USA > Massachusetts > Hampshire County > Easthampton > History of Easthampton: its settlement and growth; its material, educational, and religious interests, together with a genealogical record of its original families > Part 10
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Herbert W. Pomeroy, son of Julius Pomeroy, was a member of Co. K., 52d regiment. Like several previous- ly mentioned, he was spared to complete only a small portion of his term of service. His disease was typhoid fever, the same which carried off so many of his regiment during the winter of 1862-3. He died at Plaquemine, while his company were stationed there. Of him the correspondent of the Gazette, from that regiment, said : "While on board the Illinois, he felt deeply the need of a Saviour, and we have reason to believe that he not only felt his need, but sought Christ and found him precious. The Sabbath before his death, he felt that he could not live, and expressed the hope that he was a Christian, and sent word home that he died trusting in Christ."
Daniel W. Lyman, son of Daniel F. Lyman, was a member of Co. K, 52d regiment, in which he was one of
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the first to enlist. Not from any fondness for the adven- tures and perils of war, nor from any momentary impulse, but from a deliberate conviction that to him the voice of country was the voice of God, was he led to offer himself, a sacrifice if need be, for his country's salvation. Upon a Christian young man not absolutely forbidden by some higher call of duty, he felt that the claims of country then were paramount. Influenced by such considerations, it is not too much to say, that, in the darkest hour, his purpose never wavered, nor did a regret for his course find place in his heart. To his faithful performance of the duties of a Christian soldier, many have borne ample testimony. His cordial, unwavering trust in God, in times of darkness and danger, though probably doubted by none, is best known to those who knew him intimately. To many whom he never saw, he was known by his letters from the regiment, which were published in the Hampshire Gazette. Most of the time during eight of the nine months for which he enlisted, he was permitted to share with his company their hardships and perils. But the New England home, to which he looked forward with longing, he was no more to behold. Sabbath morning, June 14, 1863, an attack on Port Hudson was ordered, and, though deprecating the selection of that day for the assault, he went forward without faltering. His regiment being engaged as skirmishers, he, with a few of his com- rades, gained a position in a ravine somewhat in advance of the main line, and while here, very early in the engage- ment, a ball from a rebel sharpshootor struck him in his head, killing him instantly. It was his first and last battle. His was a sudden transition from the conflicts of earth, as we believe, to the peace of heaven. Capt. Bissell wrote thus in relation to him :- " Gentle hands placed him in his grave, and covered the earth over him near the spot
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where he fell, although obliged to wait till after dark, and to be exposed to a storm of rebel bullets. This tender tribute of affection is his monument, and, although his dust may not make the violets of his native hills, it will not be amiss, on the morning of the resurrection, that his body should arise from the spot, where the latest duties of his life were so faithfully concluded."
Were this the place for fraternal affection to give itself full expression, we might say more of his patriotism, of his fidelity to principle, of the promise of future useful- ness which he gave, and of the sorrow which his early death occasioned. In a kindred sorrow, however, thous- ands of homes in our country, and many in our midst, have shared ; and it is a sorrow better known by those who have been called to it, than expressed by any words. of ours.
Charles L. Webster, and Clinton Bates, the latter a native of Chesterfield, were also members of Co. K, 52d regiment. They had not long resided in Easthampton, and of them we cannot speak particularly from personal acquaintance. They were, however, we think, held to be faithful and true to the service in which they had enlisted. Their lives were spared until the work of their regiment was nearly done, and they had looked forward to a reun- ion with their friends at home, in a short time. But God, who seeth not as man seeth, had another purpose, and they too were called away, and their bodies laid to rest beside the river which they had assisted to rescue from the hands of traitors.
The others, whose sacrifice and death remains to be chronicled, met their fate under circumstances more ag- gravating than did any of those before mentioned. We refer, of course, to those of our soldiers, who died in prison at Andersonville. Their names were, Alvin W.
