This collection includes papers primarily of Chandler B. Chapman; fewer in number are the papers of his son, Chandler P. Chapman. There are also a few letters of other members of the family--wives, cousins, aunts, uncles, etc. The collection contains newspaper clippings, lecture notes and reports, printed material, two notebooks, and a diary but the bulk of material is correspondence. The correspondence is arranged in a general chronological framework, plus two letterpress books of outgoing correspondence. The correspondence falls into three main topical categories--business activities, church activities, and military activities.
The business correspondence is mainly in the nature of specific naterial concerning the buying and selling of real estate. In the case of Chandler B. Chapman, this activity centers around the locality of Emporia, Kansas, which the doctor found was a lucrative field for his speculations. In the case of General Chapman, the activity is centered about Madison. Because of the close association of father and son in the same business, there is a great deal of correspondence between the two men, pertaining largely to an exchange of technical and legal information.
The religious correspondence is almost wholly that of Dr. Chapman. His business ventures caused him to travel widely through Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Ohio, and of course, Kansas. Although business was the motivation, Dr. Chapman never failed to keep contacts with Presbyterian ministers and congregations. His religious activities were centered about plans to expand the Presbyterian faith. In line with this, Dr. Chapman's correspondents bear evidence of his plans to found any number of schools, churches, and seminaries, sectarian in nature and connected with the Presbyterian Church.
The correspondence concerning military activities falls into two categories. Dr. Chapman's correspondence comprises a Civil War collection which he accumulated while he was an Army surgeon. General Chapman's papers pertain to his work in the Wisconsin National Guard. Dr. Chapman's military papers are made up of orders, reports, letters, journals, diaries, and scrapbooks. General Chapman's military papers are chiefly organizational charts and plans for initiation and functioning of the Wisconsin National Guard.
Other than the large run of chronological correspondence, the collection also includes journals and diaries of Dr. Chapman on his two trips to Europe and the Middle East. This material includes notes on manners, customs, institutions, and buildings (particularly hospitals) and physicians in England, France, Switzerland, Belgium, and Germany. There are also complete financial records of the trips including bills for lodging, food, and merchandise purchased. The material is in both handwritten and printed form as his notes were edited and ran serially in the Madison newspapers. Clippings may be found in a separate bound journal.
