Capt. Roger Clapp

Note headstone says died February 2, 1690 at 82 years, but cemetery records show 1691.

Came to America in "Mary Jane". [Mary & John] Captain Squeb sailed from Plymouht, England 3/20 1630. Arrived at Nantasket 5/30 1630. Passengers were first settlers of Dorchester where they arrived 6/17 1630. 1637 Selectman. Deputy to G. C.; 1644 Lt. of Dorchester Colony. Later Captain 8/10 1665. Appointed Captain of the Castle ( Fort Independence). Kings Chapel was originally an Episcopa; Society formed June 15, 1686. There first house was wood erected in 1688 at corner of Tremont and School Streets on the spot of the present stone chapel.

---------------------------

Roger Clapp was Commander of Fort Independance 1665 till 1686. After a lightning stike that killed the former Commander Richard Davenport.

from: [http://ma-watertown2.civicplus.com/index.aspx?nid=199]

Roger Clap & the Dorchester Men In May 1630, a party led by Roger Clap, landed on the steep banks of Charles River at a point near the present site of Perkins School for the Blind. He tells of the first encounter with the Pequossette Indians when they approached Clap’s landing party with a large bass for which they were given a biscuit by the settlers. This scene is commemorated on the official Town seal. Soon after Clap’s group left, at Governor Winthrop’s order, to settle in Dorchester where it was thought the land was better for cattle.

And on the Town Seal:: [http://ma-watertown2.civicplus.com/images/pages/N199/Watertown%20Se...]
-------------------------------

On hearts and things:

"You have better Food and Raiment, than was in former Times; but have you better Hearts than your Fore-fathers had? If so, Rejoice in that Mercy, and let New-England then shout for Joy. Sure all the People of God in other parts of the World, that shall hear that the Children and Grand-Children of the first Planters of New England, have better Hearts, and are more heavenly than their Predecessors; they will doubtless greatly Rejoice, and will say, This is the Generation whom the Lord hath Blessed."

https://archive.org/stream/rogerclap00claproger#page/42/mode/1up/se...

Such a wonderful Christian testimony by my gggggggggrandfather Roger Clapp, who arrived from England in the year 1630 (from http://www.winthropsociety.org/doc_clapp.php ) :

"I took notice of it as a great favor of God unto me, not only to preserve my life, but to give me contentedness in all these straits; insomuch that I do not remember that I ever did wish in my heart that I had not come into this country, or wish myself back again at my father’s house. Yea, I was so far from that, that I wished and advised some of my dear brethren to come hither also; and accordingly, one of my brothers (Edward Clapp), and those two (cousin Nicholas Clapp and George Weeks) that married my two sisters, sold their means and came hither. The Lord Jesus Christ was so plainly held out in the preaching of the Gospel unto poor lost sinners, and the absolute necessity of the new birth, and God’s holy spirit in those days was pleased to accompany the word with such efficacy upon the hearts of many, that our hearts were taken off from Old England and set upon heaven. The discourse not only of the aged, but of the youth also was not, "How shall we go to England," (though some few did not only so discourse, but also went back again) but "How shall I go to heaven? Have I true grace wrought in my heart? Have I Christ or no?" Oh how did men and women, young and old, pray for grace, beg for Christ in those days. And it was not in vain. Many were converted, and others established in believing. Many joined unto the several churches where they lived, confessing their faith publicly, and showing before all the assembly their experiences of the workings of God’s spirit in their hearts to bring them to Christ; which many hearers found much good by, to help them to try their own hearts and to consider how it was with them, whether any work of God’s spirit were wrought in their own hearts or no. Oh the many tears that have been shed in Dorchester meeting house at such times, both by those that had declared God’s work on their souls, and also by those that heard them. In those days God, even our own God, did bless New England!"

Roger Clapp b. 6 Apr 1609 in Salcombe, Regis, Devon, England, d. 2 Feb 1690/1 in Dorchester, Suffolk, MA His house, restored and moved, is at 199 Boston St., Dorchester, MA.

