Chappell, Benjamin (1775-1818) Daybooks. [The original and a microfilm copy are in the P.E.l. PARO: 2227 — the following extracts are from The Daybooks of Benjamin Chappell (2003), edited by LaVerne Chappell and indexed by Gilbert Hughes; published by the P.E.l. Genealogical Society, Charlottetown]

Ben/amin Chappell lb. 7740, d. 7825), a master carpenter and woodworker, arrived on the Island of St. John in the summer of 1774 from London England to join the New London settlement that had been founded the year before by Robert Clark, a London merchant and the proprietor of Lot 21. After four years of indentured service at New London, Chappell moved to Charlottetown in October 1 778 and lived there for the rest of his life. Because he was one of the few ski/led wood-workers on the island, he was in continuous employment throughout most of his life, especially in making furniture and in house carpentry for the island ’3 small population, particularly in Charlottetown. In the 7 7705 he was also responsible for supervising the pub/I'cAfunded timbering operations of the acting governor, Phi/lips Cal/beck. What makes Chappell unusual is that throughout much of his working life (from 1775 to 78 78) he kept a daybook which gives us a direct insight into the working life of a pioneer craftsman in the early days of island settlement. In his daybook he especially recorded matters connected with his work, often recording the types of trees or wood that he was working with, especially for the many spinning wheels that he made for sale — he recorded 866 of them in his daybooks. l have extracted from the daybook all of the entries that mention particular tree species — in some cases the source of the wood can be placed geographical/y. In 1780 Chappell was awarded a government contract to maintain the town pump and from 1802 he was deputy postmaster for the island.

REFERENCES:

Bumsted, J. M. (1987) Chappell, Benjamin. Dictionary of Canadian Biography VI: 130-32.

Bumsted, J. M. (1987) Land, Settlement, and Politics on Eighteenth Century Prince Edward Island. McGillAQueen's University Press, Kingston and Montreal. pp. 75, 193—94.

Chappell was based at the New London settlement for the first four years.

A‘NGW 1775: 24 Jan. — Parat Got two horses & brought to the Saw pitt 4 Pieces of fir.

London Bay: 25 Jan. — some french up ye french River Squaring Parat and P. Cooper

brought 2 pieces of fir to ye frame [for the 'counting house’].

26 Jan. — four frenchmen Squaring up ye french River — the Rest cutting wood at home. Parat brought 2 pieces of fir to ye pitt.

Pit-sawing fir at French River.

3 Feb. — Myself Geting pine for D" [the ’counting house frame’] out of ye wood 8 Feb. — Myself fetch Maple at french River 13 Feb. — P. Galong with Ellis sawing fir Plank A 'G’ea’ 579' at 8 May — hinder'd half ye day by the Great Fire which began at Josh Rooks

New London. & Cover’d Several hundred acres

15 May — Myself landing of 24 pieces of fir at our Key and brought from y8 wood at french River 6 large timbers to ye Key

24 May — News Came of the Destruction of Lawson’s Corn Mill Snar/ng hares. 1776: 2 Mar. — Went into the woods to set some hare snares

3 Mar. — my Wife paid Josh Smith one Shilling for a hare

6 Mar. — Squar'd one piece of pine 21“ long 7 Square

30 Mar. — Sent to ye mill to Cut down pine tree for boards

4 July — Cut a fir log for weatherboard Containing 166 foot 10 Inches. 25 July — Delevrd to Capn Pile 38 foot of fir slab

1777: 3 Apr. — Went in to the woods & got a beach stock for a Jack. 10 May — Went to the mill brought down a raft of about 23000 feet

Marten skins. 1778: 11 Feb. — Bought of [Mr Cambell] 2 martin skins at 25-6d each for N Wester 5 Mar. — My Birth day. I went & lookt out birch timber

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