CHAPIN, JOHN

CHAPIN, LEE, JOSLIN, WOOLEY, MCCALLISTER, MOSIER, SMITH, WOLF

Posted By: Volunteer (email)
Date: 6/1/2005 at 10:17:26

Biography reproduced from page 521 of the History of Kossuth and Humboldt Counties, Iowa published in 1884:

John Chapin, son of Thomas and Susan (Lee) Chapin, was born in Buffalo, Erie Co., N. Y., May 19, 1822. When six years of age he moved with his adopted parents, Francis and Abigail (Joslin) Wooley, to Crawford Co., Penn., where he remained engaged in farming till 1842, when at the age of twenty, Mr. Chapin went to St. Catharine’s, Lincoln Co., Canada West, where he was engaged in operating a lumber yard, the marble business, carpenter work and general collecting agency for different manufacturing companies, until 1857, when he moved to London, Canada West, engaged in collecting and selling agricultural implements, till the winter of 1860, when he removed, with his family, to Dubuque Co., Iowa, where he worked at carpenter work and farming, at Dyersville, for three years. Jan. 2, 1864, he enlisted in company C, 21st Iowa Volunteer Infantry; was mustered in at Dubuque, and served twenty months as a private in the Rebellion. Was mustered out at Houston, Texas, in August, 1865. Was at the storming of Forts Spanish and Blakely. In the fall of 1865, he moved to Kossuth Co., Iowa, and settled on the southwest quarter of section 15, township 97, range 28. Both are homesteads and are in Portland township. He was married Aug. 27, 1848, to Rockcena M. McCallister, of St. Lawrence Co., N. Y. and daughter of Jesse and Polly (Mosier) McCallister, both deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Chapin have had seven children, six of whom are living—Henry J., residing in Kossuth Co., Iowa; Albert J., living in Palo Alto Co., Iowa; Mary, married to W. H. Smith, living in Humboldt, Iowa; Martha, her twin sister, is a teacher; Laure, wife of William R. Wolf, lives in Bancroft, Iowa; Ida, resides at home. She is a fine singer and player. The girls are all good singers. Delia died in Canada, and is buried at St. Catharine’s. Mr. Chapin is a good citizen, and is interested in all the improvments of the township. He was elected justice of the peace in 1872, and has continued in the office to the present date. He has been a sub-director four years, and has been postmaster at Buffalo Forks since 1874. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, belongs to the I. O. O. F., and has been a member of the Sons of Temperance and Good Templars.