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Clark, Frederick P. Stone, Oliver A. Clark, Ezra O. Spooner, Rufus Robinson. All were members of Co. A, 27th regiment. The first two were original members of the company, and had been with it during most or all of its service. The next two went out as recruits in the sum- mer of 1862, while the last entered upon the service in the early part of 1864. To all these, our deepest grati- tude is due, not only for the service they performed, but for the extreme suffering they endured. For long, weary weeks or months, hungry and almost shelterless, in loneliness and sickness, with no tidings from home to cheer them up, no messages of love to light up the gloom. One after another, either from sickness without care, or from unsatisfied hunger, they passed away. They died with no kindly ministration, save the sympathy which their fellow prisoners could afford ; died with no hand of mother or sister to alleviate their pain, or to wipe the death damp from their brow ; died, perhaps, with no one near to whom they could tell their last messages of love and affection. Thus they died, and ever, among the greatest sacrifices for country, will be recorded that, of those who perished at Andersonville.
Without any disparagement to the others, with whom we were less acquainted, we would say a word respecting Oliver A. Clark.
In early youth he was led to embrace the offers of sal- vation, became connected with the church, and always maintained a consistent Christian walk and conversation. But those whose privilege it has been to read his letters, and, especially since his death, to peruse his diary, cannot fail to have seen that the influence of his army life was to develop a deeper Christian experience and a firmer trust in God. While at home he was much engaged in the Sab- bath school, of which at the time of his enlistment he was
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a director. During the winter of 1863-64, while stationed at Norfolk, he was employed as teacher or superintendent of a colored Sabbath school in that place, in which he took great interest. His friends at home were dear to him, but he felt that without a country to protect these, they could not be enjoyed, and he was willing to do what he could to defend that country whose interests he held so dear. In about three weeks after his arrival at the prison he was taken sick, and on the 27th of June he was remov- ed from the stockade to the hospital. No one who knew him saw him after this. One of his companions, who at- tended upon him while he remained in the stockade, wrote in his diary, which has since been received by his friends, as follows : "He was perfectly resigned to whatever God's will might be, and such patience and faith did he exhibit, that we cannot but be sure that his was the peace which passeth understanding."
Charles Rensselear, a member of the 54th Mass. regi- ment, and a native of this town, was wounded in some battle, fell into the hands of the enemy, and was taken to Andersonville, where he died.
It has been said that the graves of her heroes are a na- tion's shrines, and as we have gathered, as it were, around the graves of these our heroes, surely it behooves us to tread lightly, for the place is sacred ground. Their forms we cannot see, for beneath the soil on which we stand they are mouldering to decay ; but the spirit which actu- ated them still lives, and the principles for whose main- tenance they died, though, indeed, triumphant to-day, will yet call for a vigorous defence. Here, while contemplating their character and death, surrounded as it were by their graves, may we be baptized anew by their spirit, and re- dedicate ourselves to the great cause to which they gave themselves.
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The experiences of these four years of war, to those who remained at home, were wholly new and untried. They were such, moreover, as it is our sincere hope may never need to be repeated. Partings of friends we had seen be- fore, but such partings as were in store for us, we knew not until war broke upon us. To look upon the manly form of one we loved, and to think that perhaps-ah ! how the terrible possibilities come crowding in upon us-that, perhaps, he who was soon to go forth would never return ; that, languishing in some hospital, or lying wounded and bleeding upon some field of carnage, death might come to him, this added to the separation a pang which words can- not tell. And when, amid gathering tears, the last words were said, and they gone from our homes, how we strained our eyes to catch a last glimpse of the loved ones. Eagerly we watched every mail that might bring to us letters from our soldiers in the field, and if a battle had occurred in which their regiment was likely to be engaged, how anxiously we looked over the published list of killed. No one can tell, unless he has experienced it, the sudden, crushing weight of sorrow, which falls on their hearts, who read there the name of the one dearest to them all. And then the anxiety for one who is in the hospital, wasting away with disease, the unrelieved anxiety which oppresses the hearts of those whose friends have been taken prisoners, and they can neither alleviate their cruel sufferings nor hear of their fate, the eagerness with which the last weeks and days of their term of service are counted, and the anguish of those who look in vain, among the returning veterans, for the soldier who went forth from their homes, each of these feelings has been experienced by some in our midst ; and, though the events are now passed, memory often renews them, and to the close of life, it will never cease to revert to those days of anxiety and sorrow.
