Clapp
1. Mindwell Clapp: Born 10 October 1747; Died 20 January 1824, Waltham, VT; Married before 23 May 1772; Solomon Strong: Born 25 December 1746; Died 21 December 1829, Waltham, VT. (See Strong)
2. Samuel Clapp Jr.: Born 13 November 1711, of Southampton, MA ; Married Mindwell Strong: Born 30 October 1711. They had ten children: Elijah Clapp; Elijah Clapp; Jehiel Clapp; Timothy Clapp; Samuel Clapp; Selah Clapp; Phinehas Clapp; Mindwell Clapp Married Solomon Strong; Mary Clapp Parsons; and Moses Clapp. (See Strong #2)
3. Lieutenant Samuel Clapp Sr.: Born 1677, of Northampton, Hampshire, MA; Married 17 March 1708; Mary Sheldon: Born 24 Jul 1687, Deerfield, Franklin, MA; Died September 1763. (See Sheldon) His first wife was Sarah Bartlett, then he married Thankful King and finally Mary Sheldon. He had children by each of these wives. He lived to be an old man, dying at the age of 84 years. He was a Lieutenant of a military company. By his third wife, Mary he had at least the following five children: Samuel Clapp Jr. who married Mindwell Strong, Mary Clapp who married Daniel Pomeroy, Seth Clapp, Thomas Clapp, and Ebenezer Clapp.
4. Elder Preserved Clapp, Captain: Born 23 November 1643, Dorchester, Norfolk, MA; Died 20 September 1720; Married 4 June 1668; Sarah Newberry: Born 1650; Died 1716. (See Newberry) Preserved lived in Dorchester during the first twenty or more years of his life, when he removed to Northampton, at that time a far distant settlement on the western limits of the colony, and comprising, with Springfield, the whole inhabited portion of the western Massachusetts. For a hundred years or more after the first settlement of Northampton, it was a weeks journey, for a man nd horse, to go to Boston from Northampton. The path to Boston was distinguishable by marks cut upon the trees through the long stretch of forest that lay between the two places. In Northampton, Preserved became one of the leading men in civil and ecclesiastical affairs, end his usefulness continued during a long and active life. Blake says "he was a good instrument and a great blessing to the town of Northampton, where he lived. He was a Captain of the town, and their Representative in the General Court, and a Ruling Elder in the church." Preserved and Sarah had seven children: Sarah Jr., Wait who married John Taylor Jr., Mary, Preserved Jr., Samuel, Hannah who married Abraham Miller, Roger and Thomas.
5. Captain Roger Clapp: Born 30 May 1609, Lulleom, (or Combe Wood, Slacombe Regis) Devonshire, England; Died 2 February 1691; Married 6 November 1633, Dorchester?, MA; Joanna Ford: Born 8 June 1617; Died 1695. Roger came to America in 1630, on the Mary and John. Roger Clapp is best known as the writer of oft quoted Memoirs. He was granted land in 1633; was a Lieutenant in the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company, 1655, Deputy from Dorchester to the General Court, 1647-1671; appointed Commander of the Castle in 1665. He was of the ultra-puritan school, and was intolerant of the innovations attempted by the Antinomians and Quakers. He resigned his post at the Castle upon the dissolution of the First Charter in 1686, unwilling to lend his co-operation to the tyrannical schemes of Governor Andros. He moved to Boston where he died. (Kuhns p.14) This Clapp family is related to those in Clapp #2 though the exact relationship between them is slightly cloudy. It is probable that he and Deacon Nicholas Clapp share grandparents or great-grandparents.
Roger sailed from Plymouth for New England, 20 March, 1630 and arrived at Nantasket, May 30, 1630, his 21st birthday. He came on the ship Mary and John, with Captain Squeb. This was the second of sixteen vessels which left England with passengers, in 1630, under the partonage of the Massachusets Bay Company. The patent for this company, previously granted by King James I, was confirmed by Charles I, March 4, 1629, and seems to have held out new inducements to emigration among those who could not conform to the ecclesiastical requirements of the time. Captain Roger Clapp, in his memoirs, speaks thus of the Patent: "Was it not a wonderous good Hand of God to incline the hearts of our King so freely to grant it, with all the Priviledges which the Patent expresseth!"
