USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > Boston > Memorials of the dead in Boston; containing exact transcripts of inscriptions on the sepulchral monuments in the King's Chapel burial ground, in the city of Boston. > Part 8
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Our plate of the arms is taken from one executed for Hon. Jacob Wendell, who impaled them with those of his wife, being an heiress, Sarah Oliver.
W. P.
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Reger Clap.
ROGER CLAP. (p. 64.)
Roger Clase
The coat of arms on page 64 is supposed to belong to all the early settlers of Massachusetts by the name of Clap. The fol- lowing was written about 1731, by James Blake, Jr., a man remarkably well acquainted with Roger Clap and his family.
Capt. Roger Clap was born in Salcom in the County of Deron, on the 6th Day of April, Anno Domini 1609, of pious and creditable Parents ; whose religious Education God was pleased to aecompany with the early Strivings and Convictions of his Holy Spirit, that ended in his happy Conversion. In his younger Years, while he was under the immediate Govern- ment of his Father, he had such a Love to the Word of God and the most eminent Preachers of it ; that he obtained leave of his Father to live in the City of Eron, under the Ministry of the Rev. Mr. John Warham, with whom he afterwards came to New-England.
In the Year 1629, when many of the most godly Ministers and People were driven out of the Kingdom for their conscien- tious Nonconformity to the Established Way of Worship, and Mr. Warham and Mr. Maverick, (who were afterwards Col- league Pastors of the Church of Dorchester in New- England) and with them a considerable Number of pious Persons were preparing for a Remove into this Country ; Mr. Clup found in himself a strong Inclination to go with those good People, and cast in his Lot with them. He had taken a great liking unto the Ministry of the Rev. Mr. Warham, and was not willing to be left behind, when Ile was to go; and therefore having with some Difficulty obtained his Father's Consent, he set himself to assist in the great and good Work the People of God then had in hand .- Ile with those good People that came over
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with him, (who were the first Inhabitants of Dorchester) set stil from Plymouth in England the 20th Day of March 1629,30 : and after a comfortable (tho' long) Passage of Ten Weeks, they arrived at Hull the 30th of May 1630. This was the First Company that settled on this side Salem : and therefore besure they met with Trials and Difficulties enough, which did not at all dishearten Mr. Clap ; for his Heart was so taken off from temporal Things, and set upon serving and glorifying God, and finding here such Advantages and Opportunities therefor, beyond what he had in England, that he could not forbear crying out in a sort of Extasy of Joy, Blessed be God that brought me here !
In the same Year that He came over here, He joined him- self a Member of the Church in Dorchester, where he lived, and continued a Member of this Church for the space of Sixty Years ; being a useful Instrument both in Church and Town. When he had been about Two Years and half in the Country, in the Year 1633, Novemb. 6th in the 25th Year of his Age, he married the vertuous Mrs. Johanna Ford, Daughter of Mr. Thomas Ford of Dorchester in England, when she was but in the 17th Year of her Age : who with her Parents came over in the same Ship with himself, and settled also here in Dorches- ter ; with whom he lived in the Conjugal Relation for the space of 57 Years. She was a godly and exemplary Woman, given to Hospitality ; She abounded in Acts of Charity ; so that when proper Objects of Pity and Charity came to her Knowl- edge, she never failed to relieve them herself, or procure them Relief from others : Thus the Blessing of those that were ready to Perish came upon her.
Among the Blessings wherewith it pleased God to Bless this pious Couple, the Blessings of the Breasts and of the Womb were not the least ; for they had fourteen Children, Ten Sons and Four Daughters. But God was pleased to prove these his Servants with Afilictions also, as well as Mercies; for Five of their Children Died in their Infancy ; their Son Thomas died at 15 Years of Age, and their Son Unite at 7 Years. And in
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the Year 1686, their Son Supply, a hopefull young Man in the Flower and Prime of his Age, was suddenly taken out of the World, by the Accidental Firing a Gun at the Castle ; where his Father was then the Captain, and himself an Officer, in the 231 Year of his Age. The rest of their Children, being Four Sons and Two Daughters, lived to fulfill the ordinary Course of Nature, and were great Blessings in their Genera- tions.
