Chapman Johnston French was born on August 15, 1880 and died in Troutdale, Virginia on July 6, 1964. His parents were Charles D. (born January 8, 1850) and Annie C. Johnston French (born November 24, 1853 and died in August, 1934). In 1902, he graduated from Virginia Tech and became a civil engineer for Norfolk & Western Railway. He was a dedicated worker, who often spent the weekends in the office and traveled extensively around Virginia and West Virginia for his job. During this time, he lived in Narrows, Virginia with his first wife, Lela Lee Weatherly French. Later, Chapman and his wife moved to Roanoke. After Lela's death, which occurred sometime prior to 1930, Chapman married Mildred Greer and retired in 1950.

Chapman was a member of several organizations, including the American Society of Civil Engineers, Elks, the Knights of Pythias, the Groundhog Club, the National Geographic Society, the Dramatic Order of Knights of Knorassan, the Blue Ridge Game and Fish Association, and the VPI Alumni Association. As a young man, his main interests were dancing, ice-skating, photography, hunting, and listening to baseball on the radio; as he grew older, he became an avid gardener and bridge player. Chapman was close to his parents throughout his life: he often drove them to church. Additionally, he was a frequent visitor of his sister's family and an animal lover who owned various cats and dogs.