HUGH K. CHAPIN. The primitive occupation of man-farming-has many noble and successful votaries in Howell County, Missouri, but none who deserves more honorable mention than Hugh K. Chapin, who is also quite extensively engaged in stockraising in South Fork Township. He was born in the county in which he now lives September 10, 1852, a son of John A. and Sarah (Kyle) Chapin, and was the eldest of their five sons and two daughters, the other members being Paul Stillman, a farmer of Howell County; John O., also of this county; Hiram, who died at the age of twenty years, in 1880; Arminta C., wife of Monroe Reed, of this county; William A., who also resides here, and Sarah M., wife of William Pentecost, of Izard County, Arkansas.
In the common schools of his native county the subject of this sketch received a fair practical education and was reared to the healthy, useful and independent life of the farmer. At about the age of twenty he began life’s battle for himself and in 1874 took for a wife Miss Celia A., daughter of Robert J. and Lourena (Davis) Martin, natives of Tennessee and Missouri, respectively. Mr. Martin became a resident of Oregon County, Missouri, when a young man, and was there married, but his wife died in that county before the war, and he passed from life in Howell County in February, 1892, having been a farmer throughout life. Mrs. Chapin was the only child born to her parents, and first saw the light of day in Oregon County March 10, 1855. She and Mr. Chapin have three children: Augustus Leigh, Sarah F. and John F. Mr. Chapin lived in Howell Valley until 1885, but since that time has lived on his present farm of 146 acres, fifteen miles south of West Plains, and has about eighty acres of his land under cultivation. During 1881 and 1882 he was sheriff of Howell County, and in 1888 he was elected to the office of county collector, in which capacity he served two years. He has always been actively interested in the welfare of his section, and all public enterprises that are of a worthy character have found in him a liberal supporter. He is a member of Mazeppa Lodge No. 263 at West Plains of the I. O. O. F., and in this honorable order has been secretary and vice-grand. He has always supported the principles of the Republican party and his first presidential vote was cast for Gen. Grant in 1872.