Chap Records

[Eleanor Rose]

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Dating as we know it didn't exist until the late 1890s. A chap record was a blank notebook where Victorian women could keep notes on the men they dated. Each page had name, date, place and opinion slots to fill out, as well as a separate section for the lady's Twelve Most Notable Chaps (see below). Chap records were published by the Frederick A. Stokes Company. They sold for $1.

The title page of the Chap Record (shown below) had this rhyme, which seemingly summed up its role:

Behold herein, all nice and neat,
A record of the men I meet,
Among them all perhaps, there be,
Who knows, the "not impossible" He.
​

In addition to their often funny and rather blunt commentary on that era's suitors, chap records really marked the transition from 19th century courtship to the era of modern dating.

Several museums around the country have chap records on display, including the Pardee House in California, the Natick Historical Society in Massachusetts, the Texarkana Museum in Texas and the Harvey County Historical Museum and Archive in Kansas. I'll offer some more examples of entries in later posts so stay tuned!


Sources
Labor of Love: The Invention of Dating by Moira Weigel, 2016.
"Chap Records Were Basically Yelp for 1900s Eligible Bachelorettes" by Rick Paulas.

 

[Deleted User CS]

Eleanor. Once again a very interesting and compelling thread. I am sure that Douglas would rank very high on your Chap Record. Thanks for sharing this with the forum. Cheers!!! David.

 

[Cavalry Charger]

Ooohh...I love this As long as no one ever digs it up, or the gents don't see what has been written!

It does seem very cut and dried, though. 'Calculating' is a word that could also be used .
As if men didn't think women were 'calculating' enough already. Now we've got the book to prove it!

Sorry guys...pretty sure I wouldn't want to read what you wrote about me either

Having said that, I'm looking forward to reading some more @Eleanor Rose

 

[Eleanor Rose]

Eleanor. Once again a very interesting and compelling thread. I am sure that Douglas would rank very high on your Chap Record. Thanks for sharing this with the forum. Cheers!!! David.

Douglas would indeed. I'm sure you would get high marks in the Chap Records as well David. You kind sir are always the epitome of a true gentleman.

 

[Jimklag]

Douglas would indeed. I'm sure you would get high marks in the Chap Records as well David. You kind sir are always the epitome of a true gentleman.

Was there an equivalent for Chaps to Record their gals?

 

[Eleanor Rose]

Was there an equivalent for Chaps to Record their gals?

Not that I could find. I'm not quite sure what that says about us gals.

 

[Jimklag]

Not that I could find. I'm not quite sure what that says about us gals.

Hmmmm.

 

[Eleanor Rose]

Interesting tidbit from Moira Weigel's book, Labor of Love: The Invention of Dating...

"It wasn't until 1896 that the word "date" enters the lexicon to its current meaning. (It came from writer George Ade in a short story in The Chicago Record about a neglected boyfriend, worried about other guys "fillin' all my dates" with his gal.) This change in cultural norms was so great, in fact, that police were still arresting young men and women meeting together in public, who were trying to form a connection away from their nosy family members back at home."

Yikes!

 

[Cavalry Charger]

This change in cultural norms was so great, in fact, that police were still arresting young men and women meeting together in public, who were trying to form a connection away from their nosy family members back at home."

So basically, young men and women could only meet in company or with some kind of chaperone prior to this?
I guess they called it 'courting' rather than 'dating', but I assumed there were opportunities for the two to be alone together. Did a man have to state his intent to 'court' a lady? If he did, was someone always required to go with them when they were together? Could they 'hang out' as friends on their own, if no other intention had been stated?

So many questions, and such strict rules around forming relationships back in the day.

 

[JOHN42768]

So we are talking about a little black book in reverse it would seem.

 

[Jimklag]

So we are talking about a little black book in reverse it would seem.

So it would.

 

[NH Civil War Gal]

I've never heard of this! Fascinating! We needed to have this thread when I started the thread of "Most Swoonworthy." We could have written down OUR favorite chaps.

 

[Cavalry Charger]

I've never heard of this! Fascinating! We needed to have this thread when I started the thread of "Most Swoonworthy." We could have written down OUR favorite chaps.

Maybe I'll set up a little template, or Ellie will, for us to fill out

 

[7th Mississippi Infantry]

​

Dating as we know it didn't exist until the late 1890s. A chap record was a blank notebook where Victorian women could keep notes on the men they dated. Each page had name, date, place and opinion slots to fill out, as well as a separate section for the lady's Twelve Most Notable Chaps (see below). Chap records were published by the Frederick A. Stokes Company. They sold for $1.

View attachment 175585

The title page of the Chap Record (shown below) had this rhyme, which seemingly summed up its role:

Behold herein, all nice and neat,
A record of the men I meet,
Among them all perhaps, there be,
Who knows, the "not impossible" He.
​

View attachment 175584

In addition to their often funny and rather blunt commentary on that era's suitors, chap records really marked the transition from 19th century courtship to the era of modern dating.

