The oldest direct ancestor in the tree is Avrum Chabensky, the great-great-great grandfather of Robert Chapin. Chabensky is a Russian name, and its original spelling looks like Хабенскій. When Avrum's son Eli immigrated to the United States, his name was translated to Chapinsky. However, it was Eli's brother Shlomo Chabensky who was my ancestor. Shlomo's grandsons, Charles, Jack, and Samuel were the first generation to Americanize the family name, changing it from Chabensky to Chapin.
The scope and inclusion criteria of this project have changed as the project has grown. The scope is currently limited as follows: All ancestors of Robert Chapin, all direct descendants of those ancestors, all spouces, and parents of spouces. Additionally: All adoptions, step families, and individuals being researched will be included.
