Melvin Canfield Chapman (1850–1936): Oakland Mayor involved in contentious transition of power

Chapman

Plot 17, Lot 36

Melvin Chapman was an American lawyer, legislator, and civic leader who served as the 28th mayor of Oakland, California, from 1891 to 1893. A central figure in the city’s late nineteenth-century civic development, Chapman is best remembered for his role in securing Lake Merritt as public land and for his contentious transfer of power with successor George Pardee.

Chapman was born in Westfield, Illinois, in 1850 (some sources list 1848). He studied law in California under attorney Henry Vrooman and was admitted to the bar in 1884. Chapman began his practice with Roscoe Havens before forming his own firm, later known as Chapman & Trefethen. Over time, he became a prominent figure in the Alameda County Bar Association, serving as its president.

Chapman entered politics in the late 1880s, winning election to the California State Assembly, where he represented the 50th District in 1887–1888. In 1891, he was briefly nominated for Congress but declined in favor of supporting his colleague Joseph McKenna.

Elected in 1891, Chapman ran on a platform emphasizing public works, infrastructure modernization, and civic beautification. He advocated for street paving, sewer expansion, marsh reclamation in West Oakland, and the improvement of plazas and boulevards.

One of Chapman’s enduring contributions was his role in securing Lake Merritt as public land. The lake, a tidal lagoon that had been designated a wildlife refuge by the state of California in 1870, was surrounded by property controlled by the Oakland Waterfront Company, a private development syndicate. Chapman negotiated with the company to deed portions of the surrounding land to the city, ensuring public access and laying the foundation for the creation of a park encircling the lake. He further advanced plans for dredging, shoreline improvements, and the establishment of a scenic boulevard, anticipating Lake Merritt’s transformation into Oakland’s civic centerpiece.

Chapman’s term ended in 1893 in a controversy that highlighted the factional politics of Oakland at the time. His successor, George C. Pardee (later Governor of California), attempted to assume office at 12:01 a.m. on inauguration day, accompanied by a new city council. Chapman, citing technical issues with the filing of Pardee’s official bond and the timing of the council’s organization, refused to vacate City Hall immediately.

Headline from Oakland Times

 The dispute escalated into a standoff in which, for a brief period, Oakland effectively had two competing municipal governments—one loyal to Chapman and the other recognizing Pardee. The confrontation underscored the growing tension between reform-minded Republicans such as Pardee and the established Democratic and business interests that Chapman represented. Although the matter was ultimately resolved without violence, it was remembered as one of the most contentious mayoral transitions in Oakland’s early history.

After leaving office, Chapman returned to his legal practice and remained active in civic affairs. He served as head of the Oakland Tribune Publishing Company and was a member of the exclusive Athenian Club, a social and political hub for the city’s professional elite. 

Sources: LocalWiki, Oakland Examiner, Oakland Tribune, Find a Grave, LakeMerritt.org, Find a Grave, Oakland Times