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For our first installation of “Bolling Building Stories,” we take a look at Green “Tot” Chapman, who operated a Barbershop in one of the lower level storefronts of the Bolling Building at the turn of the twentieth century. A special thanks to local historian, John Johnson, who brings us this story. Green “Tot” Chapman: A Black Barber on Main Street, Wytheville, Virginia By: John M. Johnson Green Chapman was born in Pulaski County, Virginia, in June of 1852[1]; other records state that he was born in 1857. He was the son of Doddridge Chapman and Tishey Hendrick Chapman.[2] Green married Emma Miller on May 22, 1879.
We are not sure when Green came to Wytheville from Newbern but we are sure he was there when Newbern was still the county seat of Pulaski County. The early Chapman’s played a great part in the organization of Newbern. By 1865 Newbern’s black population was thriving. Paul Huskins, Henry Peck, Jon Cox, James Ingram, David Rodgers, Doddridge Chapman, and Daniel Hall, made the first black land transaction to purchase land on which an Methodist Church and School building was constructed. The church was built on the land several years before the transaction (a deed signed) to purchases the property.[4] It was in the publication (A History of Slaves and Freedom in Nineteenth Century Pulaski County, Virginia) where the name Doddridge Chapman was found. He was listed as being born about 1846. Doddridge also had a known brother whose name was Parish. He (Doddridge) was the father of Green “Tot” Chapman, the subject of the research. Although we say that Doddridge Chapman was the father of Green, there were no other mentioned children found for Doddridge other that Green in the census. Other children of Dodd’s could have been on the 1866 Freedmen’s co-habitation list and left the home before the Federal United States Census. However, when Green died on February 29, 1928, “Dod” Chapman was named to be his father.[5] Doddridge was also the father of several other children who were all employed in early Newbern, Virginia; their names were not mentioned in the census. His other sons (to include Green) were leather workers; making horse harness, boots and shoes.[6] The small community of African-Americans at Newbern thrived well shortly after the freedom until the coming of the twentieth century. However, after 1900, young people began to leave; they found employment elsewhere. By 1900 there were only twelve elderly black families remaining in Newbern, Virginia.[7] The date or year is not know when the Chapman’s left Pulaski County, however, Doddridge Chapman died on September 11, 1881, [8] and by the time of his death, all of his children had departed and found homes in other parts of America. However, at least one of Doddridge son’s found his way to Wytheville. We know that Green “Tot” Chapman was here in 1879, because he married Emma Miller on May 22nd in that year. In June of 1880 he and his wife Emma were living in the William Terry abode on Washington Street where Green was employed as a common laborer. Both Green and Emma were twenty-four years old.[9] On April 16, 1885, Green’s name along with the story of one of his adventures appeared in the Wytheville Dispatch a local newspaper. The story is as follows: “Tot Chapman, the manager of the barbershop first door east of T. P. Wappett’s grocery, while fishing last Saturday in Reed Creek, at the upper edge of the meadows on this side of Mr. Yates’ fastened his hook in something which he says felt soft. Knowing that his line was an inferior one he gave it a sudden jerk thinking of course it would break, but to his astonishment it did not, and when he pulled it out he found the hook to be filled with what he supposed to be human hair. He brought the hair to town and had it examined by some physician who pronounced it such. The town authorities sent some parties down to the creek last Saturday and again on Tuesday, and had it well dragged, but they found nothing. When the hair, which was perfectly black seemed inclined to curl, was shown on the streets many believed it was from the head of someone who had been murdered and thrown into the creek.” [10] The article above not only told of Chapman adventure, it mentioned the location of the barbershop where he was employed as a manager. We now know that Chapman was part of a group of barbers perhaps employed in Peter Wilson Gibson (1835-1815) barbershop as early as April 1885. Gibson was a free born and had lived in Wytheville from birth.[11] Gibson’s name appeared in the census as early as 1860 as a “barber.” Legends state that the Chapman family came to Wytheville (during slavery) from Pulaski County, with the Elbert Lee [E. Lee] Trinkle family. We now know that this is not true because there were still members of the Trinkle family in Pulaski County in 1880, to include Elbert S. Trinkle the father of Elbert Lee. Green Chapman, the subject of this research arrived in Wytheville about 1883. Also, Elbert Lee [E. Lee] Trinkle was born until 1878; thirteen years after the freedom of slaves and the War Between the States.[12] However, there is a hint about a Trinkle and Chapman connection. When Green died on February 29, 1928, the names his parent were given on his certificate of death. The certificate lists his mother to be “Lettie Trinkle.” We must be hesitant to say that Lettie was a Trinkle slave because no proof has been found to substantiate that claim. The name Lettie could also be short for “Latisha.” More information is needed before the Trinkle / Chapman dilemma can be solved. Nothing more will be said about this subject. Green “Tot” Chapman and his wife Emma were the parents of the following children: Charles Royal Chapman 1881-1928, Garland Chapman 1883 - 1985, Floyd Robinson Chapman 1887-1947 and James A. Chapman 1895 – 1962. Garland and Floyd followed in the footsteps of their father and were barbers. We know from the news article on page two that the barbershop which Green managed between 1885 and 1900 was located on West Main Street, just East of T. P. Wappet’s grocery store. This grocery store was located west of the present U. S. Post Office. The barbershop was located about where the Southwest Virginia Enterprise newspaper establishment is at present. Perhaps this was the same barbershop which was broken into on September 4, 1891. The following article appeared in the Richmond Times: “Another half-grown colored boy broke into “Tot Chapman’s” barber-shop in Wytheville Sunday and took ten dollars. He is also in jail.