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Through the good Providence of God, a large propor- tion of those who enlisted have been spared to return home, and to enjoy the fruits of their hard earned victories.
In those homes where the vacant chair has not been, nor will be filled, we pray God to bestow his consolation, which may be more to them than the greatest earthly blessing.
To all who have manfully striven to uphold the gov- ernment, our heartfelt gratitude is due, while those who return not, yet speak to us, bidding us take their places in the great struggle against wrong, and calling us to be true to ourselves, our country, and our God.
To God, the Almighty Disposer of Events, above all, should we render the highest tribute of gratitude and thanksgiving, for that he has upheld and defended us as a nation, and, at last, has brought about a return of peace.
Finally, by all which he has thus far done for us, and enabled us to do, in defending the constitution, and main- taining the principles of civil equality and religious free- dom, let us entreat him to grant wisdom to those entrusted with the solution of the great problem of reconstruction, so that none of the fruits of victory, so dearly bought, may be lost, but that the grand work, so auspiciously begun by our valiant armies may be carried forward to a glorious consummation.
CHAPTER X.
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GENEALOGICAL REGISTER.
GENEALOGY OF THE CLAPP FAMILY.
Capt. Roger Clapp was born in Salcom, Devonshire, England, the 6th day of April, 1609, of pious and credita- ble parents. His religious education was accompanied with the early strivings of the Holy Spirit, that ended in his conversion. In his younger years, he obtained leave of his father to live in the city of Exon, under the minis- try of Rev. John Warham, to whom he was very much attached. In 1624, when Mr. Warham and Mr. Maverick (who were afterwards colleague pastors in Dorchester,) were preparing, with a considerable number of persons, to move to this country, Mr. Clapp found in himself a strong inclination to accompany them, and after having, with some difficulty, obtained leave of his father, he set himself to work, to assist in the great work which the people of God had then in hand. He left, as a legacy to his child- ren, some account of God's remarkable Providences to him in bringing him to this land, and placing him here among his dear servants. The following is the account which he gives of his removal to this country, in his own words : " I gave you a hint towards the beginning that I came out of Plymouth, in Devon, the 20th of March, 1630; at Nantasket, (now Hull,) the 30th day of May,
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1630. Now this is further to inform you that there came many goodly families in that ship. We were, of passen- gers, many in number, (besides seamen,) of good rank. Two of our magistrates came with us, viz., Mr. Rossiter and Mr. Ludlow. These godly people resolved to live together; and therefore, as they had made choice of those two Reverend servants of God, Mr. John Warham and Mr. John Maverick to be their ministers, so they kept a solemn day of fasting, in the new hospital in Plymouth, in England, spending it in preaching and praying ; where that worthy man of God, Mr. John White of Dorchester, in Dorset, was present, and preached unto us the word of God, in the fore part of the day ; and in the after part of the day, as the people did solemnly make choice of, and call those two godly ministers to be their officers, so also the Rev. Mr. Warham and Mr. Maverick, did accept ' thereof, and expressed the same. So we came, by the good hand of the Lord, through the deeps 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, would not bring us into Charles river, as he was bound to do; but put us ashore, and our goods at Nantasket Point, and left us to shift for ourselves in a forlorn place in the wilderness. But as it pleased God, we got a boat of some old planters, and laded her with goods; and some able men, well armed, went in her unto Charlestown, where we found some wigwams and one house, and in that house there was a man, which had a boiled bass, but no bread that we saw, but we did eat of his bass, and then went up Charles river, until the river grew narrow and shallow, and there we landed our goods with much labor and toil, the bank being steep. And, night coming on, we were informed
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that there were, hard by us, three hundred Indians. One Englishman, that could speak the English language, an old planter, went to them and advised them not to come near us in the night; and they harkened to his counsel. I myself was one of the sentinels that night. Our captain was a low-country soldier, one Mr. Southcot, a brave sol- dier. In the morning some of the Indians came and stood at a distance off, looking at us, but came not near us ; but when they had been awhile in view, some of them came and held out a great bass towards us; so we sent a man with a biscuit and changed the cake for the bass. After- wards they supplied us with bass, exchanging a bass for a biscuit cake, and were very friendly unto us. Oh ! Dear children ! Forget not what care God had over his dear servants, to watch over us, and protect us in our weak beginnings. Capt. Squeb turned ashore us and our goods, like a merciless man, but God, even our merciful God, took pity on us, so that we were supplied, first with a boat, and then caused many Indians, (some hundreds,) to be rnled by the advice of one man not to come near us. Alas ! had they come upon us, how soon might they have destroyed us ! I think ave were not above ten in number. But God caused the Indians to help us with fish at very
cheap rates. We had not been there many days, (although by our diligence we had got up a kind of shelter, to save our goods in,) but we had orders to come away from that place, (which was about Watertown,) unto a place called Mattapan, now Dorchester, because there was a neck of land fit to keep our cattle on. So we removed and came to Mattapan. The Indians there, also, were kind unto us."
