WILLIAM A. CHAPEL, the well-known architect, with his office at Nos. 11, 12 and 13 Ottawa street, Grand Rapids, Mich., was born in Ada, Mich., July 26, 1857, and is a son of Lemon B. and Helen M. (Dennison) Chapel. Gurden Chapel, father of Lemon B., was a native of New York state, but removed to Canada, as he was probably of English descent, but returned to the states in his middle age and located in Oakland county, later in Kent county, and died at Ada, Mich. in 1876 at the age of eighty years. Lemon B. Chapel was still young when he came to Kent County and settled in the township of Ada, where he was identified with agricultural pursuits for about twenty years, and then engaged in the hardware business at Ada and Baldwin, but is now retired, living at Fenton. To his marriage with Miss Dennison, a member of an old-settled family from Grand Rapids, were born three sons and two daughters, viz: Augusta M., wife of Leverett J. Lee, a farmer of Vergennes township, Kent county; Addie, married to William Teeple, a farmer of Cascade; William A., the subject; Elmer Ellsworth, has a business at Youngstown, Ohio; and Royal Adelbert, a telegraph operator in the employ of the Northern Pacific Railroad company in Montana, and all married.

William A. Chapel received a thorough English training in the high school at Ada, and after graduating learned the carpenter's trade, engaged in the building business, became an expert, and for some time was engaged in bridge building on the C. & W. M. R. R., then on highway bridges, and about 1882 came to Grand Rapids and for five years was employed as a superintendent before taking up the technicalities of the art of which he is now one of the accomplished masters. Two and a half years were spent with the firm of Rush & Son, with whom he was able, with his previous knowledge, to round out his proficiency as an architect. March 1, 1893, he opened his own office for business, and has since been continuously employed in estimating costs, designing plans, and superintending the erection of some of the most handsome dwellings and business blocks in the city of Grand Rapids as well as elsewhere, and constantly employs one assistant and frequently two, in order to enable him to punctually fulfill his contracts -- an object he keeps constantly in view -- and this punctuality, outside of his exceptional ability, has been the chief secret of his remarkable success.

Mr. Chapel married at Ada, Mich., September 20, 1880, Miss Hattie Louisa Young, daughter of George and Ladouska (Van Tassel) Young, residents of Ada. This lady received a substantial education in the public schools of Ada, and has been an invaluable aid to her husband in his business. Their union has been crowned by the birth of one son, George L., March 6, 1887. Mr. and Mrs. Chapel are members of the East street Methodist Episcopal church, and politically he is a free-silver democrat. He is a member of the American Insurance union, and socially he and his wife mingle with the best circles of Grand Rapids, owning and occupying a pleasant residence at No. 186 Buckeye street.