William Rogers Chapman (1855 – 1935)

One of Bethel’s Most Colorful, Successful and Widely Known Personalities

William Rogers Chapman was born August 4, 1855. His father was Rev. William Rogers Chapman, a Bethel native, and his mother was Emily Bishop Chapman of Haverhill, Mass. He married Emma Faulkner of Chicago. They lived in New York City where he was a Professor of Music. Among his other various musical activities, Chapman taught and directed music in the New York public schools. His artistic mastery of organ music and directing large choirs in New York’s “society” churches produced the “audience” acclaim that pushed his career forward and upward.

Pencil drawing by the author shows Professor Chapman at age 52. It is possible that in this picture, fairly late in life, he was wearing a toupee.

From 1876 to 1886, Chapman was a music teacher and director in three New York public schools.

On July 19, 1877, Chapman married Emma Louise Faulkner of Chicago. He was 22 years old.

Nevertheless, Chapman and his new wife Emma spent most summers at his mother’s home in Bethel.

During 1886 -1887, Chapman was organizing, teaching and directing musical groups within the New York public schools. One special invitational concert had been arranged that attracted the attention of a prominent Maine contralto, then living in New York City, Annie Louise Cary-Raymond. She was so impressed with the performance which Chapman had organized and directed that she proposed that if he organized an all women’s chorale she would sing with them. Chapman followed up on her proposal. This group succeeded in attracting unexpected interest and support. Chapman was elated; he decided to name the group after Anton Rubenstein (1829–1894), the Russian pianist and composer, (1) thus the widely known Rubenstein Club was formed. The club’s success inspired similar groups to form in other cities.

Annie Louise Cary was born in Wayne, Maine in 1842. According to Wikipedia, the online free encyclopedia, she was the most popular singer in America when she retired in 1882 and married Charles Monson Raymond. She had debuted in Denmark in 1868. She was an operatic contralto who made her first appearance in New York in 1870.

Once established, the Rubenstein Club made the Waldorf Astoria Hotel its headquarters.

Photo above of Mrs. Annie Louise Cary-Raymond is a copy of the photograph of her opposite page 130 in the Caswell biography of Chapman

From the Bethel Journals: 1888 spending the summer with his sister, Mrs. Jacob Horton, of Mayville. 1889: his mother Mrs. Valentine, from New York, was stricken with paralysis while vacationing in Mayville. and her son, Prof. Wm C. Chapman of New York, is with her as well as her husband.

1890: Bethel; August: a midsummer benefit concert will be given at the Congregational Church will be under the direction of Prof. William R. Chapman of New York, formerly of Bethel. Mr. Chapman as organist, pianist and director will arrange a programme sure to give great pleasure to his many friends who are justly proud of his musical abilities and remarkable success as leader of the Rubenstein Club of New York and leader of other musical clubs of the highest artistic excellence.

1891: Entered trotters in Riverside Park trotting race, at his home in Mayville for the summer, purchased 30 acres of intervale land from Moses A. Mason. Pencil drawing by the author shows the Professor when he was 52 years old.

1892: Prof. Chapman acquired the reputation of being a flamboyant personality in Bethel. This item from the July 1892, Oxford Democrat explains why:

“Prof. William R. Chapman and family of New York City, with friends, occupy their summer residence in Mayville. Their retinue of horses, Shetland ponies, carriages and dog carts, with their liveried servants, is quite an attraction on our streets.”

For 30 years from 1898 to 1928 the Chapmans’ winter residence was a suite at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City. (2)

Photo left is the Chapman family residence in Mayville. Originally owned by Timothy Chapman, it is where Emily Chapman and her family of two daughters and infant son, William Rogers Chapman, lived after the death of her husband in 1855. She was living here in 1890 when she passed on. The stable in rear of house is where WRC housed is “famous” retinue of trotting horses – he also kept a stable of valuable steeds in New York.

April 11, 1893, Democrat: West Bethel - John Stiles is going to move from the G.P. Bean farm to Mayville and take charge of Prof. Chapman’s stable.

Click photo to enlarge

Notes:

(1) Arthur Rubenstein, (1887-1982) was a Polish pianist who achieved great fame in the 20^th Century. It is somewhat ironic that he was born at a time, January 28, 1887, when Chapman’s New York City Rubenstein Club was getting started, named however for the Russian Rubenstein..

(2) The Life of William Rogers Chapman by Mina Holway Caswell, Portland, Maine 1938

(3)