Son of Barnabas Lathrop Chipman and Beulah Evarts

• Married Amanda Washburn, 23 May 1825, Leeds County, Ontario, Canada. Children: Beulah, Washburn, Sinah Ceneth, William Henry, James, Martha.
• Married Phoebe Davis, 20 Jan 1852, American Fork, Utah, Utah. Children: Phoebe, Betsy, Stephen Davis, Milton, Olive, Bertha.

Stephen Chipman, Man of God, Utah Pioneer of 1847, and Co-founder of American Fork

The Chipman odyssey began in 1836, in Ontario, Canada. Stephen Chipman stopped to hear a group of Mormon missionaries sing and commented, "Men who can sing like that must be men of God." Shortly after their conversions to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Stephen Chipman and his nephews, Arza and Barnabus Adams, gathered their families and crossed the St. Lawrence River into America to join the Saints in Ohio.

Stephen and Amanda Washburn Chipman both claimed Mayflower ancestors, and from the time that their eight Pilgrim progenitors stepped off the boat this roving family had not stayed in one place long enough to bury two generations. Leaving their beloved "Plum Hollow" farm, they started on a journey that would build a city and establish a prominent family.

During the next nine years they moved westward with Mormon migration, and with uncanny ability the Chipmans were questioned about their faith. Amanda said, "We stay with the Saints." With four wagons, cattle, sheep and supplies they joined the Abraham O. Smoot company of pioneers crossing the plains to Utah in 1847.

During the trading trip to Provo in 1850, Stephen, with his son, William Henry, and Arza Adams and his son, Nathan, camped among the cottonwoods on American Fork Creek. Nathan told his father, "I think I would like to live here," and because the meadows were abundant and the water plentiful, the men decided this would make a fine cattle ranch. With permission from Brigham Young, the Chipman, Adams and Eldredge families - all related by blood or marriage - made a survey and formed a joint stock company of their land claims. Soon afterwards the surrounding land was divided among the settlers moving into the area, but the Chipman and Adams families maintained large sections of land.

With the help of his sons, Washburn, William Henry, James and Stephen D. the Chipman family became a dominating force in the building of American Fork City, They were prominent in business, banking, politics, farming and livestock raising. Washburn and Stephen D. were excellent farmers. Henry brought the first sheep into the valley and had herds of cattle and fine horses. James was a banker, businessman, and Utah's first state treasurer. They were respected members and active in all aspects of community life.

Stephen Chipman's character was the very essence of the pioneer spirit. His faith, hard work, thrift, and honesty allowed him to provide for his large family as well as build the community. His generosity is well documented - always giving more than asked. Brigham Young said that because of Stephen's generous nature his posterity would be blessed "and they would never know hunger." His ideal that "anything worth doing is worth doing right," is a Chipman standard. His patriarchal blessing promising a "posterity too numerous to count" is being fulfilled.

For the first time in over 250 years, this branch of the Chipman family had permanently settled. Seven generations have now found a final resting place in this dedicated ground. Whatever Chipmans live today, the roots Stephen Chipman and his wives, Amanda and Phoebe, planted makes American Fork our home.

Newspaper - In American Fork City, Feb 17th, 1868 Stephen Chipman, aged 62 years, 6 months and 10 days. The deceased was a native of Johnstown, Leeds Co., Canada West, where he was baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, in October 1836, and emigrated to Caldwell Co., Mo., as the Church moved from Kirtland to Jackson.; thence he moved to Nauvoo, Ill., and at the exodus of 1847, he followed the Pioneers, arriving in Salt Lake Valley in September of the same year. In the fall of 1850, he settled in American Fork, where he has since resided. He lived and died a Latter-day Saint.

Lines to Memory of Bro. Stephen Chipman.

With sorrowing hearts, we bid a last adieu,

To one whom God saw fit to take from earth,

Who in the walks of life was ever true,

And always proved himself a man of worth.

He lived respected, honored and revered,

He died regretted by his many friends;

To wife and children, he was soul-endeared,

But now he leaves them, life's long journey ends.

For him will many a bitter tear be shed,

And oft' midst praises, shall his name resound.

Time-honored father, sleep thou sweetly on!

And with the just made perfect thou shalt rise.

When from the east, the resurrection dawn,

In golden tapestry adorns the skies.

Robt. G. Eccles

Published in the Deseret News Weekly on 11 Mar 1868; FHL US/CAN Film 0026591, item 2