Father: William Clapp (2) Mother: Johann Channon Spouse: Joanna Ford b. bef 8 Jun 1617 in Bridgeport, Dorsetshire, England, d. 29 Jun 1695 in Windsor, Hartford, CT

Father: Thomas Ford Mother: Elizabeth Charde Married 6 Nov 1633 in Windsor, Hartford, CT.

Children:

Samuel Clapp b. 11 Oct 1634, m. Hannah Leeds,, 18 Nov 1658, d. 16 Oct 1708 William Clapp (4), b. 5 Jul 1636 Elizabeth Clapp b. 22 Jun 1638, m. Joseph Holmes,, d. 25 Dec 1711 Experience Clapp b. 23 Aug 1640, d. 1 Nov 1640 Waitstill Clapp b. 22 Oct 1641, d. 9 Aug 1643 Preserved Clapp b. 23 Nov 1643, m. Sarah Newberry,, 4 Jun 1668, d. 30 Sep 1720 Experience Clapp (2), b. Dec 1645, d. 1646 Hopestill Clapp b. 6 Nov 1647, m. Susanna Swift,, 18 Apr1672, d. 2 Sep1719 Wait Clapp b. 17 Mar 1649, m. Johathan Simpson,, 3 Apr 1673, d. 3 May 1717 Thanks Clapp b. 25 Aug 1650, d. 1651 Desire Clapp b. 17 Oct 1652, m. Sarah Pond,, m. Deborah Smith,, d. 12 Dec 1717 Thomas Clapp b. Apr 1655, d. 1670 Unite Clapp b. 13 Oct 1656, d. 20 Mar 1664 Supply Clapp b. 30 Oct 1660, d. 5 Mar 1686

ROGER CLAPP'S MEMOIRS, WITH AN ACCOUNT OF THE VOYAGE OF THE MARY & JOHN 1630. Reprint. 62 pages. Paperback.

This reprint of Roger Clapp's memoirs was originally written in the 17th century, is one of the few first-hand accounts of life in New England during the Great Migration. Roger Clapp wrote this book after the voyage of the Mary & John 1630. Roger Clapp was a Mary & John passenger of 1630 and describes the early days of hardships and suffering in the wilderness of those brave and hardy English men, women and children. This edition includes newly gathered material, photos and maps, from Salcombe Regis Devon, the birthplace of Roger Clapp. Roger Clapp was born April 6, 1609 in Sallcom, Devonshire, England. and died in 1691.

Seldom can one find the actual birthplace of their 17th century English ancestor, but the homestead of Roger Clapp still stands today and it is now a private dwelling. Roger Clapp was baptized 6 April, 1609 in the church of St. Peter & St. Mary, in the parish of Salcombe Regis.

Excerpts from Editor Sydney Strong

While spending a few months in the Connecticut Valley, in 1928, on the trail of Elder John Strong, I found in the libraries of Northampton, Mass, and Hartford, Conn., the "Memoirs of Roger Clap." It was a little book, printed in 1844. The idea came that I should like to have my children know this book. The idea possessed me to the extent of seeing it published. In the first place, it gives you a picture of some of your ancestors, since the "Memoirs" is a story of the voyage of the ship, the "Mary and John" that sailed from Plymouth, England, March 20, 1630, and landed at the point called Nantasket. The voyagers founded the town of Dorchester, Massachusetts. On this ship, among the 140 passengers there came, besides John Strong, several other forbears, in the families of Reverend John Warham, Thomas Ford and Thomas Newberry.

The voyage of the "Mary and John" was important in the history of America. To Dorchester, Massachusetts, to Windsor, Connecticut, to Northampton, Massachusetts, the "Mary and John" bears about the same relation as the Mayflower to Plymouth, Mass. You will find in the "Memoirs" how the 140 people aboard were a church-community, organized in the old country, ready to operate on landing in the wilderness. It is a classic of colonial days. In 1635, a considerable number of them (exactly how many has been a matter of dispute) treked through the wilderness.

