lillie mae sorey chapman
1900-1994
Life Story
Early Life and Family
Lillie Mae Sorey Chapman was born on June 18, 1900, to Tilt Sorey and Anna Hardy Sorey (1883–1966). She completed three years of high school, an educational achievement that exceeded what was available to many African American women in rural Mississippi during the early twentieth century.
Marriage and Work Life
Lillie Mae married Mason Chapman. Throughout her adult life, she worked in domestic and service labor to support her household. In 1940, she was employed as a laundress, and by 1950 she was listed as a maid working in a private home—occupations that reflect the limited but essential employment opportunities available to African American women of her generation.
Children
From her marriage to Mason Chapman, the following children were born:
- Johnnie Lee Chapman (1927–1997)
- Ernestine Chapman (1929–1967)
- Michael Chapman (1938–2009)
- Geneva Chapman (1940–1981)
- James Albert Chapman (1945–2024)
These children represent the next generation of the Chapman family whose lives extended the family’s presence in Newton County and beyond.
Later Years and Death
Lillie Mae Sorey Chapman passed away in 1994. She was laid to rest at Saint John Missionary Baptist Church graveyard, alongside members of the Chapman family whose lives are deeply interwoven with the history of Saint John Missionary Baptist Church.
Resting Place
Saint John Missionary Baptist Church Graveyard
Photos/Albums
Sources
- 1930 Federal Census
- 1940 Federal Census
- 1950 Federal Census
- U.S., Find A Grave Index, 1600s-Current
- U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007
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