John Chipman was a farmer, judge and political figure in Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...

. He represented the town of Cornwallis in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly

Nova Scotia House of Assembly

The Nova Scotia Legislature, consisting of Her Majesty The Queen represented by the Lieutenant Governor and the House of Assembly, is the legislative branch of the provincial government of Nova Scotia, Canada...

 from 1776 to 1784.

He was born in Newport, Rhode Island

Newport, Rhode Island

Newport is a city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about south of Providence. Known as a New England summer resort and for the famous Newport Mansions, it is the home of Salve Regina University and Naval Station Newport which houses the United States Naval War...

, the son of Handley Chipman and Jean Allen, and came to Cornwallis, Nova Scotia with his family. In 1769, he married Eunice Dickson, the daughter of Charles Dickson

Charles Dickson

Charles Dickson was a merchant, shipbuilder, farmer and political figure in Nova Scotia. He represented Onslow township in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly from 1785 to 1799....

. He was elected to the provincial assembly in a by-election held after Samuel Willoughby

Samuel Willoughby

Samuel Willoughby was a physician and political figure in Nova Scotia. He represented Cornwallis township in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly from 1760 to 1765 and from 1770 to 1776....

's seat was declared vacant for non-attendance. Chipman was a justice of the peace

Justice of the Peace

A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...

 and judge in the Inferior Court of Common Pleas for King's County

Kings County, Nova Scotia

Kings County is a county in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia.Kings County is located in central Nova Scotia on the shore of the Bay of Fundy with its northeastern part also forming the western shore of the Minas Basin....

. He served as keeper of the rolls

Custos rotulorum

Custos rotulorum is the keeper of an English county's records and, by virtue of that office, the highest civil officer in the county...

 for King's County from 1789 until his death at the age of 91.

His son Jared Ingersol Chipman

Jared Ingersol Chipman

Jared Ingersol Chipman was a lawyer, judge and political figure in Nova Scotia. He represented the town of Shelburne in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly from 1818 to 1826....

also served in the provincial assembly.