The "Memoirs" is one of the most authentic documents of early colonial history. As such it should be known to the descendants at least. It should be read by the school children in Dorchester, Windsor and Northampton. But all over the land are children of the "fathers and mothers" of the Mary and John." No library should be with out it.

from : The Mary and John The Story of the Founding of Dorchester Massachusetts 1630, Maude Pinney Kuhns, Charles E Tuttle Co, Rutland VT, 1943, (CT Historical Society) p1: "Onthe twentieth of March, 1630, a group of men and women, one hundred and forty in number, set sail from Plymouth, England, in the good ship, the 'Mary and John'. The company had been selected and assembled largely through the efforts of the Reverend John White, of Dorchester, England; with whom they spent the day before sailing, 'fasting, preaching, and praying.' These people had come from the western counties of England, mostly from Devonshire, Dorsetshire, and Somerset. They had chosen two ministers to accompany them: 'men who were interested in the idea of bringing the Indians to the knowledge of the gospel.' The Reverend John Maverick was an elderly man from Devon, a minister of the Established church. Reverend John Warham was also an ordained minister of the Church of England, in Exeter, eminent as a preacher. There is some evidence that both of these men were in some difficulties with the church on account of their sympathies with the Puritans. "Edward Rossiter and Roger Ludlow, two men who were members of the government in England, were also chosen; and several gentlemen, middleaged, with adult families were next joined to the association. Among these were Henry Wolcott, Thomas Ford, George Dyer, William Gaylord, William Rockwell, and William Phelps. But a large portion of the company were young men, eager for adventure, such as Israel Stoughton, Roger Clapp, George Minot, Richard Collicott, and Nathaniel Duncan. "So we came, writes Roger Clapp in his Memoirs, by the good hand of the Lord, through the deep comfortably; having preaching or expounding of the word of God every day for ten weeks together by our ministers. When we came to Nantasket, Capt. Squeb, who was Captain of that great ship of four hundred tons, put us on shore and our goods on Nantasket Point, and left us to shift for ourselves in a forelorn place in this wilderness. "It had been their original intent to land in the Charles River, but a dispute with Captain Squeb, the commander of the vessel, caused the whole company, on May 30, 1630, to be put ashore at Nantasket. The 'Mary and John' was the first of the Fleet of 1630 to arrive in the bay. At that time there could not have been pilots, or charts of the channel, and it does not seem unreasonable that the captain refused to undertake the passage, but Roger Clap has sent Captain Squeb down to posterity as a merciless man. "According to tradition they landed upon the south side of Dorchester Neck, or South Boston, in Old Harbor. Ten of the men, under the command of Captain Southcote, found a small boat, and went up the river to Charlestown Neck, where they found an old planter, probably ThomasWalfourd, who fed them 'a dinner of fish without bread.' Later they continued their journey up the Charles River, as far as what is now Watertown, returning several days later to the company who had found pasture for their cattle at Mattapan. The settlement was later called Dorchester, in honor of the Reverend John White, of Dorchester, England. "Roger Clap tells of the hardships that followed. They had little food, and were forced to live on clams and fish. The men built smallboats, and the Indians came later with baskets of corn. 'The place was a wilderness,' writes Roger Clap. 'Fish was a good help to me and to others. Bread was so scarce that I thought the very crusts from my father's table would have been sweet;and when I could have meal and salt and water boiled together, I asked, 'who could ask for better?' "Here they lived for five or six years. Other boats arrived and other towns were settled. But the life at Dorchester was not entirely congenial to the lovers of liberty of the 'Mary and John'. The group of settlements around Massachusetts Bay was dominated by clergymen and officials of aristocratic tendencies. Their Governor, John Winthrop, had little sympathy with the common people. 