The Wingham Chronicle and Manning River Observer Friday 7 Jun 1929
Obituary
JOSEPH EDWARD CHAPMAN.
7 October 1862 to 28 May 1929
To put it in the mildest terms, the people of the Manning district, and those of Tinonee particularly, were shocked on hearing on Wednesday week that Mr. Joseph Edward Chapman, storekeeper, of Tinonee, had passed away suddenly while sitting In a picture theatre at Newcastle the previous night.
On Tuesday morning he left Tinonee by car on a business trip to Newcastle and the surrounding centres of that and the Maitland coal fields, where he had long enjoyed a ready market for the very fine class of brooms which he turned out at his Tinonee factory.
Every few weeks for quite a long time he had been making similar trips and he was quite a familiar personage with regular travellers along the route.
His cheery and smiling personality won him many friends, for to converse with him was a privilege.
His subjects of conversation, whether delving deeply Into the intricacies of Statecraft, political administration, or the topics embracing lighter vein, were always those of a thoughtful man who knew how to discuss many subjects.
He was a widely read man, and much of his reading was in the depths of the higher literature, particularly those subjects of a Biblical and seemingly unfathomable nature such as most men steer clear of; but he was always in search of knowledge, and in that quest he was ever an ardent enquirer from those whom he believed were best able by training and experience to supply him.
His connection with the Manning covers the whole of his lifetime, since he was born at Kimbriki 66 years ago on 7th October last.
He was but 20 years of age when he went into business as a general storekeeper at Tinonee, succeeding the late Mr. Angus McLeod, who disposed of the business he had on the same site to Mr. Chapman.
He was largely possessed of business instinct, and showed much business acumen, which would have made of him a very rich man had his kindly and benevolent disposition not superimposed itself on his business transactions.
After taking over the store at Tinonee, which was at that time a very important town on the river, with three hotels and several stores, besides many other buildings lining its main street, he extended the business, sending trade-pulling extensions out into the country and adding other activities to his business.
He was the first storekeeper on the Manning to attach a trading launch to his store, and be also sent out a four-horse waggon to the Wallamba, Bo Bo and other districts, delivering requirements to the settlers and bringing in their produce in the shape of eggs, poultry, etc.
Thus the farmer of those far-off days really had greater attention to an extent than he enjoys under existing circumstances.
His business adjuncts to the store included a bakery, blacksmith shop and broom factory.
At one time he had a staff of between 40 and 50 hands, and thus he was a public benefactor.
Many of those who worked for Mr. Chapman as youngsters are themselves now well up in years.
Apart from the general management of his own diverse concerns, he found time to engage himself in the interests of the producers of the district.
At the time he started in business maize-growing was the only farm activity on the river of any note, but successive floods in the early nineties deprived many of the farmers of their main source of income.
Mr. Chapman was ever alive to anything which would give the man on the land another string to his bow. He claimed to have been the first person on the river to distribute millet seed to the farmers, as a suggestion to try crops other than maize.
This eventually was taken up by quite a number of farmers, who 25 years ago looked on £36 a ton as a fine price for millet.
This price was paid for it on the farm, and the writer remembers one year when outside buyers went so far as to advance £18 on the crop while it was growing in order to secure it. To-day double the price is looked for.
After the farmers started to produce millet Mr. Chapman established a broom factory to make brooms at Tinonee, with the result that many thousands of Manning-made brooms from Manning-grown millet have been used by industrious housewives throughout the State. The reference shows how one progressive move leads up to another.
That start was made before dairying became the real industry it afterwards developed into.
He also distributed various forms of manures for the farmers to experiment with, and ln this he also gave evidence of advanced vision, for manures- play a very important part in the wealth which the district produces to-day.
Later on he purchased a storekeeping business at Wingham, but after a few years he found that the strain was a little too much for him and he disposed of it, and confined his activities to his store proper and his broom factory.
In this he “was able, by the benefit of his past reputation as a staunch friend of the farmers and those who had supported him for years, to hold a solid clientele and do a regular, solid business right up to the time of his death, notwithstanding that the town of Tinonee had dwindled very considerably, both in population and number of business places.
The advent of the motor appears to have a tendency to make small places smaller and big places bigger.
But Mr. Chapman’s’ cheery optimism never left him, and neither did his wide circle of friends and lifelong acquaintances.
In his earlier years he frequently held services in the Tinonee Church of England by way of assisting the minister, and his incursions into this domain were characterised by the thoroughness which he put into everything that he went into.
While he never sought the distinction of a shire councillor, which he would have been almost sure to have got, he took an active and intelligent interest in all public matters, as well as matters political.
No movement in his own home town went begging if he could help it, and district activities were always liberally supported by him If they were worthy of it, and few analysed the position more keenly.