Mr. Clap being thus settled as he himself expresseth it, in God's House and among his People, he set himself to serve God and his Generation according to the Will of God. His Qualifications were quickly observed by the People of Porches- ter ; and they early Improved him in the Affairs of their new Plantation. He 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. And on the 10th of August 1665, the General Court appointed him Captain of the Castle (the principal Fortress in the Province) upon the Death of Capt. Davenport, who was kill'd with Light- ning the Month before.
Capt. Clap having now the Command of the Castle, dis- charged that Trust with great Fidelity ; and was therein ser- viceable to the whole Province, and universally Respected and Honoured. He continued in that Command for the space of 21 Years, even until the Year 1686; when by the Loss of our Charter there was a Change of Government, and some things were required of Him that were grievous to his pious Soul ; and foreseeing a Storm of Troubles coming on the Country, mivel he now in his old Age, voluntarily resigned his Command.
There is another Instance that shows what an Interest Capt. Clap had in the Hearts of God's People, and what an esten- sive Blessing they accounted him : it is this; In the Year 1672, he being then Captain of the Castle, it pleased God to visit him with a Fit of Sickness ; and the good People of Dor- chester, unto which Church he belonged, kept a Day of Fast- ing and Prayer, to beg his Life of God : And God was pleased
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Roger Clap.
to hear and answer their Prayers ; and when he was restored to Health, they kept a Day of Thanksgiving.
When he commanded the Castle, he resided there with his Family ; and a well-ordered Family it was: Capt. Clap and his Wife were Examples of Piety : their Light shone before others, to the Glory of their heurenly Father. He was a very Prayerful Man, and was observed to retire often for Secret Duties : And in his Family (unto which all the Souldiers under his Command also belonged) he daily offered up the Sacrifices of Prayer and Thanksgiving ; in which, if he under- stood his Prolixity were disagrecable to any, he would be Troubled thereat. Ile with his Family were constant Hearers of the word preached ; going (I think) commonly to Dorches- ter Meeting, when the Weather permitted, and sometimes to Boston. Hle bear a universal Love and Respect to Godly Min- isters, Honouring them for their Works sake : and also he bare an endeared Love to all the People of God ; so that the very Indians whom he thought to be Fearers of God were welcome to him, and he would instruct them in the Principles of Reli- gion. Hle constantly attended the Lectures in the Towns of "Dorchester and Boston ; particularly the Lecture at Boston ; coneerning which, if any of the Souldiers or young People asked, Whose Lecture it was? intimating thereby (as Capt. Clap very well knew) that they thought some were not so excellent preachers as others, and so had less Inclination to hear them ; He would answer, Let the Preacher be who he will, if he Preach the Word of God I will go and hear him. Ilis Eyes were upon the Faithful of the Land, that they might dwell with him : He chose those to serve him that walked in a per- feet way ; and He would entertain none in his Service, but those that He conld reduce to good Orders. He would often recommend to his young People the Example of his pious Gun- ner, Mr. Butter, when he was absent, saying, The Wa'ls of the Castle would testify how many Prayers that good Man made to God in Secret. In his time it might be seen, that Religious and well disposed Men might take upon them the calling of a
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Roger Clap.
Souldier, without danger of hurting their Morals or their good Name, or lessning their Advantages and Opportunities for the Services of Religion. He had a great Aversion to Idleness, would warn his Family against it, and made Conscience of imploying himself and all about him in some law ful Business. He was a hearty Lorer of his Country, a well wisher to it, one that P'raved often for it, being chiefly concerned that pure & undefiled Religion might flourish here : and was a good Instru- ment in his Place and Station to promote and encourage that which was Good, and to discountenance Eril, and keep out Error and Heresy.
Hle was a meek & humble Man, of a very quiet and peace- able Spirit, not apt to resent Injuries ; but where he thought the Honour of God was concerned, or just and lawful Author- ity opposed, he was forward enough to exert himself. His Parts as well as his Piety, and his Knowledge of the Word of God and the true Christian Religion, may be seen in the fore- going Discourse ; which is only the Substance of those verbal Counsels, Warnings and Exhortations which he frequently Inculeated on his Children, committed to Writing: Which Discourse is doubtless worthy any serious Man's Perusal, and especially those of his Posterity.
As to his natural Temper, it is said, He was of a chearful & 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.