This was the first company that settled this side of Sa- lem, and they met with many trials and difficulties, but Mr. Clapp was not at all disheartened, for his heart was
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taken off from temporal things, and seeing here such ad- vantages for serving and glorifying God, he was led to exclaim, " Blessed be God that brought me here." In the same year that he came over here, he joined himself a member of the church in Dorchester, where he lived, and continued a member of this church for sixty years.
In 1633, in the twenty-fifth year of his age, he married Miss Joanna Ford, daughter of Mr. Thomas Ford, of Dor- chester, in England, when she was but in the seventeenth year of her age. She, with her parents, came over in the same ship with himself, and settled also here in Dorches- ter. They lived together fifty-seven years. She was a godly and exemplary woman given to hospitality; she abounded in works of charity, so that, when proper ob- jects of pity and charity came to her knowledge, she nev- er failed to relieve them herself, or procure them relief from others. Thus the blessings of those that were ready to perish came upon her.
Mr. Clapp sustained both civil and military offices in the town, being captain of the militia, representative for the town, and authorized to join persons in marriage. On the 10th of August, 1665, the General Court appointed him captain of the Castle, (the principal fortress in the province,) which trust he discharged with great fidelity, and was therein serviceable to the whole province, and uni- versally respected and honored. He continued in that place for twenty-one years, when he voluntarily resigned his command. An instance showing what an interest Capt. Clapp had in the hearts of God's people, and what an extensive blessing they accounted him is this :-
In the year 1672, he being the captain of the Castle, it pleased God to visit him with a fit of sickness ; and the good people of Dorchester, unto which church he belonged, kept a day of fasting and prayer, to beg his life of God.
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And God was pleased to hear and answer their prayers ; and when he was restored to health, they kept a day of thanksgiving. When he left the Castle, in 1786, he re- moved to the south end of Boston, where he lived four years, and died February 2, 1791, in the eighty-second year of his age. His wife, who was born June 8, 1617, lived his widow between four and five years, and died at Boston, in June, 1695.
They had fourteen children, five of whom died in infan- cy, and three others, Thomas, who died at the age of fifteen years, Unite, at the age of seven, Supply, who was killed by the accidental firing of a gun in the Castle, at the age of twenty-three, were never married. The re- maining six, four sons and two daughters, all had families. They were as follows :- Samuel, Elizabeth, Preserved, Hopestill, Wait, Desire. The daughters, Elizabeth and Wait, both lived in Boston.
Preserved, born Nov. 23, 1643, married Sarah Newber- ry of Windsor, and settled in Northampton. He was a useful citizen, and a great blessing to the town. He was a captain of the town, and their representative in the Gen- eral Court, and ruling elder in the church. For a long time an Indian resided in his family, but he at length be- came unsteady, and wanted to get his gun, in which, however, he did not succeed. He finally left, and was gone for several years, when one day, as Mr. Clapp was riding home from his work, an Indian stepped out from behind a tree, and pointing his gun at him, said, " Now, 'Served, me have your gun," and instantly fired. The ball just grazed his nose. The Indian then stepped back again, but his leg was not concealed, so that the ball which was returned wounded him. Mr. Clapp then drove on as fast as possible, and eluded his pursuers, a company of Indians who had come from Canada with this one. The wound
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was so severe that it resulted in his death, and the party left for parts unknown.
