 A lifelong Democrat, Chinn also served for many years on the vestry of St. Johns Episcopal Church in Warsaw, where he served would be buried.He also served on the board of directors of the first bank in Warsaw, the Mumford Bank, and on of the Northern Neck Telephone and Telegraph.Chinn was also the first president and a director of the Northern Neck State Bank in Warsaw, and served as school superintendent for Richmond County, as well as on the board of directors at University of Virginia.