My Genealogy Hound

WILLIAM CRAIG CHAPLIN (deceased) was born April 10, 1810, in Pittsburgh, son of John Huntington and Harriet (Craig) Chaplin. William was one of Pittsburgh’s illustrious men, and belongs to a family whose ancestry upon both sides were of the army and navy and among men of marked ability. His father, John H. Chaplin, was a prominent attorney, admitted to the bar of Pittsburgh, Allegheny and Washington counties, in 1808. He went to Florida and was appointed judge of the supreme bench there, where he died of yellow fever. His great-uncle, Samuel Huntington, was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. William Craig Chaplin’s mother was a sister of the well-known Neville B. Craig, born Dec. 26, 1785, and died May 6, 1867. His sister, Amelia Neville Chaplin, was born Dec. 1, 1812, and married Thomas L. Shields, Oct. 8, 1833, a prominent attorney of Sewickley — a beautiful suburb near Pittsburgh — who died March 9, 1879. Mr. Chaplin’s maternal grandfather, Major Isaac Craig, was. in the U. S. army. William graduated at Annapolis, Md., and entered the service of the U. S. navy Nov. 1, 1826. He was married to Sarah J. Crossan, born in Pittsburgh Jan. 14, 1813, daughter of James and Nancy (Morrow) Crossan. Her father was a dry-goods merchant in Pittsburgh, and afterward proprietor of the Monongahela House. To Mr. and Mrs. Chaplin were born six boys and two girls: James Crossan, Amelia Neville (deceased), Annie C., William Huntington, Presley Neville, John M., Melchior B. and William Wilson. James was a graduate of Annapolis, Md., and during the rebellion was lieutenant-commander of the sloop of war Monocacy. He entered the service of the naval department in 1850, and was one of the most gallant officers, receiving many compliments from the department at Washington for his bravery. He died soon after the close of the war.

William H. Chaplin is employed in the office of the Pennsylvania Railroad company. John M. Chaplin was born Jan. 5, 1849. He received his education under private tutors, in Pittsburgh and at the academy at Tuscarora, Academia, Pa., graduating in 1867. He then became confidential clerk for Col. James M. Cooper, and, leaving his employer, three years later became discount and bills-of-exchange clerk in the Bank of Pittsburgh. After ten years of successful work here he attained to his present position, manager of the Pittsburgh clearing-house, where he has been for nine years. His mother lives with him in his beautiful home on Neville island, where he has a fine house, greenhouses and beautiful grounds. He is a member of the Episcopal Church; politically a republican. M. B. Chaplin is of the firm of Chaplin & Fulton, brass-founders, of Pittsburgh; William Wilson Chaplin is manager of the Petroleum Exchange Clearing-House.