Other formats

    TEI XML file   ePub eBook file  

Connect

    mail icontwitter iconBlogspot iconrss icon

The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Otago & Southland Provincial Districts]

Mr. Robert Chapman

Mr. Robert Chapman , one of Otago's earliest colonists, occupied many public positions. He was born at Stonehaven, Scotland, on the 5th of February, 1812, and was articled to the law in his native place, being a diligent student for five and a half years. While serving in the office of Messrs. Ray and Wood, Writers to the Signet, Edinburgh, he further studied at the university, and was subsequently for some time clerk to Lord Gordon. After his marriage on the 25th of March, 1845, Mr. Chapman became a member of the Otago Settlement and purchased fifty acres of rural and ten acres of suburban land, besides a town quarter-acre section. He was unable to come out by the first emigrant ships, but arrived with his wife on the 21st of September 1848, in the “Blundell,” and commenced work on his town section, He was soon afterwards appointed clerk to the Bench, as well as Registrar of Births, Deaths, and Marriages for Otago, and Official Administrator of Intestate Estates. In the following year he became Registrar of the Supreme Court and Registrar of Deeds. On the establishment of provincial councils in 1853, Mr.
The Late Mr R. Chapman.

The Late Mr R. Chapman.

Chapman was appointed clerk to the Otago provincial council, a position he held till 1862, when he resigned on account of the pressure of other official duties. He re-tired from office in 1876, owing to falling health. Under the provincial system, Mr. Chapman was returning-officer for Dunedin, Kaikorai, and Bruce, and in the early days some contested elections were held in his own house, which served as a polling-booths. He was one of the first members of the old Dunedin town board. During the year 1892— when his son. Mr. C. R. Chapman, was mayor of Dunedin—he erected a handsome column in the Octagon in memory of his friend, the Rev. Thomas Burns, D.D., at a cost of over 1,000. Mr. Chapman died in Dunedin, in September, 1898.