, ▁raised ▁her ▁to ▁become ▁an ▁actress ▁and ▁ent ert ainer . ▁ ▁As ▁a ▁child , ▁she ▁made ▁her ▁acting ▁debut ▁in ▁ 1 8 2 9 ▁at ▁the ▁American ▁Opera ▁House . ▁In ▁ 1 8 3 1 , ▁her ▁father ▁moved ▁the ▁family ▁on ▁a ▁river bo at ▁on ▁the ▁Mississippi ▁River ▁which ▁became ▁" Ch ap man ' s ▁Flo ating ▁Palace ." ▁ ▁As ▁a ▁young ▁girl , ▁Chap man ▁acted ▁primarily ▁in ▁sou bre tte ▁roles , ▁performing ▁as ▁com ed ian , ▁dan cer , ▁and ▁singer . ▁Chap man ▁returned ▁east ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 6 ▁and ▁played ▁from ▁ 1 8 4 8 ▁to ▁ 1 8 5 2 ▁with ▁Bur ton ' s ▁Theatre ▁in ▁New ▁York , ▁then ▁purs ued ▁a ▁career ▁in ▁California , ▁where ▁she ▁performed ▁in ▁San ▁Francisco ▁and ▁the ▁Gold ▁Coast ▁for ▁five ▁years . ▁F amed ▁as ▁an ▁it iner ant ▁trou per , ▁she ▁was ▁adm ired ▁for ▁her ▁vers at ility ▁in ▁trag ic , ▁com ic , ▁and ▁rom antic ▁roles . ▁Chap man ▁was ▁bel oved ▁for ▁her ▁bo ister ous ▁stage ▁manner , ▁but ▁after ▁ 1 8 5 7 ▁her ▁style ▁grew ▁dated ▁and ▁she ▁began ▁to ▁lose ▁her ▁following . ▁ ▁References ▁▁▁ ▁American ▁National ▁Biography , ▁ 2 4 ▁volumes , ▁edited ▁by ▁John ▁A . ▁G arr aty ▁and ▁Mark ▁C . ▁Car nes , ▁Oxford ▁University ▁Press , ▁New ▁York ▁( 1 9 9 9 )