[13]” About one year later, on August 2, 1892, a “Bill of Complaint” was introduced in Wythe County Chancery Court; Green Chapman was suing his wife Emma Miller Chapman for a divorce. According to court records, it appeared that Emma had “deserted the Chapman home taking with her the youngest child aged about nine months.” To make a long story short, Green won the case. In a September 4, 1892, decree, Green Chapman was granted a divorce from Emma.[14] We are not sure if Green remarried again to second woman by the name of Emma. There was no marriage license found to substantiate such claim. However, Emma must have been permitted to return back to the home, because her name appears in the 1900, 1910 and 1920 census living in the “Tot” Chapman household, she lived there until her death on June 25, 1923, she was fifty-nine years old.[15] Because of the difficulty in obtaining records to prove one brought license to open a barbershop in the Town of Wytheville. There was no attempt to find the license or the date when Chapman applied for a permit to operate a shop, in the Town of Wytheville record book for 1900. In the same year, we know that he was operating his own barbershop in what is known as the Bolling Building on Main Street in Wytheville. Chapman Barbershop was referred as the “Sanitary Barbershop.” In the 1910 Green Chapman had employed one of the sons in the shop. Charles Royal Chapman was born in 1881 and worked in the “Sanitary Barbershop” until his death on June 11, 1928; he was forty-seven years old.[16] James A. Chapman, another son of Green enlisted in the U.S. Army during WW-I on October 2, 1917.[17] After his discharge from the military from the 317th Engineers on March 31, 1919,[18] he too worked in his father’s barbershop. However, this was short lived. Perhaps military life directed James in another direction because on April 7, 1930, he was employed as an automobile mechanic. After the death of Green, the Sanitary Barbershop was sold to Matthew Gray. Matthew operated the shop until his death in 1932. As for the sons of Green Chapman, James A. Chapman commenced working at the George Wythe Hotel which was constructed in 1927. James A. Chapman commenced his employment there between 1930 and 1940. He remained employee as a “bellhop” until he retired. James died on September 2, 1962.[19] A note about Matthew Gray: Matthew was born in Wythe County, in August 1973 the son of James and Mar Lyles. He was born with a birth defect in his left leg which was three inches shorter that the right. The foot on the left leg was turned outwards 90 degrees to his right foot. He stood on a specially made a3 inches high box to contemplate for the shortness of that leg. Mr. Gray passed on March 20, 1932 and is buried in the Oakwood Memorial Garden Cemetery.[20] NOTES [1] Gravestone at the Oakwood Cemetery, Wytheville, Virginia. Hereafter Oakwood. [2] Certificate of Death Commonwealth of Virginia. Hereafter certificate. [3] Certificate. [4] Killen, Linda, A History of Slaves and Freedom in Nineteenth Century Pulaski County, Virginia, Department of History, Radford University May 1996. p. 90. [5] Certificate of Death for Green Chapman in the possession of the compiler [6] 1880 United States Federal census, Pulaski County, Virginia, Newbern Township, p. [7] Killen, Linda, A History of Slaves and Freedom in Nineteenth Century Pulaski County, Virginia, Department of History, Radford University May 1996. p. 90. [8] Ancestry.com [9] 1880 Wythe County census, Evansham School District, lines 47-48, p. 23/469. [10] Wytheville Dispatch, Wytheville, Virginia. April 16, 1885. [11] Johnson, John M. Freedmen’s Bureau Cohabitation Records, Color People of Wythe County Cohabitating Together As Husband and Wife, February 1866 – August 1866, p. 24. [12] Wikipedia, an internet encyclopedia. [13] The Times (Richmond, Virginia) Friday September 4, 1891, p. 2 [14] Green Chapman vs. Emma Chapman, 2nd August 1892 rule, chancery case file # 1892-35CC. [15] Certificate. Buried in the Oakwood Cemetery, Wytheville, Virginia. [16] Certificate of Death in the possession of the compiler. [17] Application for headstone in the possession of the compiler. [18] Application for grave headstone in the possession of the compiler. [19] Certificate of Death in the possession of the compiler. [20] Information known by the compiled taken from oral history over the many years.
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The museum welcomed over 90 visitors on Saturday, February 10th for the Bolling Building Block Party. The day featured special deals and activities at each of the four Main Street businesses: Skeeter's World Famous Hot Dogs, Rockstar Gems, P.R. Sturgill Fine Jewelry, and the museum.
The Bolling Building is a Wytheville landmark. It was originally constructed in the 1840s, and remains the only Antebellum commercial building downtown. In the building’s 170 year history, it has always housed commercial storefronts on the lower level, including a bank, general store, and barber shop. The second story, mostly used as a residence, was the birthplace home of First Lady Edith Bolling Wilson. The Bolling Family occupied the building from 1866-1899. At this special event, visitors were able to learn about the history of the building through free tours of the Birthplace Home offered by the museum. Additionally, reenactors from the museum’s living history program were on hand to tell more about Mrs. Wilson’s journey from Wytheville to the White House, and her role as First Lady during World War I. To honor Mrs. Wilson’s legacy as the first honorary President of Girl Scouts, a local Girl Scout troop sold cookies. Thanks to everyone who came out to the Bolling Building Block Party!!! |
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Tuesday - Saturday 10:00 am - 4:00 pm If you would like to schedule a pre-arranged tour, please email or call at least one week prior to your date to visit. Email: [email protected] Call: (276) 223-3484 |
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145 E. Main St., Wytheville, VA 24382 The museum is located in the heart of historic downtown Wytheville. |
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There is no admission fee for individuals to visit the museum or tour the birthplace home; however, donations are greatly appreciated! Groups of 10 or more, please call ahead for information and arrangements. |
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