Alfred Chapman
Encyclopedia
Alfred Beck Chapman was a Los Angeles
real estate attorney and investor. He may be best known as one of the founders of the city of Orange
, California
.
. His grandfather, Robert Hett Chapman
, was born in Orange, New Jersey
, studied theology and was a pastor from 1796 to 1812, at which time he became president of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
until 1816. His father attended the University of North Carolina. Alfred's maternal grandfather was a colonel in the United States Army
. Chapman graduated 29th in his class at West Point
in 1854. Upon graduation from West Point, Chapman was assigned to the First Regiment of Dragoons in Florida.
His various postings eventually brought him in the late 1850s to California
. Chapman resigned from the army in 1859, having achieved the rank of major, and married Mary Scott, the daughter of a prominent Los Angeles
attorney. He studied law with her father, Jonathan R. Scott, and was admitted to the bar
in California
.
In 1863 Chapman became city attorney of Los Angeles
, and in 1868 he was elected district attorney of Los Angeles County
. He went into partnership with a boyhood friend, Andrew Glassell
, when the latter arrived in Los Angeles in 1866. Colonel George H. Smith
, a former Confederate Army officer and brother-in-law of Glassell, joined the firm in 1870. Their law practice was confined chiefly to real estate transactions, and they made their fortunes by handling the large partition suits. Chapman was the businessman of the firm. He would take his compensation in land, and nearly every final decree in partition would find that Glassell & Chapman had acquired land.
Chapman and Glassell are best known in Orange County
for being founders of Orange, California
. The firm represented the Yorba
and Peralta families in the partitioning of Rancho Santiago de Santa Ana
in 1867, and had received for a portion of their fees certain grants of land in the partition. He joined with one of his partners, Andrew Glassell
, to develop a new community, Richland (which would eventually be named Orange). They hired the land surveyor, Frank Lecouvrier of Los Angeles
, to map this tract, which they called Richland Farm District. Richland was originally the name of the Virginia
plantation owned by the father of Andrew Glassell
in the 1830s.
A large transaction by Chapman and Glassell was the legal suit known as "The Great Partition of 1871", brought against the Verdugo
Rancho San Rafael
property.
Chapman continued to practice law until 1880. After retirement, he devoted full time to managing his 700 acres (2.8 km²) rancho in the upper San Gabriel Valley
, a portion of the Rancho Santa Anita
grant, and became involved in citrus production. He had six children by his first marriage. He would remarry after the death of Mary Scott in 1883, and had one child by his second marriage to Mary L. Stephens, daughter of a pioneer California
attorney and judge.
Chapman died at his residence on January 16, 1915.
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
real estate attorney and investor. He may be best known as one of the founders of the city of Orange
Orange, California
Southern California is well-known for year-round pleasant weather: - On average, the warmest month is August. - The highest recorded temperature was in 1985. - On average, the coolest month is December. - The lowest recorded temperature was in 1950...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
Life
Chapman was born on September 6, 1829, in Greensboro, AlabamaGreensboro, Alabama
Greensboro is a city in Hale County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 2,731. The city is the county seat of Hale County. It is part of the Tuscaloosa, Alabama Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
. His grandfather, Robert Hett Chapman
Robert Hett Chapman
Robert Hett Chapman was a Presbyterian minister and missionary and the second president of the University of North Carolina.-Personal life:...
, was born in Orange, New Jersey
Orange, New Jersey
The City of Orange is a city and township in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 30,134...
, studied theology and was a pastor from 1796 to 1812, at which time he became president of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
until 1816. His father attended the University of North Carolina. Alfred's maternal grandfather was a colonel in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
. Chapman graduated 29th in his class at West Point
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
in 1854. Upon graduation from West Point, Chapman was assigned to the First Regiment of Dragoons in Florida.
His various postings eventually brought him in the late 1850s to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. Chapman resigned from the army in 1859, having achieved the rank of major, and married Mary Scott, the daughter of a prominent Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
attorney. He studied law with her father, Jonathan R. Scott, and was admitted to the bar
Bar (law)
Bar in a legal context has three possible meanings: the division of a courtroom between its working and public areas; the process of qualifying to practice law; and the legal profession.-Courtroom division:...
in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
In 1863 Chapman became city attorney of Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, and in 1868 he was elected district attorney of Los Angeles County
Los Angeles County District Attorney
The District Attorney of Los Angeles County prosecutes felony and misdemeanor crimes that occur within the jurisdiction of Los Angeles County, California....
