author
Howard M. Chapin
1887–1940
A prolific Rhode Island historian and librarian, this early 20th-century writer devoted much of his work to colonial New England, Native history, and local records. His books remain valuable for readers interested in the people, politics, and everyday life of early Rhode Island.
1 Audiobook
About the author
Best known as the longtime librarian of the Rhode Island Historical Society, he served in that role from 1912 until his death in 1940. Sources from the Society describe him as a prolific author with a wide range of interests, especially colonial American history.
He was born in Providence, Rhode Island, in 1887 and graduated from Brown University in 1908. An obituary published by the American Antiquarian Society notes that his interest in historical research began during his college years and grew into a career centered on archives, genealogy, and documentary history.
His published work includes studies of Rhode Island soldiers, privateers, Native leaders, and early town and court records. That mix of careful scholarship and local focus helped preserve a large part of Rhode Island's historical memory for later readers and researchers.