'The best part (of the people),' he declared, 'is always the least, and of that best part, the wiser is always is always the lesser.' And the Reverend John Cotton put it more bluntly when he said, 'Never did God ordain democracy for the government of the church or the people.' "These principles were repugnant to the people of the 'Mary and John', who had come to America to escape such restraint. They had no wish to interfere with the methods of worship of others, and they did not wish others to interfere with them. Too, they were land-hungry, after centuries of vassalage to the lords of the manors, leading hopeless lives without chance of independence. Perhaps they were influenced also, by the fact that a great smallpox epidemic had raged among the Indians, killing off so many that they wre not the menace that they had been at first. The settlers turned their attention toward the fertile meadows of the Connecticut Valley. "A group under Roger Ludlow set out and reached the Plymouth Trading house that had been erected by William Holmes near the junction of the Connecticut and the Farmington Rivers, early in the summer of 1635. A little later sixty men, women and children, with their 'cows, heifers and swine', came overland from Dorchester. The winter was severe and the food scarce, and many returned to Massachusetts, but in the spring they came back to Connecticut with their friends, and by April, 1636, most of the members ofthe Dorchester Church were settled near the Farmington River, along the brow of the hill that overlooks the 'Great Meadow'. This in spite of the fact that the Plymouth people disputed their claim to the land. They built rude shelters, dug out of the rising ground along the edge of the river bank. The rear end and the two sides were simply the earth itself, with a front and a roof of beams. The town was later named Windsor. "In the following year, 1637, danger from the Pequot Indians forced them to abandon their dugouts and to come together around the area known as the Palisado Green. Their new homes were at once enclosed with a strong palisado. "In 1639 they began the construction of their first real meeting house. It stood in the center of the palisado, and was topped with a cupola and platform, where the sexton beat a drum to summon the people to attend services or public meetings. About the same time there was built and presented to the pastor, the Reverend John Warham, a corn mill, which is supposed to have been the first grist mill built in Connecticut. For many years it served all the settlements in the river valley, as far south as Middletown. "All over America today live the descendants of the fathers and mothers of the 'Mary and John.' Their sons and daughters have written their names on the pages of American History. They have filled the pulpits of famous churches; they have sat on judges' benches, and in the seatsof Congress; they have occupied Governors' Mansions, and even the White House. Some fought at Lexington, and wintered with Washington at Valley Forge. They joined in the trek to the West, and one followed Brigham Young into Utah. One marched with Sherman as he burned and pillaged his way through Georgia, and perhaps one fought on the other side with Lee. One is called the 'Hero of Manila Bay,' and one was hanged! They learned strange names like Saint-Mehiel, Chateau-Thierry, the Argonne Forest and Sedan. Perhaps one lies in Flanders Field... "An effort has been made to show through the ancestry of people living today, or through famous men of history, how this little group lived together, married and intermarried, even beyond the third and fourth generations. The names of descendants of the men and women who came to America on the 'Mary and John' are found in every state of the Union. p5: "The Passenger List (Compiled from various sources, and not official) ...67. Mathew Grant 68. Priscilla Grant 69. Mathew 70. Priscilla... ...78. Thomas Holcomb 79. Elizabeth Ferguson... ..101. George Phelps 102. Richard Phelps 103. William Phelps 104. Elizabeth Phelps 105. William..." p37: "...Mathew Grant was born in England 27 Oct 1601 and died in Windsor CT 16 Dec 1681. He was made a freeman at Dorchester MA 18 May 1631. "He was a carpenter by trade, and was the first, and for many years, the principal surveyor of his section. He held the office of Deacon of the First Church for a number of years; was town clerk from 1652 until 1677; was select- man for several years and held other important offices. In 1654 he compiled a 'Book or Records of Town Ways in Windsor.' He was also the compiler of the 'Old Church Records,' which has furnished the basis for the history of most of the families of ancient Windsor. "He married first 16 Nov 1625 Priscilla Grey (1602-27 Apr 1644); married second 29 May 1645 Susanna (Capen) Rockwell (5 Apr 1602-14 Nov 1666), widow of William Rockwell, and daughter of Bernard Capen. "Children: 1. Priscilla, b 14 Sep 1626, m 1647 Michael Humphrey. 2. Mathew, d 1639..."

