David C. Chapman
David C. Chapman | |
---|---|
Birth name | David Carpenter Chapman |
Born | Knoxville, Tennessee | August 9, 1876
Died | July 26, 1944 Knoxville, Tennessee | (aged 67)
Buried | Highland Memorial Cemetery; Knoxville, Tennessee |
Allegiance | United States |
Service/ | United States Army |
Years of service | 1898–1918 |
Rank | Colonel |
Unit | Third Tennessee Volunteer Infantry |
Commands held | Fifth Tennessee Regiment – Tennessee National Guard (Later Fourth Tennessee Regiment. 1917–18.) |
Other work | Later led the establishment of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. |
David Carpenter Chapman (August 9, 1876 – July 26, 1944) was an American soldier, politician, and business leader from Knoxville, Tennessee who led the effort to establish the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in the 1920s and 1930s. Mount Chapman (in the park) and Chapman Highway (the section of U.S. Route 441 in South Knoxville), are named in his honor.
Early life
Chapman was born in Knoxville to John Ellis and Alice Young Chapman.[1] He attended the University of Tennessee from 1895 to 1897, but did not graduate.[1] Despite not graduating, Chapman did play football for Tennessee.[2]
Military career
In the
Civic leader
Chapman's father, John, began a wholesale drug company in Knoxville which David took over after his father's death.[1] In 1910 and 1911, Knoxville hosted the Appalachian Expositions, in which Chapman served on the Board of Directors for both events.[1] The purpose of both expositions was to raise awareness of natural resources of the Southern Appalachian region in the United States.[1] Chapman, as a leader of the "Appalachian Club" (a recreational society for people with summer homes in Elkmont), became involved in the effort to create a national park in the Great Smoky Mountains.[1] Additionally, Chapman was also active in various social clubs, civic clubs, and fraternal organizations in the Knoxville area.[1]
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
In 1925, Tennessee Governor
Two years later, the State of Tennessee created the Tennessee Great Smoky Mountain National Park Commission in order to purchase land for the proposed park.[1] This land was then turned over to the United States federal government for use as a national park.[1] Chapman was appointed the first commissioner, serving until 1932, but was retained as a member when a new commission was appointed later that year.[1] Chapman and the temporary commissioner, George Roby Dempster, once engaged in a fist fight over an audit that charged US$11067 (US$174,643 at 2008 prices.) had been spent by the new commission in the last quarter of 1932 to purchase only 0.4 acres (0.16 ha).[1] Tennessee Governor Hill McAlister abolished the Park Commission and transferred its responsibilities to the Tennessee Park and Forestry Commission after the Tennessee Senate approved in April 1933.[1]
The park was officially established on June 15, 1934.[3] President of the United States Franklin D. Roosevelt officially dedicated the park on September 2, 1940 with Chapman, the "Father of the Park", in attendance.[1]
Personal life
Chapman was married twice, first to the former Augusta McKeldin, and later to the former Sue Johnston following Augusta's death.
Legacy
Mount Chapman, a 6,340 ft (1,930 m) peak in the park is named in his honor.[1][2] A stretch of US 441 in South Knoxville is also named in Chapman's honor as Chapman Highway.[1][2]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v Guillaum, Ted (1998). Tennessee Great Smoky Mountains Park Commission 1927–[1931]–1937: Record Group 262. Nashville: Tennessee State Library and Archives. Accessed June 6, 2010.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Moving Mountains". March 24, 2009 Tennessee Alumnus article accessed June 6, 2010.
- ^ "History of Great Smoky". OhRanger.com article accessed June 6, 2010.
External links
- Portrait of Chapman, 1897 – Knaffl and Brother photograph on file at the McClung Digital Collection