ALVIN (ALVAN) W. CHAPMAN'S VISITS TO ROME,
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| "... and I remember Dr Chapman's venerable appearance when he used to walk down to Black's Bluff to find the earliest sweet shrubs . He must been between 75 and 80 then." -John L. Harris, a Roman and a local historian (Calycanthus floridus L., Sweet Shrub) | 
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In his letter on October 5, 1893. in Apalachicola to Matthew Henry Hopkins, an amateur botanist of Lousiville, Georgia, Chapman wrote: "… I saw at once from my large collections of duplicates I could render you some assistance in this regard. I have therefore selected a lot of species mostly from Florida, or from the vicinity of Rome, GA., where I tramped for three summers, and intend to ship to your address, as freight by the next boat." |
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| "... Communion with nature seemed to keep him (Dr. Chapman) always young, and at eighty he was buoyant and full of life as a school boy. His letters were charming from hopeful, healthy, happy spirit that breathed through them."
- Eliza Frances Andrews (1840-1931), a writer, a teacher, a botanist, and citizen of Rome on May 10, 1911. |
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Image: This portrait of Dr. Alvin W. Chapman is at Apalachicola Municipal Library in Apalachicola, Florida. Neal Meyer, an artist, produced the painting from an original portrait in 1965.
The image was taken with permission on September 11, 2006. at Apalachicola in Florida.
© Copyright: Municipal Library in Apalachicola, Florida.
Alvin (Alvan) Wentworth Chapman (1809-1899) was a famous botanist, a scientist, a physician, and author from Apalachicola, Florida. In 1860 Chapman published "Flora of the Southern United States". Dr. Chapman’s botanical work had been recognized by scientific community both at home and in Europe.
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"Dr Alvan Wentworth Chapman 1909-1899. B.A. 1830. Studied medicine. Surgeon for 50 years. No training in Botany. Collected plants which he sent to Asa Gray - Torrey for identification. Recognized leader in Southern botany as Asa Gray was of the North. Retired from medical practice 1880 and devoted his time to botany. -
Specimens at Edinburgh from N. Florida 1895, ex. Herb. A. Ruth." --A note at Herbarium of Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Edinburgh Scotland, UK (Adele Smith, Assistant Curator, 2006.) |
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Dr. Chapman scarcely filled out the data on the labels of his collections, the assumption was that he collected plants in Floyd County, Georgia in the summers of 1872, 1882 and 1891, and here is the list of his collections:
LIST OF PLANTS COLLECTED BY A.W. CHAPMAN IN FLOYD COUNTY (1872, 1881, & 1891)
| ALVAN W. CHAPMAN'S FAMILY FROM ROME GEORGIA
Chapman's wife Mary Ann (Simmons) was born 1810 in New Bern, NC. She had a daughter, Catherine Gardiner, from her previous marriage to William J. Hancock. Catherine's two daughters Kate H. Wood, born in 1851, and Mary Chapman Wood, born in 1853, were raised by Dr Chapman and his wife after Catherine divorced William T. Wood.
Resting place of Dr. Alvan W. Chapman and his wife Mary Ann at Apalachicola, Florida on September 11, 2006. | 
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References:
1. Andrews, Eliza F. Information typed by E.F. Andrews on the back of the wooden plaque for the photograph; State of Alabama, Department of Archive and History, Montgomery, Alabama
2.Chapman, Alvin W. Letter to Matthew Henry Hopkinson October 5, 1893 in Apalachicola ; Apalachicola Municipal Library, Apalachicola, Florida
3.Harris, John L. Letter to Emma L. Lipps on November 03, 1956.
4.Smith, Adele Personal interview. 15. March 2006. (Edinburgh Scotland, UK)
5.Warren, Shirley. Personal interview. 19. February, 2007. (Mukilteo, Washington)
Last updated on January 15, 2010.
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