17th Century Colonial Ancestors of Members of the National Society of Colonial Dames XVII Century 1915-1975, Mary Louise Marshall Hutton, Baltimore Genealogi- cal Publishing Co Inc, 1987, p107: "Matthew Grant (1601-1681) CT, m. Priscilla Grey, Town Clerk, Surveyor."

Genealogies of Connecticut Families, From the New England Historical and Genealogical Register Vol II Geer-Owen, Gary B Roberts, Genealogical Publishing Co, pp 77-81. GGGGGGrdFthr of Gen Ulysses S Grant (see 8JQR-3B Samuel GRANT): "Matthew Grant was one of the original company who came in the Mary and John to Dorchester in 1630; was a freeman there in 1631; removed to Windsor among the very earliest; was secondtown clerk there, also the first and for many years the pricipal surveyor; was a prominent man in the church; evidently was just and exceedingly conscientious in all his public and private transactions and duties. As recorder, he often added notes, explanatory or in correction, to the records, which have considerable value...compiler of the Old Church Record', which in the absence of some of the earliest record of the town of Windsor (1635-50) assumes a value that can scarcely be overestimated...In short he was pious, hardworking, conscientious, Christian man, and a model town clerk. "Born Tuesday, 27 Oct 1601. Mar 16 Nov 1625 to Priscilla Died 27 Apr 1644. Rem 29 May 1645 to Susannah Wid William Rockwell in Windsor. Died 16 Dec 1681, having for four years preceding resided with this son John."

INTERNET http://members.aol.com/MREgleston/MnJ.html Mary and John Passenger Lists The Mary & John left England in March of 1630 and arrived seventy days later, on May 30, 1630, at the mouth of what is now Boston harbor. The ship's captain refused to sail up the Charles river as planned, because he feared running the ship aground in waters that he had no charts for. He instead left the passengers in a desolate locale miles from their intended destination. The settlors were forced to transport 150,000 pounds of livestock, provisions and equipment 20 miles overland to their final destination. These are two suggested passenger lists for the ship Mary & John that Bygod Eggleston and his sons probably traveled on to reach the New World in 1630. These lists were compiled by the authors from a variety of sources. No actual recorded passenger list from the Mary & John has come to light and there remain many questions as to who actually sailed on this ship and who came on subsequent ships. Some of the people on these lists have later been proven not to have traveled on the Mary & John. For more information see "Search for the Passengers of the Mary & John 1630" Vols. 1 - 26, published by The Mary & John Clearing House and available in many library genealogy collections. Born Banks Kuhns Other Key Mathew Grant 1602* NL Yes Priscilla ______ (w) 1604* NL Yes Priscilla Grant (d) 1626 NL Yes

ANCESTRAL FILE 8JQR-0S Mar Devonshire England, Ver 4.10 Chr 14 Mar 1609 Burbage Leicestershire England, Mar ?Windsor Hartford Connecticut.

ROGER CLAPP'S MEMOIRS, WITH AN ACCOUNT OF THE VOYAGE OF THE MARY & JOHN 1630. Reprint. 62 pages. Paperback.

This reprint of Roger Clapp's memoirs was originally written in the 17th century, is one of the few first-hand accounts of life in New England during the Great Migration. Roger Clapp wrote this book after the voyage of the Mary & John 1630. Roger Clapp was a Mary & John passenger of 1630 and describes the early days of hardships and suffering in the wilderness of those brave and hardy English men, women and children. This edition includes newly gathered material, photos and maps, from Salcombe Regis Devon, the birthplace of Roger Clapp. Roger Clapp was born April 6, 1609 in Sallcom, Devonshire, England. and died in 1691.

Seldom can one find the actual birthplace of their 17th century English ancestor, but the homestead of Roger Clapp still stands today and it is now a private dwelling. Roger Clapp was baptized 6 April, 1609 in the church of St. Peter & St. Mary, in the parish of Salcombe Regis.

Excerpts from Editor Sydney Strong

While spending a few months in the Connecticut Valley, in 1928, on the trail of Elder John Strong, I found in the libraries of Northampton, Mass, and Hartford, Conn., the "Memoirs of Roger Clap." It was a little book, printed in 1844. The idea came that I should like to have my children know this book. The idea possessed me to the extent of seeing it published. In the first place, it gives you a picture of some of your ancestors, since the "Memoirs" is a story of the voyage of the ship, the "Mary and John" that sailed from Plymouth, England, March 20, 1630, and landed at the point called Nantasket. The voyagers founded the town of Dorchester, Massachusetts. On this ship, among the 140 passengers there came, besides John Strong, several other forbears, in the families of Reverend John Warham, Thomas Ford and Thomas Newberry.

