William E. Chaplin was born on February 25, 1860 in Omaha, Nebraska. Moving to Wyoming at the age of 13, he learned the newspaper business in Laramie and Cheyenne, and over time, became a prominent publisher of the Boomerang and the Laramie Republican. He was active in the Republican Party, serving on the Constitutional Convention, Laramie city council and mayor of Laramie. He also served as register of the US Land Office, Cheyenne from 1898 to 1915. Chaplin was elected Secretary of State in 1918 and served one term. Afterwards, he moved to Long Beach, California.

Additional Resources

• W.E. Chaplin Manuscript ca 1920, Collection 10596, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming. Digital images available (accessed June 2015)
• "The Making of the Wyoming Constitution" by W.E. Chaplin, William A. Richards Family Papers, Collection 00118, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming. Digital images available (accessed June 2015)
• "Reminiscences of a member of the Wyoming Constitutional Convention" by W.E. Chaplin, Annals of Wyoming 12:3:190-198 (accessed June 2015)