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Henry Chapman. He was 8 years older than his sister. He was a frail and sickly child, and he was never strong.
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Born in Kentucky, christened Vittwia St. Clair Chapman. Her father Samuel Chapman was born in England and so was her mother, Sarah Smeed Chapman.
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When she was 4 years old they moved to Burlington. This was the first time she saw Indians.
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A few years later she saw lots of prarie schooners going westward with mottoes like these on the canvas tops: California or Bust, and For Oregon. She was 8 years old at that time.
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In the early 50's they moved back to Kentucky.
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The doctor said a complete change of climate might be beneficial to him, so, in 1853, when I was 12 years old, he and my brother Daniel started across the plains for Oregon. Danial got a job driving a prarie schooner for Enoch Walker, while Henry, who was 20, drove a wagon for Enoch's brohter, Fruit Walker. She cried because she couldn't go to Oregon with Henry.
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Her brother's claim near Ashland in 1855
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Just before the civil war they moved back to Iowa.
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She was 20 years old when Fort Sumter was fired on and she was anxious to do all she could for the young men who were fighting for their convictions.
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She volunteered for service as a nurse.
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In our travels we visited Colorado. Henry thought the climate would help him, so I landed a position as cashier at the Southern Hotel at Trinidad.
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In September 1880, Henry and Vittwia camte to Southern Oregon. They went out to Henry's place in the foothills. She divided her attention between caring for Henry and raising Percheron horses.
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When she was 49 years old she married Michael Mickelson. "I would not have married him, but he was sick and needed careful nursing, and I could care for him better as his wife than in any other way. Ever since I served as nurse during the Civil War people who are helpless or dependent or who need nursing have made a strong appeal to me. I guess it is the maternal instinct in me"
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"I traveled all over California with him for his health, but he died on October 5, 1894"
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After my husband’s death I ran my brother’s ranch and also my husband’s. They were nine miles apart and I rode from one to the other on horseback through the mountains every day to superintendthe work. I bought this place and built my home in Ashland 21 years ago. Some years ago I sold both of the ranches, as I found it hard to get reliable help to run them.
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He died at the age of 72
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