Nothing is known of his early life, but it is most likely that he was born in London where his father Laurent Chappuzeau lived from 1684 to 1689.
On the Tsar's birthday in 1719, he and two other captains captured three Swedish vessels in what was the Russian fleet's first successful battle.
For this, he was awarded a gold medal by the Tsar, and promoted to Captain, 2nd class.
Jacob married a noblewoman, Anne Kellermann, in St Petersburg, and had 10 children.
That he was held in high regard is proven by the fact that the godfather of one of his daughters was Count Fyodor Apraksin, Admiral and member of the Russian Supreme Privy Council.