The number of the passengers on board the Mary and John was 140, which with those who came in the fifteen other vessels during the year, and on board another for Plymouth sent out by a private merchant, accounted to nearly 1000 persons. "These seventeen ships," says Dudley, in a letter to the Countess of Lincoln, "arrived all safe in New England, for the increase of the Plantation here this year 1630, but made a long, a troublesome, and costly voyage, being all wind-bound long in England, and hindered with contrary winds after they set sail, and so scattered with mists and tempests that few of them arrived together. Our four ships which set sail in April arrived here [Salem] in June and July, and found the Colony in a sad and unexpected condition, above eighty of them being dead the winter before; and many of those alive weak and sick; all the corn and bread amongst them all hardly sufficient to feed them for a fortnight." Captain Roger Clapp thus alludes to the destitute condition of the emigrants in Dorchester, before the time came to gather the fruits of the next season:-- "Oh the Hunger that many suffered, and saw no hope in an Eye of Reason to be supplied, only by Clams, Muscels and Fish. We did quickly build Boats, and some went a Fishing. But Bread was with many a very scarse thing; and Flesh of all kinds as scarse." It is recorded of the Pilgrims of the Mayflower at Plymouth, that on the return of that vessel to England the next spring, no one of the survivers through that terrible winter went back in her. So of those in the Mary and John, at Dorchester, and not one emigrant returned in her to Old England. This however, was not the case with other companies of emigrants. Dudly says of those at Salem and elsewhere, "The ships being now [August, 1630] upon their return, some for England, some for Ireland, there was, as I take it, not much less than a hundred, some think many more, partly out of dislike of our government, which restrained and punished their excesses, and partly through fear of famine, not seeing other means than by their labor to feed themselves, which returned back again; and glad we were to be rid of them.". The ship's passengers included two learned Nonconformist ministers, Reverend John Maverick and Reverend John Warham. Other persons of distinction came in that vessel as well. The passengers of the ship were the first settlers of Dorchester, and they arrived there about June 17, 1630.
All efforts which have been made to learn the name and history of Roger's father have proved unavailing. The records of that date, in his native town, have been removed or destroyed, and in no existing document, yet discovered, in this country, is his father mention by name. Roger, in his memoirs, speaks of him as "a man fearing God" and whose "outward estate was not great." He also alludes to his final consent to the emigration of his son to New England, and of his generous answer to an appeal for provisions, shortly after the arrival of the Dorchester Company at their new home. These meagre, incidental facts are probably all that we shall ever know about the father of one who filled so conspicuous a place in the early history of Dorchester. That Roger had a nephew John, son of John Clapp, living in Colyton, Devonshire, England, in 1680 is shown by a power of attorney from him to his uncle, in that year, the original of which may be seen in the Massachusetts archives.
Roger Clapp was married November 6, 1633, to Johanna, the daughter of Thomas Ford, of Dorchester, England, who were passengers in the same vesssel with him. She was but sixteen years and five months old when she was married. Mrs. Clapp survived her husband by four or five years. She died in Boston at the age of 78 and was buried near her husband.
Captain Clapp's life was a busy and eventful one. In works of benevolence, he was forward and earnest; his ability and energy of character were acknowledged by the colony and the town. In 1637, when 28 years old, he was chosen Selectman, and fourteen times afterwards, previous to 1665, when he took command of the Castle, he was selected to that office. In 1645, he was one of a committee of five to fix the rate of assessment for building a new meeting house. He was several times chosen Deputy from Dorchester to the General Court. In 1673, being again chosen Deputy, it is significantly recorded by Blake, "Afterwards, in this Year, ye Court sent an order to choose another Deputy at ye Castle, because ye times were troublesome." To most of the petitions and documents eminating from, and relating to Dorchester, his name was signed, and carried weight and influence. He was one of the Commissioners appointed to marry persons, which at the time was an honorable office.
He was a remarkably industrious man, and continually engaged in some useful employment; idleness he detested. He was a man of good judgment, and frequently with which he was called to be overseer of wills, and other weighty business matters, shows that he stood high among his friends and neighbors. His meekness and humility were proverbial, and he was "of a very quiet and peaceable spirit, not apt to resent injuries; but when he thought the honor of God was concerned, or just and lawful authority opposed, he was forward enough to exert himself." "As to his natural temper, it is said he was of a cheerful and pleasant disposition, courteous and kind in his behavior, free and familiar in his conversation, yet attended with a proper reservedness; and he had a gravity and presence that commanded respect from others."
