Charles Chapman, born in Lincolnshire, England, built this Second Empire style house in 1873. Mr. Chapman was a nineteenth-century village merchant, selling organs, pianos and melodians. A part of his home served as a showroom.This 200 acre plot of land (Con. 7, Lot 11) was leased by the Crown to Archibald Thompson on April 13, 1811. This lease was renewed on June 15, 1820 by Edward W. Thompson.
On January 3, 1828 the crown granted the entire plot of land to King’s College.
King’s College sold the plot of land to William Robson for a price of ₤250 on March 15, 1837. Robson began selling small portions of this plot of land in the next few years until being formally subdivided as a part of Markham Village Plan 18.
This property became a part of Block P in Plan 18. This block was bordered by Highway 7, Main Street Markham, an east-west line parallel to Centre Street, and a north-south line east of the properties lining Hawkridge Avenue.
Thomas Speight purchased Village Lot 2 in Block P from William Robson on May 6, 1837, formalized in the land registry on October 3, 1856, for a price of ₤25.
Charles Chapman purchased this plot of land from Thomas Speight on December 14, 1870 for a price of $400. This was a 1/5 of an acre plot of land. In 1873 he built this house as his home and a showroom for the organs, pianos and melodeons.
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