View attachment 175586

Several museums around the country have chap records on display, including the Pardee House in California, the Natick Historical Society in Massachusetts, the Texarkana Museum in Texas and the Harvey County Historical Museum and Archive in Kansas. I'll offer some more examples of entries in later posts so stay tuned!


Sources
Labor of Love: The Invention of Dating by Moira Weigel, 2016.
"Chap Records Were Basically Yelp for 1900s Eligible Bachelorettes" by Rick Paulas.

I love the entry:

" all right just so you don't have to dance with him "

 

[Cavalry Charger]

OK. Here's the template and my responses. Have fun

Seven most notable chaps of the Civil War:

Handsomest: George Washington Custis Lee

Most fascinating: George B. McClellan

Best Name: Pierre Gustave Toutant-Beauregard

Best eyes: Nathan Bedford Forrest

Best beard: J.E.B. Stuart

Homeliest: Ulysses S. Grant

The One: Ulyssess S. Grant

 

[Eleanor Rose]

Of all the entries in various Chap Records I have found, those written by Carol Pardee have been the most entertaining. Carol, the privileged granddaughter of Oakland mayor Enoch Pardee, took her Chap Records quite seriously. After a second date in 1908 with a suitor named Ray Smith, Carol took out her Chap Records and using careless spelling, wrote her opinion about the boy: "To big a sport. Talks to much."

Later in the same year, she met Frank Haudel. She described Frank as, "[t]oo dirty. Teeth are green." On January 16, 1911, after a date with Wyman Smith from Sacramento, she wrote a one-word summary of her courter: "FOOL."

Carol's other reviews range from "dandy" to "tiresome." Her favorite word to describe a disappointing suitor was "mutt" and she used it frequently. Her Chap Records are on display at The Pardee House Museum in Oakland, CA. Her book is described as a small volume bound in green and gold with a dapper gentlemen doffing a hat on the cover.

I was pleased to learn that Carol got engaged to Jerry Hadar, a prominent attorney in Oakland. Sadly she died from influenza in 1920 before they were able to be married. Jerry is not mentioned anywhere in her Chap Records. I guess Carol decided some things are not meant for prying eyes. Good for Carol!

Source: "Chap Records Were Basically Yelp for 1900s Eligible Bachelorettes" by Rick Paulas.

Unidentified dapper gentleman - I think Carol would have given him high marks.
​

"The prolific top hat was a key staple of the dapper gentleman. From head to toe one's attire needed to be fashionable, clean and well put together. Ties or cravats embellished the necks of men during the Victorian era; cravats were often tied in a bow tie style which was very popular among men during the 1860's. Clean clothes were just the beginning of the dapper transformation, having your shirt starched and pressed was integral as well. For the classic dapper look, most men went with a dark toned pair of trousers and those looking to stand out opted for stripes or plaid. Adding a waist coat to the ensemble tied the outfit together and most fashionable gentleman choose to use this piece of clothing as their statement piece. Boots were the shoes of choice in the Victorian era, usually high ones that were laced up. To complete the look, a coat had to be worn and it was usually mid-thigh in length with a rich, dark tone.

Facial hair was another key component of the dapper during the Victorian Era. Men would wear side- burns, full beards, mustaches, mutton chops and flap wings to name a few. The dapper men in the Victorian era used their facial hair and fashion sense to show society their manliness. The full outfit accompanied by awesome facial hair was the epitome of the dapper gentleman during the Victorian era."

- Curious Historian website

 

[Deleted User CS]

Douglas would indeed. I'm sure you would get high marks in the Chap Records as well David. You kind sir are always the epitome of a true gentleman.

Eleanor. Thank You very much for your very kind remarks. I always try to act in a professional manner in which my parents would be proud. Miss Ellie, Your kindness knows no bound. David.

 

[Eleanor Rose]

Oh @Cavalry Charger, what have you gotten started? This was really hard for me, but here's my Civil War Chap Records...

Most Notable Chap (I knew after one date!) of the Civil War:

Most Handsome (by a mile): James Longstreet

Most fascinating: James Longstreet

Best Name(s): James (Peter meaning the Rock, Pete, War Horse) Longstreet

Best dreamy blue eyes: James Longstreet

Best beard for fluffing: James Longstreet

Most dependable: James Longstreet

The One (and only): James Longstreet

Anybody surprised?

 

[Cavalry Charger]

Oh @Cavalry Charger, what have you gotten started? This was really hard for me, but here's my Civil War Chap Records...

Most Notable Chap (I knew after one date!) of the Civil War:

Most Handsome (by a mile): James Longstreet

Most fascinating: James Longstreet

Best Name(s): James (Peter meaning the Rock, Pete, War Horse) Longstreet

Best dreamy blue eyes: James Longstreet

Best beard for fluffing: James Longstreet

Most dependable: James Longstreet

The One (and only): James Longstreet

Anybody surprised?

Not surprised at all , but Ulysses didn't score nearly as high on my record/dance card! He will be disappointed.

I am taking him home, though (seeing as he's the 'homeliest')!

 

[Northern Light]

Not that I could find. I'm not quite sure what that says about us gals.

WE girls had more to gain or lose in 1905, as far as legal status and personal fortune.