At the first regular organization of the military of the colony, in 1644, he was the Lieutenant of the Dorchester company-- Humphrey Atherton being captain, and Hopestill Foster the Ensign. At that time, the military were obliged to parade eight days each year; a penalty of five shillings was exacted for non-appearance, and none were exempted except "timorous persons," of which there were but few in those days. He was afterwards Captain of the Dorchester company; and, August 10, 1665, was appointed, by the General Court, Captain of the Castle (now Fort Independence), in Boston Harbor, to succeed Captain Richard Davanport, who was killed at that place by lightning in July of that year. He held this office for twenty one years, until he was 77 years old, and resigned in 1686, principally on account of the political troubles which then made their appearance under the change of governemnt, some things were required of him which were grievous to his pious soul.
Edward Randolph, in his Narrative of the State of New England in 1676, writes, "Three miles from Boston, upon a small island there is a castle of stone lately built, and in good repair, with four bastions, and mounted with 38 guns, 16 whole culvern, commodiusly seated upon a rising ground paces from the waterside, under which, at high water mark, is a small stone battery of six guns. The present commander is one Capt. Clapp, an old man; his salary £50 per annum. There belong to it six gunners, each £10 per annum."
In an ancient manuscript journal, kept by a respectable gentleman in Boston, is the following relation to Captain Clapp's leaving the castle:
"Sept. 24, 1686. Capt. Clapp leaves the Castle; about nine guns fired at his going off. It seems Capt. Clapp is not actually come away, but Capt. Winthrop and Lieut. Thomas Savage did this day receive their commissions.
After this resignation, the remainder of his life was spent in Boston, where he died February 2, 1691. His funeral was conducted with much parade and every mark of respect; military officers and probably the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company (of which he became a member in 1647 and then Lieutenant in 1655), preceding the corpse, "The Governor and General Court following the relations as mourners, and guns firing at the castle."
When he left the Castle, he lived at the south end of Boston, and owned a house and land there, which he left to his wife at his death. The land was bounded on the east by "the sea", or Boston Bay.
He was one of the founders of the Church in Dorchester and a member thereof about sixty years. It was said of him, that he was very kind and affectionate to the soldiers under his command, and encouraged them both by precept and example to prove worthy citizens, "and enlisted none but pious as well as brave men." Such was the affection in which he was held by the people of Dorchester that, during a severe sickness by which he was visited in 1672, they held a fast "to beg his life of God"; and when he recovered, they held a day of thanksgiving.
The Memoirs of Capt. Roger Clap, which have been already referred to, were first printed in 1731, from the original manuscript which was in the handwriting of Captain Clapp, and was presented by Mr James Blake Jr. of Dorchester to the Reverend Thomas Prince, Minister of the Old South Church, in Boston, who wrote the introduction to the work, and in which he says, "The Author was One among those English People, who first came over and dwelt in the Indian Wilderness; and Eye-witness of the things he writes of; and the publick and continued Esteem his country paid him in his Death, his Testimony comes with Power upon us; and the Style so plain and natural, that in the Reading, it seems as if we came over with him and were living in those Pious Times." Several editions have been printed, so that for nearly one hundred and fifty years (at the time this passage was originally written) the life scenes of Roger and of his emigrant relatives have been familiar with the book and have prized it as a valuable memento of early New England history. The Memoirs were probably written soon after 1676, as in them he speaks of "the late war," undoubtedly meaning King Philips War, which in that year had just closed.
The following will is transcribed, verbatim, from a copy evidently in Captain Clapp's own handwriting. In phraseology and spelling it differs slightly slightly from that on record at the Probate office.
