JOSEPH CHAPLINE, JR. was born on September 9, 1746, in All Saints' Parish, Frederick
County; second son of Joseph Chapline and Ruhama Williams Chapline. Joseph had a twin sister Deborah Chapline. In 1770 Joseph Chapline, Jr. married Mary Ann Christiana Abigail Furgeson (about 1749 -1823), of Frederick Town, Frederick County. They had no children.

In 1776 Joseph organized the Sharpsburg Select Militia of which he served as Captain. In his early years he pursued a legal career in Frederick Town and was a member of the Ohio Company, which later became the Potomac Company, but resigned in 1796 when the venture no longer appeared profitable.

Chapline served in a number of political offices including Committee of Observation, Frederick County, elected 1775; justice, Washington County, 1777-at least 1789; commissioner of tax, Washington County, commissioned 1777, 1779, and 1783; judge, court of appeals, appointed under the Act to Procure Troops for the American Army, Washington County, appointed 1778; subscription officer, Continental Loan Office, Washington County, appointed 1779; justice, Orphans' Court, Washington County, 1781-at least 1789. His colonial and state legislative service included Conventions, Frederick County, 2nd-3rd, 1774, 4th, 1775 (elected, but did not attend), 5th, 1775; Lower House, Washington County, 1780-1781.

Joseph Chapline, Jr. built and resided at "Mt. Pleasant," near Sharpsburg, Frederick County, Maryland, later part of Washington County.

In 1790 Chapline created a map of the Sharpsburg, Maryland area and sent it to President George Washington for consideration as the nation's capitol.

Although Joseph and his wife had no children, other family members lived at Mount Pleasant including his sisters Sarah and Jane. A notice placed in the newspaper in 1819 by Joseph's nephew, Dr. John Jones Hays, indicated that Dr. Hays was practicing medicine at Mount Pleasant and he and his family resided there as well.

A few months before Joseph's death in 1821 he sold 1,000 acres of Mount Pleasant, plus lots in Sharpsburg, Washington County, to his nephew, Dr. John Jones Hays. After he died on August 31, 1821 Joseph's widow brought suit against John J. Hays claiming that the second will written by her husband in April 1821 was composed when he was incompetent. Her charge that her husband had been fraudulently influenced by his nephew was decided against her by an Orphans' Court jury in 1822. Both Joseph's widow and nephew died in 1823 and the property was then sold by Dr. Hay's widow.

Joseph Chapline, Jr. was buried in the old Lutheran Cemetery under a tree. He directed that no stone was to be erected over his grave.

SOURCE:

Biographical Dictionary of the Maryland Legislature 1635-1789 by Edward C. Papenfuse, page 211.

Washington County Historical Trust: 136 Mount Pleasant, circa 1790, Sharpsburg, MD.