Husband of Emma Harris Chappell. His obit was published in the Richmond Times-Dispatch on 25 March 1932 and gives the following information about this gentleman:
Born at Hanover Courthouse, He Ran Away at Age of 12; Later Helped Chase Yankee Vessels During War of 1861-65
___________
Captain Samuel W. Chappell, who followed the sea for seventy years, died last night at the Soldier's Home. He was 103 years old. The veteran seaman had been gradually failing for the past year and death came quietly about 6:30 P.M.
Until recently the Captain has been as spry as a man of sixty. His eyesight was so keen that he could thread a needle; he never used glasses and his teeth had never decayed, though lately he lost some of them. When he was 102, he used to help with the housework at the Henrico home of his niece and nephew, Mr. and Mrs. W. W. Chappell, with whom he then lived. He enjoyed spinning yarns about the sailing vessel "Abner Bethany" on which he ran away to sea at the age of 12, of chasing Yankee privateers during the War Between the States, and of his long experience as a river and bay captain. He continued this sailing career, as a river and bay captain, until he retired around 1902. He went to Soldier's Home about a year ago.
Captain Chappell was born at Hanover Courthouse, September 10, 1829. Although he ran away to be a sailor when he was 12, his first berth was that of cook on the Abner Bethany. Even after he was 101, he used to try his hand at cooking occasionally. From the age of 12, until he retired about twenty years ago, he lived on the water.
In May, 1861, he enlisted in the Confederate Army and always insisted that he captured one of the first Yankee prisoners. In December of the same year, he was transferred to the Confederate Navy and served throughout the war without being injured. For many years he was Captain on the James River and Chesapeake Bay and knew every shoal, rock, and inlet in the bay and river. He was captain of freight and passenger steamers during this time, and was in charge of the old Palisades, an excursion steamer. He was also a harbor pilot and piloted the first South American steamship which came up the river after the War Between the States.
Despite his seventy years as a sailor, Captain Chappell never touched tobacco and grog, traditionally beloved by seamen. His only vice, he always insisted, was "cussin" and despite the fact he was a churchman he had a remarkable "cussin vocabulary," he said.
He is survived by two sons, William H. Chappell and Frank H. Chappell, both of Richmond, by twelve grandchildren and by eleven great-grandchildren. His wife, who was Miss Emma Harris, died about forty years ago.
Funeral services will be held tomorrow afternoon at 4 o'clock from Sweeney's Undertaking Parlors and burial will be in the family section at Riverview.
~ from the "Richmond Times-Dispatch," Richmond, Va., Friday, March 25, 1932 issue
NOTE: Posted above is a picture of Captain Samuel W. Chappell from a photograph made when he was 101, and which he declared was the only picture he ever had taken.
Born at Hanover Courthouse, He Ran Away at Age of 12; Later Helped Chase Yankee Vessels During War of 1861-65
___________
Captain Samuel W. Chappell, who followed the sea for seventy years, died last night at the Soldier's Home. He was 103 years old. The veteran seaman had been gradually failing for the past year and death came quietly about 6:30 P.M.
Until recently the Captain has been as spry as a man of sixty. His eyesight was so keen that he could thread a needle; he never used glasses and his teeth had never decayed, though lately he lost some of them. When he was 102, he used to help with the housework at the Henrico home of his niece and nephew, Mr. and Mrs. W. W. Chappell, with whom he then lived. He enjoyed spinning yarns about the sailing vessel "Abner Bethany" on which he ran away to sea at the age of 12, of chasing Yankee privateers during the War Between the States, and of his long experience as a river and bay captain. He continued this sailing career, as a river and bay captain, until he retired around 1902. He went to Soldier's Home about a year ago.
Captain Chappell was born at Hanover Courthouse, September 10, 1829. Although he ran away to be a sailor when he was 12, his first berth was that of cook on the Abner Bethany. Even after he was 101, he used to try his hand at cooking occasionally. From the age of 12, until he retired about twenty years ago, he lived on the water.
In May, 1861, he enlisted in the Confederate Army and always insisted that he captured one of the first Yankee prisoners. In December of the same year, he was transferred to the Confederate Navy and served throughout the war without being injured. For many years he was Captain on the James River and Chesapeake Bay and knew every shoal, rock, and inlet in the bay and river. He was captain of freight and passenger steamers during this time, and was in charge of the old Palisades, an excursion steamer. He was also a harbor pilot and piloted the first South American steamship which came up the river after the War Between the States.
Despite his seventy years as a sailor, Captain Chappell never touched tobacco and grog, traditionally beloved by seamen. His only vice, he always insisted, was "cussin" and despite the fact he was a churchman he had a remarkable "cussin vocabulary," he said.
He is survived by two sons, William H. Chappell and Frank H. Chappell, both of Richmond, by twelve grandchildren and by eleven great-grandchildren. His wife, who was Miss Emma Harris, died about forty years ago.
Funeral services will be held tomorrow afternoon at 4 o'clock from Sweeney's Undertaking Parlors and burial will be in the family section at Riverview.
~ from the "Richmond Times-Dispatch," Richmond, Va., Friday, March 25, 1932 issue
NOTE: Posted above is a picture of Captain Samuel W. Chappell from a photograph made when he was 101, and which he declared was the only picture he ever had taken.
