He graduated from Washington and Jefferson College, where he was a member of Phi Delta Theta, in 1921.

[3] In 1932, Chapin was approached by Grant Wood and accepted a faculty position at the Stone City Art Colony, where he taught lithography for two summers.

His work was also part of the painting event in the art competition at the 1932 Summer Olympics.

[5] In reporting his death, one newspaper described Chapin's appearance as follows: "he was a colorful figure, nearly 6 feet 6 inches tall, and thin, and usually wearing tweeds."

[6] Chapin's papers are held in the Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.