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Captain Roger Clapp's Will The time of my death is knowne to god, yet not known unto me; I doe therefore now, in the time of my helth, make this my last will, in manner folling: I do commit my miiortal soull to the euerliuing god, whose it is; and my body after death, I leaue unto my Relations, to be desently buryed in the dust--there to rest, untill my dear lord, and sauiour, shall rayse it at his glorious comming unto judgment. As for the estate, which god hath gratiously giuen to me; my just debts ???id and founerall exspenses descharged; and I giue unto my dear and louing wife, my house and land in bostone, with all the priuilidges, and appurtenances belonging there unto. which land is bounded on the north with the land of Mr Jonathan Balson, on the south with the land of Edward Tucker, in the east with the sea: also six acors of upland, and fiue acors of meadow, be it more or les, lying in dorchester neck, bounded with the land of William Summner on the south east, and the land that was Neahmiah Claps, on the north west, and with the sea on the north; and also three acors of meadow in dorchister, being on the north side of a salt creek, at the lower end of hopestill Claps lot, commonly called Cornelies lot, be it three acors, more or les: this house and lands, to inioy during her naturall life. Also I Giue he two fether beds, with their furnature; a small trunke; and forty pounds of mony, or such goods as shee please to take out of my moueabels: when any debts are paid, and my wifs portion set out, and those small gifts hereafter expressed, payd; my will is, the rest be deuided equally to my children; ???ly Samuel my eldest, to haue a dobble portion in all. Except in that which my deare wife is to haue for her life. I doe farther declare: that what so euer Samuel, or any other of my children haue had, or shall haue, by my life time as part of there portion, shall be reckned as aprt of there portion: which reseats, that i alow as part of their porion, you shall find in my littell sorrill booke: I doe farther declare that my sons shall haue any lands as is after expressed. My sone Samuel shall haue all my land, both upland and meadow, at powpow point, in dorchister neck, and to small sots in the littell neck, and my lot comanly caled the eaight acor lot, and halfe my farme ar punkapage" Preserued, hauing had land of me allredy at northampton, as by my littell book do appear, he shall haue a fifth part of my farme at pachasuck, in westfeeld; my son hopstill shall haue that part of the home lot that is below the fence, and all the medow at the end of the home lot, and at the tide mill, and at the end of cornelias lot, as fare as the salt creek: but not ouer the creek; and to small lots in the littell neck, the land at the south of the great neck: and the first and second deuission, in the cow walke, and halfe my farme at punkapage, and halfe the wood lot that was ??wes, by the bresh marsh. all to be prised. also any land that my sons haue, any of them, if not prised by me, and set doune in my sorrill boook: ?????? must be brised, that so thos that haue had more than there portion, May giue to those that want, to make their portions equall: I giue to my son desire, my third deuision of wood land, and to and twenty acors of land, more or les, lying on the north side of nabonset riuer: alse that medow on the south side of nabonset, which was william weekeses, be it three acors, more or les; I giue out of my farme at pachasack in westfeeld ???? acors unto the inhabitance of that towne, towards the maintenance of ???ble minester in that towne, with this prouiso: that they paye, or cause ???e pay two busshels of good wheat unto my dear wife in boston yearly during the natural life: the ressedeu of my land there, not disposed of I leave to my exsecutors to dispose of, to paye dets, or to make my childrens portions equall; For as I said befire; I say againe, my will is that my children, shal haue equall portions, as near as May bee; Except my son Samuel, who shall haue dubell except in that which his mother haue during her naturall life. but that, both house and lands after my mifs desese, I give equally unto my sons, and my my to dafters Elizabeth and wait, to be at ther?? (my to dafters on desposing) the small gifts I mentioned, I giue unto my grand children, that shall be then liuing, together with my cozen Es?? bissell and Constant dewey, ten shillings a peece--furder more, my will is when my children haue reseued there portions, that my sons and dafters shall pay there mother yearly, for her more comfortable liuing, twenty shillings a piece. Also I giue my wife what falls to her by her father Ford at winsor and else where. I do hereby appoint and ordaine my dear wife and son samuel to be my executors: and do insitsetut, and appoint my dear and loving friend Elder James Black and Cozen Thomas swift my over seears to aduise and assist, my executors in the performing this will; and do give my overseers ten shillings appece. That this is my last will and testement I haue set to my hand and seal in the presenc of November : 19: 1690 Henry Alline John Bull Roger Clapp William Tilly |
Joanna's parents--
Roger's parents--
6. Richard Clapp: Born about 1528, of Sidbury, Devonshire, England; Died 25 March 1609, Sidbury, Devonshire, England; Married Sudbury, Devonshire, England; Christian (Clapp): Born about 1538, Sidbury, Devonshire, England; Died 24 Jul 1609, Sidbury, Devonshire, England.
7. Elder William Clapp: Born about 1500, Devonshire, England; Died 20 May 1555, Hartford, Devonshire, England; Married England; Alice (Clapp): Born about 1502, of Sidbury, Devonshire, England; Died 25 May 1555, Hartford, Devonshire, England.
8. Roger Clapp: Born about 1474, Salcombe, Dorchester Co., England.