Preserved Clapp had seven children who arrived at years of maturity, one of whom, Roger, was the father of Major Jonathan, one of the first settlers of Easthampton ; of Aaron, who also settled in Easthampton ; and of Roger, who lived in Southampton.
Major Jonathan Clapp came to Easthampton not far from 1730, and settled where Ansel Bartlett now resides. He was a man of keen foresight and great energy, and was very prominent in the early history of the town. He was the ancestor of nearly all the families in town who bear the name of Clapp. He had three sons and eight daugh- ters, all of whom married, and lived to be over sixty years of age. They were Submit, who married Asahel Clark ; Hannah, married Elias Lyman, who kept tavern in South Farms, Northampton, in the " old long house," which was recently torn down; Lois, married Jonathan Lyman ; Beulah, married Rev. Solomon Allen, the first minister of Brighton, near Rochester, N. Y., from whom was descend- ed Phineas Allen, late of Pittsfield, who for nearly sixty years was editor of the Pittsfield Sun ; Rhoda married Col. Daniel Whittemore of Sunderland ; Merab married Elisha Allen of Pittsfield ; Lucy married Samuel Kellogg of Williamstown; Phebe married Joseph White of Springfield.
Jonathan Clapp, son of Major Jonathan, settled on the opposite side of the road, near his father, in the north part of the town. He was one of those mentioned in the no- tice of public houses. His children were five in number : Jonathan, Daniel, Medad, Mary, who married Ichabod Wright, and Margaret, who married Roswell Knight and afterwards John Ludden. Medad married Betsey Stebbins, and lived upon his father's place. He had two children,
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Jonathan, who died young, and Lafayette, who is engaged in business in Easthampton.
Capt. Joseph Clapp, son of Maj. Jonathan, was a pro- minent citizen of the town. It was at his house that the church was organized, and in which, also, was held the meeting for the choice of officers, consequent upon the incorporation of the town of Easthampton. This house still stands, is now owned by Lucas W. Hannum, and formerly owned and occupied by Dea. Thaddeus Clapp. The sons of Capt. Joseph were Joseph, Thaddeus, Rufus, Isaac and Luther. He had, besides, two daughters, one of whom died in early life, and the other, Elizabeth, married Eliakim Phelps of Chesterfield, who afterwards settled in Northampton. She lived to be over eighty years of age.
Joseph was a merchant for a number of years. He was for a time one of the most influential men in the place. He filled the office of town clerk for a longer period than any other man, with one exception. In 1810 he retired from mercantile life, but remained here until 1830, when he re- moved to Homer, N. Y., with his son Joseph. He had ten children, of whom two, Sumner G. and Aleander, were graduates of Yale College. The former was ordained and settled in the gospel ministry at Enfield, afterwards at Cabotville, St. Johnsbury, Vt., and Sturbridge. The latter studied theology at Andover, and was licensed to preach. He taught school in one of the Southern States, and afterwards at Worthington and Pittsfield. Alonzo, another son, engaged in mercantile pursuits in Illinois.
Dea. Thaddeus was born March 31, 1770. He kept tavern for many years, and also, in connection with his father, owned and worked a fulling mill. In 1808 he was chosen deacon of the church, which office he held for thirty-three years, and during this time, as well as after his
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resignation of the office, until his death, was a faithful supporter of the institutions of religion. In civil affairs he was no less prominent. He was the first justice of the peace appointed in the town, and was its treasurer for twenty years. While Easthampton was a district, it was only represented in the General Court, by the privilege of voting in connection with Northampton. The united population of the two places were entitled to three repre- sentatives. On one occasion, when considerable interest was felt in the election, and perhaps some doubt as to the result, the Federalists of Northampton sent out word that if Easthampton would unite upon a man, they would sup- port him. Dea. Clapp was the man selected as candidate. He was elected, and represented the town in the General Court for twelve years, before the close of which time the district had been incorporated as a town. He was del- egate to the convention held in Northampton in 1812, to consider the duty of government on the war question, and also delegate to the constitutional convention of the State.
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