Allie Belle Chapin was born 2 December 1870, Barry County, Michigan. Although known all of her life as Allie it is a possibility that her actual birth name was Alice.
Allie's father, Ethan Chapman Chapin (1830-1891), born in New York state, migrated westward from his home state to Michigan. He was a descendant of the Revolutionary War soldier, Elias Chapman, whose history can be found in DAR records. Ethan came from a long line of farmers and continued the tradition of working the soil even after marrying Mary Ann Haskell (1833-1908) and raising a large family, which included Allie.
Allie grew her education in the Okemos Union School through 8th grade and also did her high school education locally. She went on to attend and graduate, with a teaching degree, from Olivet College (now the University of Olivet), Olivet, Eaton County, Michigan. Allie, who never married, then taught in several Michigan school systems, including in Centerville, before settling, around 1905, into the Port Huron school system where she was an instructor in commercial geography and mathematics. Her great emphasis was in mathematics, and she was so honored for her dedication to the subject by being, in 1920, "appointed a member of the state committee to report on the revision of methods of teaching mathematics."
Unfortunately, in 1919 Allie, who was attending summer school at Columbia University, was hit by a vehicle in New York City and sustained very serious injuries. Allie seemingly never fully recovered from the accident and in 1921 she was diagnosed with cancer and succumbed to the malady 12 February 1922 in Ann Arbor, Washtenaw County, Michigan. Allie was interred Glendale Cemetery, Okemos, Ingham County, Michigan.
Chapin, Allie (never married) state committee appointment The Times Herald, Port Huron, MI Wednesday April 7, 1920
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Chapin, Allie (never married) NYC accident The Times Herald, Port Huron, MI Saturday August 2, 1919
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Chapin, Allie Belle (never married) obit The Times Herald, Port Huron, MI Monday February 13, 1922
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Chapin, Allie (never married) eulogy The Times Herald, Port Huron, MI Thursday February 16, 1922
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Chapin, Allie (never married) estate settlement Battle Creek Enquirer, Battle Creek, MI Tuesday March 7, 1922
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