Many of the older folk of the river, particularly that portion surrounding Tinonee, will feel a pang of sorrow at the passing of one who had been to them a benefactor, one who never refused to keep the wolf from their door when often at times to do it was to him a struggle.
Many a man who 30 or 40 years ago was a struggling settler owes to the late Mr. Chapman much of his present success for the generous treatment which deceased meted out in the matter of store accounts. It has been said that his more than liberal credit system cost him several fortunes, particularly in the early days of the river.
In later years he suffered from slight heart attacks, but nothing very serious was feared by him or his people. He was of such a particularly active mental temperament that, perpetual youth seemed to be his, and the sprightliness of his gait at all times would dispel from the minds of anyone who did not know any suspicion of a fault in his health.
Only on Tuesday morning he left his home at Tinonee in his car alone and drove to Newcastle.
He had his dinner at the Rawson Hotel and was then apparently in the best of health.
That night he decided to while away an hour or so, in the peace and quietude of the pictures, and it was there, after he had been sitting down but a short time, that the seizure came upon him, and he was dead before anyone knew that he was ill.
Thus passed one of the most widely-known and highly-respected men in the Manning River district., in the midst of his business activities, but unfortunately away from the family circle which be loved.
When it was found by papers on him who he was, word was at once sent to Tinonee, and his son (Mr. Cecil Chapman), who has been engaged in the store business with his father for years, accompanied by Mr. Fred. Lyndon (son-in -law), of Taree, at once proceeded to Newcastle and made arrangements for the removal of the body for interment on the Manning.
The late Mr. Chapman was a son of the late Mr. and Mrs. William Chapman, who came to the Manning in the very early days from the Patterson River, and first settled at Kimbriki where deceased was born.
Shortly after they removed to Rye Hill, where deceased’s father acquired much property, along the southern bank of the Manning from (he Brushy Cutting road.
The old home still stands on a high hill at this point.
Of his parents’ family only two now survive: Mr. George A. Chapman, who over 30 years ago was a storekeeper in Wingham but who now resides at Chatswood and Mr. A. E. Chapman (Bexley), Magistrate in the Children’s Court, Sydney, and a relieving Police Magistrate for the State. Both attended the funeral.
Predeceased members were; Messrs. William Chapman (Wingham), Charles (Tinonee), Isaac (“Forest Lodge,” Tinonee), Frank (Krambach), and Mrs. R. Ochs (Willoughby).
In addition to a widow (who before marriage was Miss Gore, daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Henry Gore, of Tinonee), the following family survive: Mr. Harold “Chapman (Stanmore), Mr. Cecil Chapman (Tinonee), Mrs. E. L. Taylor and Mrs. Fred. Lyndon (Taree), Mrs. E. J. Dorhaeuer(Woollahra), and Mrs. C. Holmes (Willoughby). Mr. W: P. Chapman (Mayor of Taree) is a nephew.
The little church was crowded at the service, whilst many waited outside for the sad procession to the cemetery.
The casket was covered with many loving and beautiful floral tributes. The Rev. P. de Laure Musgrove held a brief service and delivered a short address, in the course of which he gave a nice outline of the life and community work of deceased.
The speaker said he knew no man who had done as much in a humane way for the people of the town and district. To those in affliction he gave comfort and no deserving case was ever turned down by him.
He (the speaker) only a week before was the recipient of one of deceased innumerable kind actions. Such deeds were characteristic of the man, and similar generous treatment and sympathetic consideration had been extended to his predecessors in the parish for the last 40 years.
During this portion of the service the hymn “On the Resurrection Morn” was sung by the gathering.
The hearse was followed to the cemetery by a very large number of mourners, the funeral being the largest ever seen in Tinonee and probably one of the largest in the district.
Rev. P. de Laure Musgrove continued the service at the graveside.
Here a brief, but fittingly worded address was delivered by Rev. S. P. Stewart, an old and esteemed friend of the late Mr. Chapman.
The Rev. Mr. Stewart said he had a difficult task that afternoon. It was not necessary for him to refer to the late Mr. Chapman’s character where he was so well and favourably known. Any such reference by him would be entirely superfluous.
The late Mr. Chapman had been a very kind friend to him for, very many years. He had had business relations with him for a long period, until his calling took him to another centre, and during all that time their friendship was unimpaired.
They all knew him as a man who was “intense” in anything he took in hand.
He was sure they would endorse his conveying their best expressions of sympathy to those remaining — the widow and family.
Only those who had passed through bereavement knew what such an experience really was. It was ours to pray that the Lord of all mercy and grace would be their comforter, and that they would realise “What I do thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter.”
He commended the bereaved to their sympathy and prayers.
