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Note: Following is a news article from the Sunday Toledo (Ohio) Times, September 23, 1900 FIVE GENERATIONS ALL LIVING UNDER ONE ROOF Out in the west end of the city in a pleasant home at 606 Oakwood Avenue, lives an active, bright eyed little old lady who counts among her descendants great grandchildren and great-great grandchildren. Under the roof reside several different families representing five different generations. Mrs Chappell, the oldest member of the family, is 88. There is also her daughter, Mrs. Abram Miller (Sophronia), a woman past the half century mark, her granddaughter, Mrs. Miller's daughter, Mrs. I. N. Fisher (Leorah), whose husband is also a member of the family, her great granddaughter, Mrs. O. K. Marvin (Anna), and her great great granddaughter, little Margaret, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Marvin.
The family has lived in Toledo for the past 16 years, having come here from Madison County, Ohio. They first set up a home in Lower Town, subsequently moving into the house on Oakwood, which they now occupy.
Mrs Chappell has been 29 years a widow. She has lived through four wars -- The war of 1812, the Mexican war, the civil war and the Spanish - Cuban war. Born in picturesque Rockingham county, Virginia, in the valley of the Shenandoah, she lived until her seventh year surrounded by associations which had grown out of the long period during which her ancestors occupied that region. From there the family moved near London, Madison County, Ohio, living there until coming to Toledo. As a girl, she witnessed the death of her great grandmother, who expired at the advanced age of 104 years. All of her uncles and aunts lived to good old age, the majority reaching 90 years or more.
Looking at Mrs. Chappell, one would scarcely believe that the little Margaret of seven years, who played about the room, could possibly be her great - great grandchild. She is bright. Her mind acts easily and she talks very entertaingly. Just as the Times reporter entered, she she put away a book which she had just been reading without the use of eyeglasses.
In response to a query put by the reporter, she said : "Do I read without glasses entirely? No, I don't. I have to put them on occasionally to rest my eyes. I always have good health, and like to do a little work, but then, law me, people don't know how to work now-a-days. I am up every morning at 5:30, and I enjoy it. I am pretty old and sometimes my limbs ache, but I am never sick. If I live to see May 7, I'll be 89 years old." She turned a pair of expressive brown eyes on the reporter, which twinkled with pleasure as the latter remarked that she believed she had good cause to anticipate celebrating that occasion.
Besides the members of the family living in the home on Oakwod Avenue, there are also residing in Toledo three grandchildren of Mrs. Chappell - Dr. V. C. Miller, Mr. W. H. Williams of Wisconsin Srteet, and Mrs. Black, who is at present staying in the Fisher and Chapell home. There are also two other great grandchildren - Miss May Williamson, the daughter of Mr and Mrs. Williamson of Wisconsin Street, and Master Frank Black, the 12 year old son of Dr. and Mrs Black. There are then, living in Toledo nine direct descendants of Mrs. Chappell, her own daughter, Mrs. Amos Miller, being the only one with more than one child, this of course limiting the spreading out of the family tree.
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