Aaron Chapin

Aaron Chapin was a well-known cabinetmaker, a member of the Chapin cabinetmaking family, who worked in East Windsor and Hartford, Connecticut. Born in Springfield, Massachusetts, Aaron Chapin worked as a journeyman with his second cousin Eliphalet Chapin (1741-1807) from 1774 to 1783. In 1783, he moved to Hartford to establish his own shop, for which he advertised in both The Connecticut Courant and The Weekly Intelligencer on 9 December 1783. Aaron again advertised in the two papers on 28 July 1788, stating, “He still caries on the Cabinet and Chair making business, in its great variety of articles – among which are Sofa’s Swelled or plain, easy Chairs – Clock Cases, Gun Stocks, weavers Shuttles, Pitch Pipes, Flutes, Fifes, &c. &c.” In this ad, he also stated that he did watch repair and cleaning. In 1794, Aaron was secretary of the Hartford Society of Cabinet-Makers. In 1807, he and his son, Laertes Chapin (1778-1847), joined in the partnership Aaron Chapin & Son.