James Jonathan CHAPEL Oliver CHAPEL Annie CHAPEL Mini tree diagram
Rebecca Madeline DAVIS

Rebecca Madeline DAVIS1,9,2,3,4,10,5,6,7,8

28th Oct 18581,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 - 5th Mar 19499,3,7

Life History

28th Oct 1858

Born in Texas.1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8

5th Feb 1880

Married James Jonathan CHAPEL in Cass County, Texas.10

27th Oct 1882

Birth of son Oliver CHAPEL in Cass County, Texas.11,1,7,5,4,8

20th Mar 1885

Birth of daughter Annie CHAPEL in Cass County, Texas.11,11,7

before 1892

Divorced from James Jonathan CHAPEL in Chickasaw Nation, Indian Territory

1st Jan 1922

Death of James Jonathan CHAPEL in Johnson County, Texas.7,12

5th Mar 1949

Died in Panola County, Texas.9,3,7

after 5th Mar 1949

Buried in Pleasant Hill Cemetery, Bryans Mill, Cass County, Texas.7

Notes

  • 1880 Federal Census, Cass County, Texas, 14 July, Precinct 3, page 69, Hse/Fam #625
    Chappell, James  W M 24 Husband Farmer GA GA MS
    Chappell, Rebecca W F 21 Wife Keep House TX GA SC

    One source reports Rebecca's middle name as Mauldin.  But many genealogies report her as Rebecca Madeline. This latter name is also the name on a Texas Death record that may be for this same Rebecca.  Several attach the following death report to James Jonathan Chappell's wife.

    Texas Death Index, 1903-2000
    Certificate #20767
    Rebecca Madaline Chapel
    Death 5 Mar 1949 Panola County

    There was some confusion and uncertainty, because several genealogies report a James John or James Jonathan Chapel with a wife named Dora Chapel, citing a marriage record in 1892 in Sebastian County, Arkansas.  Some genealogies have confused her husband with one James John Chapel who was born in Arkansas, married Dora Chapel in Sebastian County, Arkansas in 1892, and died in Cleburne, Texas, in 1922.  But Rebecca's husband died before 1900, according to the 1900 census.

    But this may be wrong, maybe they were divorced instead.  Rebecca is reported as a widow in censuses from 1900 to 1930.  These genealogies also follow the Texas Death Index report of her death as above, in Panola County, Texas, in 1949.  Most ignore the other wife's name Dora.  Most genealogies have only one wife for James J Chapel, either Rebecca or Dora.  It seemed that there were two similarly-named Chapel men named James John or James Jonathan or similar.  But I finally found some genealogies that have both wives wife named Dora don't have a wife Rebecca.

    One possibility is that they obtained a divorce for which we have not found the record.  The Chapel family and other families related to them moved from Texas to Chickasaw Nation, Indian territory int he late 1800s.  Both Rebecca and James were in Oklahoma near family later.  Rebecca and James could have gotten a Chickasaw Divorce, which then was not registered with US authorities.  Or they could have gotten a US divorce, but it is not available to us.  Oklahoma has never made its public records available online, and one must pay to get a copy from any county office.

    Our Rebecca was in Choctaw County, Oklahoma with her son Oliver and his family for the 1910 census, but they moved back to Cass County, Texas, before the 1920 census.  Panola County, Texas, where she is reported to have died, is about three counties south of Cass, so this could be the same Rebecca.  This may indicate she moved farther south before she died.

    1900 Federal Census, Parker County, Texas, 77 June, Justice Precinct 6, District 22, page 6B, Hs/Fam #93
    Chappel, Rebkka [sic] Head W F Oct 1858 41 Widow 3 children/3 living TX TX TX Farm Laborer [No ownership status]
    Chappel, Oliver Son W M Oct 1882 17 Single TX GA IL
    Chappel, Annie Dau W F Mch 1885 15 TX GA TX

    There is a puzzle in this 1900 census enumeration, in the birth states of the parents of Oliver.  Note that his parents are reported as being born in Georgia and Illinois.  James J Chappel was born in Georgia, according to other sources.  But note that here Rebecca is not reported born in Illinois but Texas.  (But in 1880 some read the birth state of her mother as an abbreviation of Illinois, while some see it as SC, similar to other entries of SC on the page.  In 1920 and 1930 Rebecca's mother is again reported born in Illinois.)  Note that in 1910, Oliver's birth state reports are all Texas.

    Note also that the 1900 census reports that Rebecca has borne 3 children and all three are living.  So there was an older child who is away for the home, and probably married at this point.