. He went into partnership with a boyhood friend, Andrew Glassell
Andrew Glassell
Andrew Glassell was a Los Angeles real estate attorney and investor. He may be best known as one of the founders of the city of Orange, California.-Early life and career:...
, when the latter arrived in Los Angeles in 1866. Colonel George H. Smith
George Hugh Smith
George H. Smith was a Confederate Civil War veteran and prominent Los Angeles lawyer and judge.-Early life and career:...
, a former Confederate Army officer and brother-in-law of Glassell, joined the firm in 1870. Their law practice was confined chiefly to real estate transactions, and they made their fortunes by handling the large partition suits. Chapman was the businessman of the firm. He would take his compensation in land, and nearly every final decree in partition would find that Glassell & Chapman had acquired land.
Chapman and Glassell are best known in Orange County
Orange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
for being founders of Orange, California
Orange, California
Southern California is well-known for year-round pleasant weather: - On average, the warmest month is August. - The highest recorded temperature was in 1985. - On average, the coolest month is December. - The lowest recorded temperature was in 1950...
. The firm represented the Yorba
José Antonio Yorba
José Antonio Yorba , also known as Don José Antonio Yorba I, was a Spanish soldier and early settler of Spanish California.-Spanish Soldier:...
and Peralta families in the partitioning of Rancho Santiago de Santa Ana
Rancho Santiago de Santa Ana
Rancho Santiago de Santa Ana was a Spanish land concession in present day Orange County, California given by Governor José Joaquín de Arrillaga in 1810 to Jose Antonio Yorba and his nephew Pablo Peralta...
in 1867, and had received for a portion of their fees certain grants of land in the partition. He joined with one of his partners, Andrew Glassell
Andrew Glassell
Andrew Glassell was a Los Angeles real estate attorney and investor. He may be best known as one of the founders of the city of Orange, California.-Early life and career:...
, to develop a new community, Richland (which would eventually be named Orange). They hired the land surveyor, Frank Lecouvrier of Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, to map this tract, which they called Richland Farm District. Richland was originally the name of the Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
plantation owned by the father of Andrew Glassell
Andrew Glassell
Andrew Glassell was a Los Angeles real estate attorney and investor. He may be best known as one of the founders of the city of Orange, California.-Early life and career:...
in the 1830s.
A large transaction by Chapman and Glassell was the legal suit known as "The Great Partition of 1871", brought against the Verdugo
Jose Maria Verdugo
José María Verdugo was a soldier from the Presidio of San Diego who was assigned to the Mission San Gabriel Arcángel at the time his land was granted by the Spanish Empire in 1784.-Spanish soldier:...
Rancho San Rafael
Rancho San Rafael
Rancho San Rafael was a Spanish land grant bordering the Los Angeles River and the Arroyo Seco in present day Los Angeles County, California, given in 1784 to Jose Maria Verdugo. The rancho includes the present day cities of Glendale, Eagle Rock, La Cañada, Montrose, and Verdugo City...
property.
Chapman continued to practice law until 1880. After retirement, he devoted full time to managing his 700 acres (2.8 km²) rancho in the upper San Gabriel Valley
San Gabriel Valley
The San Gabriel Valley is one of the principal valleys of Southern California, United States. It lies to the east of Los Angeles, to the north of the Puente Hills, to the south of the San Gabriel Mountains, and west of the Inland Empire. It derives its name from the San Gabriel River that flows...
, a portion of the Rancho Santa Anita
Rancho Santa Anita
Rancho Santa Anita was a land grant in present day Los Angeles County, California given to Perfecto Hugo Reid. The land grant was formally recognized by Governor Pio Pico in 1845. The land grant covered all or portions of the present day cities of Arcadia, Monrovia, Sierra Madre, Pasadena and San...
grant, and became involved in citrus production. He had six children by his first marriage. He would remarry after the death of Mary Scott in 1883, and had one child by his second marriage to Mary L. Stephens, daughter of a pioneer California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
attorney and judge.
Chapman died at his residence on January 16, 1915.