Reuben Chapman

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Reuben Chapman
In officeDecember 16, 1847 – December 17, 1849
Joshua L. Martin
Henry W. Collier
In officeMarch 4, 1835 – March 3, 1847
Clement Comer Clay
Williamson R. W. Cobb
1st district (1835–1841)At-large district (1841–1843)6th district (1843–1847)
(1799-07-15)July 15, 1799Bowling Green, Virginia, U.S.
May 17, 1882(1882-05-17) (aged 82)Huntsville, Alabama, U.S.
Maple Hill Cemetery
Democratic

Reuben Chapman (July 15, 1799 – May 17, 1882) was an American lawyer and politician. He served six terms in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1835 to 1847, and as the 13th governor of Alabama from 1847 to 1849.

Born on July 15, 1799, in Bowling Green, Virginia, he moved to Alabama in 1824, where he established a law practice. He was colleagues with Thomas McElderry and the two of them would go on to serve on the Old Bank of Decatur board together in the late 1870s and early 1880s.

He represented Alabama in the U.S. House of Representatives from March 4, 1835, to March 3, 1847, and served as the 13th Governor of the U.S. state of Alabama from 1847 to 1849.

Circa 1880 from left to right: Br. Gen. William B. McClellan, age 83; Capt. John T. Rather, age 87; Col. Thomas McElderry, age 90; Gov. Reuben Chapman, age 79; from Tom McElderry's families photo collection

While a member of the House of Representatives, he had a very contentious relationship with the French ambassador, Louis Adolphe Aimé Fourier, comte de Bacourt. In 1844 the ambassador had made remarks towards him, and Virginia congressman George W. Hopkins, and Chapman challenged Louis Adolphe Aimé Fourier, comte de Bacourt to a duel. However, the French ambassador backed down. That same year the French ambassador also offended Virginia congressman Lewis Steenrod, though it is unknown precisely what words were exchanged. Chapman and Hopkins grew so hostile towards the French ambassador that in 1846, President James K. Polk eventually asked the French government to send Monsieur Fourier home and select a new ambassador to the United States.

He died in Huntsville, Alabama on May 17, 1882.

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• Biographic sketch at U.S. Congress website

• Alabama Department of Archives and History Archived September 8, 2016, at the Wayback Machine

• Reuben Chapman 1847-1849- Encyclopedia of Alabama

• Governor Reuben Chapman by Thomas McAdory Owen · 1921

• Biographic sketch at U.S. Congress website

• Alabama Department of Archives and History Archived September 8, 2016, at the Wayback Machine

• Reuben Chapman 1847-1849- Encyclopedia of Alabama

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