Husband of Emma Harris Chappell. His obit was published in the Richmond Times-Dispatch on 25 March 1932 and gives the following information about this gentleman:
Born at Hanover Courthouse, He Ran Away at Age of 12; Later Helped Chase Yankee Vessels During War of 1861-65
___________
Captain Samuel W. Chappell, who followed the sea for seventy years, died last night at the Soldier's Home. He was 103 years old. The veteran seaman had been gradually failing for the past year and death came quietly about 6:30 P.M.
Until recently the Captain has been as spry as a man of sixty. His eyesight was so keen that he could thread a needle; he never used glasses and his teeth had never decayed, though lately he lost some of them. When he was 102, he used to help with the housework at the Henrico home of his niece and nephew, Mr. and Mrs. W. W. Chappell, with whom he then lived. He enjoyed spinning yarns about the sailing vessel "Abner Bethany" on which he ran away to sea at the age of 12, of chasing Yankee privateers during the War Between the States, and of his long experience as a river and bay captain. He continued this sailing career, as a river and bay captain, until he retired around 1902. He went to Soldier's Home about a year ago.
Captain Chappell was born at Hanover Courthouse, September 10, 1829. Although he ran away to be a sailor when he was 12, his first berth was that of cook on the Abner Bethany. Even after he was 101, he used to try his hand at cooking occasionally. From the age of 12, until he retired about twenty years ago, he lived on the water.
In May, 1861, he enlisted in the Confederate Army and always insisted that he captured one of the first Yankee prisoners. In December of the same year, he was transferred to the Confederate Navy and served throughout the war without being injured. For many years he was Captain on the James River and Chesapeake Bay and knew every shoal, rock, and inlet in the bay and river. He was captain of freight and passenger steamers during this time, and was in charge of the old Palisades, an excursion steamer. He was also a harbor pilot and piloted the first South American steamship which came up the river after the War Between the States.
Despite his seventy years as a sailor, Captain Chappell never touched tobacco and grog, traditionally beloved by seamen. His only vice, he always insisted, was "cussin" and despite the fact he was a churchman he had a remarkable "cussin vocabulary," he said.
He is survived by two sons, William H. Chappell and Frank H. Chappell, both of Richmond, by twelve grandchildren and by eleven great-grandchildren. His wife, who was Miss Emma Harris, died about forty years ago.
Funeral services will be held tomorrow afternoon at 4 o'clock from Sweeney's Undertaking Parlors and burial will be in the family section at Riverview.
~ from the "Richmond Times-Dispatch," Richmond, Va., Friday, March 25, 1932 issue
NOTE: Posted above is a picture of Captain Samuel W. Chappell from a photograph made when he was 101, and which he declared was the only picture he ever had taken.
Born at Hanover Courthouse, He Ran Away at Age of 12; Later Helped Chase Yankee Vessels During War of 1861-65
___________
Captain Samuel W. Chappell, who followed the sea for seventy years, died last night at the Soldier's Home. He was 103 years old. The veteran seaman had been gradually failing for the past year and death came quietly about 6:30 P.M.
Until recently the Captain has been as spry as a man of sixty. His eyesight was so keen that he could thread a needle; he never used glasses and his teeth had never decayed, though lately he lost some of them. When he was 102, he used to help with the housework at the Henrico home of his niece and nephew, Mr. and Mrs. W. W. Chappell, with whom he then lived. He enjoyed spinning yarns about the sailing vessel "Abner Bethany" on which he ran away to sea at the age of 12, of chasing Yankee privateers during the War Between the States, and of his long experience as a river and bay captain. He continued this sailing career, as a river and bay captain, until he retired around 1902. He went to Soldier's Home about a year ago.
Captain Chappell was born at Hanover Courthouse, September 10, 1829. Although he ran away to be a sailor when he was 12, his first berth was that of cook on the Abner Bethany. Even after he was 101, he used to try his hand at cooking occasionally. From the age of 12, until he retired about twenty years ago, he lived on the water.
In May, 1861, he enlisted in the Confederate Army and always insisted that he captured one of the first Yankee prisoners. In December of the same year, he was transferred to the Confederate Navy and served throughout the war without being injured. For many years he was Captain on the James River and Chesapeake Bay and knew every shoal, rock, and inlet in the bay and river. He was captain of freight and passenger steamers during this time, and was in charge of the old Palisades, an excursion steamer. He was also a harbor pilot and piloted the first South American steamship which came up the river after the War Between the States.
Despite his seventy years as a sailor, Captain Chappell never touched tobacco and grog, traditionally beloved by seamen. His only vice, he always insisted, was "cussin" and despite the fact he was a churchman he had a remarkable "cussin vocabulary," he said.
He is survived by two sons, William H. Chappell and Frank H. Chappell, both of Richmond, by twelve grandchildren and by eleven great-grandchildren. His wife, who was Miss Emma Harris, died about forty years ago.
Funeral services will be held tomorrow afternoon at 4 o'clock from Sweeney's Undertaking Parlors and burial will be in the family section at Riverview.
~ from the "Richmond Times-Dispatch," Richmond, Va., Friday, March 25, 1932 issue
NOTE: Posted above is a picture of Captain Samuel W. Chappell from a photograph made when he was 101, and which he declared was the only picture he ever had taken.
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