The voyage of the "Mary and John" was important in the history of America. To Dorchester, Massachusetts, to Windsor, Connecticut, to Northampton, Massachusetts, the "Mary and John" bears about the same relation as the Mayflower to Plymouth, Mass. You will find in the "Memoirs" how the 140 people aboard were a church-community, organized in the old country, ready to operate on landing in the wilderness. It is a classic of colonial days. In 1635, a considerable number of them (exactly how many has been a matter of dispute) treked through the wilderness.

The "Memoirs" is one of the most authentic documents of early colonial history. As such it should be known to the descendants at least. It should be read by the school children in Dorchester, Windsor and Northampton. But all over the land are children of the "fathers and mothers" of the Mary and John." No library should be with out it.

Forefather of Thaddeus Clapp, who built The Thaddeus Clapp House, now a B&B in the Berkshires.

Also:

In December 1633, one young man among the Mary and John company literally established a personal foothold - or, more appropriately perhaps, a household - in Dorchester. 199 Boston St., Dorchester, MA United States Twenty-four-year-old Roger Clap (later the family's name was spelled "Clapp") had just married Johanna Ford, who was about sixteen and a half. With new filial considerations, the bridegroom, having endured New England winter, realized that a rude lean-to or any other ramshackle shelter would no longer suffice. So he built his and Johanna's house in time to face the winter of 1633-34. Generations of the family would inhabit the site (on present-day Boston Street) for several centuries. Roger and Johanna Clap's first dwelling in the New World was "probably a simple log cabin covered with thatch." Roger Clap, a young man who was determined to make a mark in the Massachusetts Bay Colony and whose ambition was matched by his ability, eventually raised a sturdy, wood-frame house proclaiming his emerging status. His home took its place among 1660's Dorchester's two hundred or so homes flanked by orchards, gardens, cornfields, and acreage for grazing cattle. In the original Clapp house, 14 children were born to Roger and Johanna. They were given such sturdy Puritan names as Experience, Waitstill, Preserved, Hopestill, Wait, Thanks, Desire, Unite, and Supply. The couple raised their children well, Dorchester benefiting from the Clap brood's "more than ordinary ability and influence." In the 1630s and 1640s, the sight of the children scampering across the family orchards and fields and helping Johanna in the garden was a common one. The leaders of Dorchester often made their way to the wood-frame house to discuss important local matters with Roger Clap, whose skills as a soldier led to his appointment as a "Captain of Militia." As the local luminaries warmed themselves near the Claps' hearth or main fireplace, they found in him the same mix of decorum and personality as did Johanna and his children: "As to his natural Temper, it is said, He was of cheerful [sic.] & pleasant Disposition, courteous and kind in his Behaviour, free and familiar in his Conversation, yet attended with a proper Reservedness; he had a Gravity & Presence that commanded Respect from others." According to Dorchester chronicler William D. Orcutt, Roger Clap and his family lived in their Dorchester house until 1665, more than three decades. Only his appointment as Commander of the Castle [Boston] garrison prompted him to move from the house he had literally helped to build. The house on the site was built anew in 1710, and in 1767, another Clapp, Lemuel, remodeled and enlarged the structure. He is described as hailing from Dorchester's fifth generation of Clapps, and his renovations in 1767 likely stemmed in large part from his impending marriage to Rebecca Dexter, the daughter of a Dedham minister. The couple exchanged vows on November 3, 1768, and the bride quickly put her own design stamp upon her new home. A nineteenth-century owner of the house would later claim that the newlyweds were literally adding touches to some of the very walls and framework of Roger Clap's "ancient structure." Orcutt notes that William B. Trask, who lived in the home for 17 years in the 1800s, "investigated the history [of the house]; and from the results of his search, it seems possible that a portion of this building is perhaps older than any other 'early home' in the town." That portion, Trask argued, dated back to the settlement's early days. Among the new touches that Captain Lemuel Clapp and Rebecca Clapp added was paper for the walls of "the east, or best room in the house." Trask speculates in an old edition of the Dorchester Beacon that the couple spotted an advertisement in the April 20 or May 9, 1768, Boston Gazette, in which Ziphion Thayer trumpeted his "Large Assortment of Paper Hangings, Cheap for Cash, just imported from London." The newlyweds headed to Thayer's Boston shop, the "Golden Lyon [sic.]