[5] Recently found documents (2016) show that Chapman voluntarily joined the crew, after having been in charge of the Santa Rosa by order of Kamehameha.

Alta California governor Pablo Vicente de Solá reported that Chapman was one of three prisoners taken from one of Bouchard's two ships, the Santa Rosa, that surrendered after an artillery duel.

A later story, possibly told by a son concerned with family image, ignored the pirate episode altogether and claimed that Chapman entered California after being shipwrecked near San Pedro.

[10] The first historical record of Chapman's presence in California is from 1821, when he designed and helped build a fulling mill near Mission Santa Inés.

[11] During that time, he received notice from Governor Solá that he was included in a general amnesty granted by King Ferdinand VII of Spain to Anglo-American prisoners.

[14] His name from that point on was José Juan Chapman y Cananta, although he was also known by the nicknames "Blonde Joe" or famously, "El Diablo".

[15] That same year, he is credited by some sources with helping to complete the roof of the Old Plaza Church in Los Angeles, by leading a logging crew into the San Gabriel Mountains to fell and bring back large pine trees for use as ceiling beams.

Unpopular California governor Manuel Victoria was severely wounded fighting rebellious locals at the Battle of Cahuenga Pass.