San
Joaquin County
Biographies
JOHN A. CHAPDELAIN
For almost a quarter of a century
John A. Chapdelain has been a resident of San Joaquin County, where he is a
representative of the highest ideals of citizenship and progressive enterprise. He was born at Faribault, Minnesota, April 7,
1888, a son of Alexander and Antoinette (Shavie) Chapdelain, both natives of the same state. The paternal grandparents were natives of
Canada and Belgium, respectively, and were pioneers of Minnesota, settling
among the Indians in a very early day.
There were ten children in the father’s family: Lucile, Mrs. Reese Thompson; Emma Grace, Mrs.
A. R. Siegfried of Lodi; Louis, Mrs. Bailey; John A. of this review; James,
residing at home; Olive, deceased; Joseph, deceased; and three children who
died in infancy. In 1898 the father came
to California and settled on his present home place, his first purchase being
eighty acres, twenty-six of which were in vineyard and the balance unimproved
land. From time to time he has added to
his holdings, until he now owns 567 acres of land, devoted to vineyard, hay and
grain.
John A. Chapdelain began his
education in the Woodbridge grammar school, then
entered the Lodi high school, where he remained for two years, and then for the
next three years attended St. Mary’s College at Oakland. From early boyhood he had helped on his
father’s ranch. For a number of years he
has been farming independently, and now owns 290 acres of land, 140 acres of
which is in orchard and vineyard.
Raising fruit extensively, he markets it independently. One hundred thirty acres of his ranch is
under the Stockton-Mokelumne ditch, and the balance of the land is irrigated
from three seven-inch pumps driven by twenty-five horsepower motors. Mr. Chapdelain has improved his place with a
good residence, located on the highway just across from his father’s home.
On November 16, 1916, in Stockton,
Mr. Chapdelain was married to Miss Josephine Ethel Thompson, a daughter of
James Henry and Lavissa (Smith) Thompson, natives of
Virginia, who came to California in 1876.
Mrs. Chapdelain was born at Clay, Sacramento County, California, and
received her education in that locality.
Transcribed by V. Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: Tinkham, George
H., History of San Joaquin County, California , Pages
1624-1625. Los Angeles, Calif.: Historic
Record Co., 1923.
© 2011 V. Gerald Iaquinta.
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