." Trask would see the Clapps' selection "up close and personal," for it would adorn the east room walls for 104 years. "It [the wallpaper] proved a superior article," Trask writes, "in gay colors, having columns wreathed with flowers of a bright hue, with much ornamental work on the surface of the paper, making the room, when finished, presumably, one of the handsomest apartments at that time in the town of Dorchester." Not until 1872, when Miss Catherine Clapp, "the last survivor of the family born in that house," was the paper, "some of it in fair condition," removed from the historic walls. Trask himself kept "some of this centennial paper…at the time we left the house, after a residence there of seventeen years." His writings reflect that he viewed the Colonial paper as something of a Dorchester military memento, and not just because Lemuel Clapp had been - similar to his ancestor Roger Clap - a notable local soldier. The paper itself bore literal marks from the American Revolution. Trask recorded: "The last mentioned Captain Clapp was a commander in the war of the Revolution. Some of the officers and soldiers were quartered at his house." Showing little respect for their barracks, the soldiers "attempted, it is said, to tear off the paper from the walls to adorn their hats." Ziphion Thayer's imported London wallpaper proved stronger even than the troops' blades, which tore at the "choice paper…but without success, it [the paper] being so adhesive." Trask notes: "The bayonet marks made by the soldiers are, or were, to be seen in the ceiling of the chamber above." Lemuel Clapp, a Dorchester Patriot who invited George Washington's troops to encamp on his estate during the Siege of Boston, was, like the site's first English owner, Roger Clap, a man of pronounced Puritan tenets. One of those tenets was self-sufficiency, and from the time that Roger Clap erected his house, in winter of 1633, to the enlargements to the Clapp in 1767 and 1768 by Lemuel Clapp, the family ran a working farm. Also a skilled tanner, Lemuel Clapp taught his son William the trade. William not only ran the tannery, but also improved the family's farming output. He was credited with developing the famous pear dubbed "Clapp's Favorite" around 1820. In 1945, the Dorchester Historical acquired the Lemuel Clapp House, preserving not only the historic site, but also the legacy of the Clapp family. Their saga was, in many ways, the quintessential Colonial success story, attributable to the prosperity-through-hard-work Puritan ethic that became part and parcel of "the American Dream." Rare pieces from the Society's collection fill the classic rooms of the Clapp House. A table that was once part of Lemuel and Rebecca Clapp's wedding furniture is both a marvelous relic and a tangible link to the couple's "home improvements" of 1768. From the day in late 1633 that rasps of saws and thuds of axes announced that Roger Clap and his new bride were in Dorchester to stay, to the passing of Catherine Clapp in 1872, the story of the family reflected the early history of Dorchester. Thanks to the care and custodianship of the Dorchester Historical Society, the legacy of the Lemuel Clapp House and, indeed, of the very first - Roger and Johanna - of the family to plant roots in Dorchester comprises living history. The Capt. Lemuel Clapp House (1710, 1767) -and two other historic homes owned by the Dorchester Historical Society- is open for viewing on the second and fourth Saturday of every month. For more information, call 265-7802.

Memoirs: http://www.archive.org/stream/memoirsofcaptrog00clap#page/5/mode/1up

• Immigration: May 30 1630 - Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, United States
  • Reference: FamilySearch Family Tree - SmartCopy: Feb 28 2018, 3:37:32 UTC

    ---

• Immigration: May 30 1630 - Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, United States
  • Reference: FamilySearch Family Tree - SmartCopy: Feb 28 2018, 3:47:36 UTC