Santa
Clara County
Biographies
FRANK EDWARD CHAPIN
The general manager of the Interurban Railway,
Frank Edward Chapin is named among the most practical business men of the city
of San Jose. Although he has held his present position only since April, 1904,
he has thoroughly demonstrated his ability in the discharge of duty, and with
the spirit of enterprise which dominates him will in time add immeasurably to
the great system of interurban lines. A native of the state, he was born in
Tuolumne county, near Sonora, January 28, 1857, a son
of E. R. Chapin, a well-known pioneer of California.
E. R. Chapin was the representative
of an old New York family, born in the city of Albany. He learned the trade of
millwright, and in 1851 came to California via the Isthmus of Panama, bringing
with him his wife and one child. They located in Tuolumne county, where Mr.
Chapin engaged in both quartz and placer mining at Brown’s Flat, where he also
filled the position of agent for the Wells-Fargo Express Company after he
entered into a mercantile career in that place. In 1867 he removed to San
Francisco and became extensively connected with the early manufacturing
interests of that city, remaining so engaged up to the time of his death, which
occurred about thirty years ago. His wife, formerly Anna Keech,
was also a native of New York, and died in San Francisco about twenty-five
years ago. They were the parents of two children, of whom Addie L. became the
wife of Charles Steeper, manager of the San Francisco clearing house.
The youngest in his father’s family,
Frank Edward Chapin was reared in Tuolumne county and San Francisco, in which
city he made his home at the age of ten years. He received his education
primarily in the public schools of San Francisco, after which he attended
Heald’s Business College at the age of seventeen years. In 1874 he was a
conductor on the Valencia street car line, continuing so employed for two
years, when he became connected with the La Grange Hydraulic Mining Company in
Stanislaus county. This latter association was maintained until 1879, when he
returned to San Francisco and became conductor on the California Street Cable
Railway, entering upon his duties in December of that year. He rose
successively to the positions of gripman, starter, and
assistant superintendent, serving in the latter capacity from 1883 to April,
1904, when he resigned to accept his present office. He is now vice-president
and general manager of the San Jose & Los Gatos Interurban Railway Company,
his management extending over thirty miles of railway.
Mr. Chapin resides at the St. James
Hotel. In his fraternal relations he was made a Mason in King Solomon Lodge of
San Francisco; and Odd Fellow in Alta Lodge No. 205, of the same city; and is a
member of Oriental Encampment, also of that city. He was formerly a member of
the Pacific Parlor, N. S. G. W., of San Francisco.
Transcribed By: Cecelia M. Setty.
Source: History of the State of California & Biographical Record of Coast
Counties, California by Prof. J. M. Guinn, A. M., Pages 1215-1216. The
Chapman Publishing Co., Chicago, 1904.
© 2016 Cecelia M. Setty.