    1910 Federal Census, Choctaw County, Oklahoma, 3 May, Wilson Township, District 69, page 7B, Hse #125, Fam #136
    Chapel, Oliver Head M W  27  Married 4 yrs TX TX TX Farmer Rents
    Chapel, Nora Wife  F W  21  Married 4 yrs 2 children/2 living LA TX TX
    Chapel, Roy Son  M W 3  Single TX TX LA
    Chapel, Ruby K Dau  F W 11mos Single OK TX LA
    Chapel, Rebecca Mother F W 52  Widowed TX TX GA

    1920 Federal Census, Cass County, Texas, 20 January, Justice Precinct 3, District 37, page 7B, Marietta and Bryans Mill Rd, Hse #118, Fam #122
    Chappel, Oliver Head Rents M W  37 TX TX TX Farmer
    Chappel, Nora Wife  F W  31 TX TX TX
    Chappel, Roy Son  M W  13 Single TX TX TX
    Chappel, Ruby K Dau F W  10 OK TX TX
    Chappel, Flosy Dau F W  7 OK TX TX
    Chappel, Frank Son  M W  4 Single OK TX TX
    Chappel, Coy Son  M W  1 Single TX TX TX
    Chappel, Rebecca Mother F W  63 Widow TX AL IL

    1930 Federal Census, Cass County, Texas, 22 April, Justice Precinct 3, District 12, page 8A, Douglasville-Naples Rd, Hse #139, Fam #144
    Chapel, Oliver  Head Rents M W  47 Married First married at age 23 TX TX TX Farmer [b abt 1863]
    Chapel, Rebecca Mother F W  71 Widow First married at age 21 TX AL IL [b abt 1859]
    Chapel, Flossie Dau F W 16 Single OK TX TX [b abt March 1914]
    Chapel, Frank Son M W 14 Single OK TX TX [b abt March 1916]
    Chapel, Coy Son M W 12 Single TX TX TX [b abt March 1918]
    Chapel, Mary Dau F W 8 Single TX TX TX [b abt March 1922]
    Chapel, R A Son M W 3yrs6mos Single TX TX TX [b abt March 1926]

    Even though Oliver is reported here as married, Nora is not reported in this family.  In the 1940 census, Rebecca is still in her son Oliver's home.  Olvier's wife is back in the enumeration this census.

    1940 Federal Census, Cass County, Texas, 22 April, Precinct 3, District 34-14, page 4B, Hse #72, Rents $4
    Chapel, Oliver C Head M W 57 Married Grade 8 b Texas same house in 1935 Farmer [b abt 1883]
    Chapel, Nora Wife F W 51 Married Grade 8 b Texas same house in 1935 [b abt 1889]
    Chapel, Coy O Son 22 Grade H4 b Texas same house in 1935 [b abt 1918] Enroller CCC
    Chapel, Mary Dau F W 18 Grade H4 b Texas same place in 1935 No Occup [b abt 1922] New Worker
    Chapel, R A  Son M W 13 Grade 6 b Texas same place in 1935 [b abt 1927]
    Chapel, Rebecka M Mother F W 82 Widow Grade 6 b Texas same place in 1935 [b abt 1878]

    Rebecca Madeline Davis Chapel
    Birth Oct. 28, 1858
    Death Mar. 5, 1949
    Children:
    James Walter Abston (1876 - 1943)
    Oliver Chapel (1882 - 1971)
    Note: Daughter of Jeptha and Rebecca Davis. Wife of John Chapel
    Burial Pleasant Hill Cemetery, Bryans Mill, Cass County, Texas
    Created by PAT LEE MATHEWS Apr 30, 2011
    --  Find A Grave Memorial #69140016, http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=69140016

Sources

  • 1. 1930 Federal Census, Cass County, Texas
    • 22 April, Justice Precinct 3, District 12, page 8A, Douglasville-Naples Rd, Hse #139, Fam #144
  • 2. 1900 Federal Census, Parker County, Texas
    • 7 June, Justice Precinct 6, District 22, page 6B, Hs/Fam #93
  • 3. Epperson Genealogy
    • Name: Jimmy Epperson;
    • James Jonathon Chapel, Rebecca Mauldin Davis, http://epperson.eppygen.org/FamilyTree/F683.htm
  • 4. 1920 Federal Census, Cass County, Texas
    • 20 January, Justice Precinct 3, District 37, page 7B, Marietta and Bryans Mill Rd, Hse #118, Fam #122
  • 5. 1910 Federal Census, Choctaw County, Oklahoma
    • 3 May, Wilson Township, District 69, page 7B, Hse #125, Fam #136
  • 6. 1880 Federal Census, Cass County, Texas
    • 14 July, Precinct 3, page 69, Hse/Fam #625
  • 7. Find a Grave Memorial Registry
  • 8. 1940 Federal Census, Cass County, Texas
    • 22 April, Precinct 3, District 34-14, page 4B, Hse #72, Rents $4
  • 9. Texas, Death Index, 1903-2000
    • Certificate #20767
  • 10. Cass County, Texas, Marriage Records
    • Book 4, p 429
  • 11. 1900 Federal Census, Parker County, Texas
    • 77 June, Justice Precinct 6, District 22, page 6B, Hs/Fam #93
  • 12. Texas, Death Index, 1903-2000

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