dunkelbarger of 1015 Seventh street, Nevada. The one sister, Mrs. Hammond, died at Cedar Falls about three years ago.

Mrs. Chapman was a woman devoted to her family and home and her activities outside that circle had been confined to her attendance at the Methodist church of which she was a member and to a small circle of neighbors and friends.

During the later years of their life together neither Mr. nor Mrs. Chapman had been able to leave their home to any considerable extent and it was largely around each other that their activities were centered.

Mrs. Chapman was a woman of fine character and her life had been one of devotion centered upon her family. She will be most kindly remembered by those who were favored with her acquaintance.

The body will be at the Smith home 605 Tenth street this afternoon and evening and Tuesday forenoon. Friends who care to call and view the body may do so during those hours.

The funeral service will be held a the home Tuesday afternoon at 2:30 in charge of Rev. Geo. A. Lawton of the Methodist church and W. O. Benthin, pastor of Central Presbyterian church.