Ami Chipman And His Family's Big Adventure

The Chipman's Family's Life Among The Mormons from the History of Leeds and Grenville Ontario from 1749 to 1879... .

The first settler at Portland was Heman Chipman... . His family consisted of Ami, Nathaniel, Harman, Ezra, Martin, George, Amanda and Flora.  Amanda married William B. Seaman, who left Canada with the Mormons. Flora married a man named Weston, who also departed with the Mormons.

Source

"In January, 1837, Ami Chipman, with his wife and two children, his mother...and others, left the
Township of Bastard and crossed the St. Lawrence at Coles Ferry en route for the Mormon El Dorado,
in the far west.  Ami Chipman and his family proceeded up the lakes to Cleveland, where they met the remainder of the party, who had proceeded over land, driving the cattle."

"At Kirkland, Chipman hired a team with Hyde (the man who was executed a short time since), and, in company with Heber C. Kimball, Erastus C. Snow and other prominent Mormons, started across the country for the Ohio river, which, when reached, they took a steamboat for St. Louis. From that city they proceeded up the Missouri river some four hundred miles, landing at Richmond and going back to Colwell County, and from thence to Fairwest [Far West], where they saw Brigham Young... ."

"Proceeding to Grand River, they found the Mormons encamped in considerable numbers and determined to build a city to be called Adam-on-di-a-mon."

"After remaining three weeks at this point, Ami Chipman and a friend named William Dickson determined to abandon Mormon life and return home. They set out and reached Quincy, where they met a large number of Mormons, and among the number, several old friends and neighbors, by whom they were induced to turn back to the Missouri River, to a place called DeWitt."

"They then proceeded to found the City of Nauvoo, Stephen Byington turning the first sod. Mr. Chipman longed to return to Canada, but at that time all new comers were closely watched and were not permitted to leave the Mormon camp. Chipman built a log canoe and with his little family departed one night down the Missouri River, for St. Louis, a distance of three hundred and fifty miles, which place he reached in safety. From that point he proceeded to his old home at Portland, having been absent one year, during which time he had travelled several thousand miles."