When he left the Castle, which was in the Year 1686, he removed to the South End of Boston, and Associated with the South Church there ; where he lived about Four Years, and after about a Fortnight's Sickness, in which he often repeated Words to this purpose, | The Lord Reigns ; blessed be the Name of the Lord; The Lord sitteth upon the Flood; yea the Lord
11 I suppose in the joyful Contemplation of the late wonderful REV- OLUTION.
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Roger Glap.
sitteth King forever : Blessed be his holy Name : He there departed this Life, Feb. 2. 1690,91, in the 82dl Year of his Age. He was buried in the old Burying Place in Boston ; the Military Officers going before the Corps; and next to the Relations, the Gorernour aud the whole General Court follow- ing after ; and the Guns firing at the Castle at the same time.
Mrs. Clap, who was born June 8th, 1617, lived his Widow between 4 & 5 Years, and died at Boston in June 165, being about 78 Years old, and was Interred by her Husband.
Capt. Clap (as was said before) had sir Children that lived to old Age, and were Blessings in their Generation. Their Names and the Order of their Birth is as follows, Samuel, Elizabeth, Preserved, Hopestill, Wait and Desire.
1. Mr. Samuel Clap was born the Ilth Day of Octob. 1634, when his Mother was but in the ISth Year of her Age. He was a wise and prudent Man, partaking of the choice Spirit of his Father, treading in his Steps, and making good his Ground : Ile was eminent for Religion, and of a blameless and unspotted Conversation. He was carly and constantly imployed in Publick Affairs : He was Captain of the Military Company, Representative for the Town; and the seven last Years of his Life a Ruling Elder of the Church of Dorchester where he lived. He Married Mrs. Hinnah Leeds, Daughter of Mr. Richard Leeds of Dorchester. They had Two Sons & Two Daughters that lived to be grown up. Ile Died about Eight Days after his Wife, on Oct. 16th 1703, being about 74 Years old. His ellest Son Samuel deceased in his middle Age, a very pious useful Man also. Ile was chosen one of the Deacons of the Church in Dorchester, where he lived, and was Lieutenant of a Military Company in the Town. His other Son died a hopeful young Man.
2. Mrs. Elizabeth Clap was Born June 221 1638. She mar- ried Mr. Joseph Holmes. She was a vertnous and prudent Woman. They had Five Children that lived to be grown up. She Died at Boston, Dec. 25th 1711, in the 74th Year of her Age ; and was buried by her Parents.
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Roger Clap.
3. Mr. Preserved Clap was Born Nov. 23d 1643. He was a good Instrument and a great Blessing to the Town of North- ampton where he lived. Ile was Captain of the Town, and their Representative in the General Court, and Ruling Elder in the Church. Ile married Mrs. Sarah Newbery of Windsor. They had Seven Children that Lived to be grown up. He died at Northampton, Sept. 20th 1720, Aged about 77 Years.
4. Mr. Hopestill Clap was Born Noc. 6. 1647. He was a very gracious Man, endowed with a great measure of Meek- ness and Patience ; studied & practiced those Things that make for Peace. He was Erst a Deacon of the Church of Dorchester, where he lived ; and afterwards in the Year 1709 he was Chosen and Ordained a Ruling Elder in the same . Church : Ile Represented the Town in the General Court for the space of Fifteen Years. He was much honoured & respected by those that had a value for vital Piety. He married Mrs. Susanna Swift. They had Two Sons and Four Daughters that lived to be grown up. One of his Sons died a Young Man, the other is now living in Dorchester. Elder Hopestill Clap died at Dorchester, Sept. 2d 1719, in the 72d Year of his Age.
Upon his Grave-Stone is written by his Pastor as follows.
His Dust waits till the Jubillee: Shall then shine brighter than the Sky; Shall meet and joyn to part no more, His Soul that's glorifyed before. Pastors and Churches happy bo With Ruling Elders such as he: Present Useful, absent Wanted; Liv'd Desired, died Lamented.
5. Mrs. Wait Clap was born March 17th 1649. She was a godly Woman, following the good Example of her Parents. She often spake of that Charge which her Father left his Children, viz. Never to spend any Time in Idleness ; and prac- tised accordingly, in a very observable manner. She married Mr. Jonathan Simpson of Charlestown. They had but Tico
21*
.
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Children, one Son and one Daughter, that lived to be grown up. She lived a Widow about Twelve Years, and died at Bos- ton, in the House that her Father & Mother lived & died in, May 3. 1717, in the 6th year of her Age, and was buryed near her Parents.
6. Mr. Desire Clap was Born Octob. 17th 1652. He lived in Derchester, was a sober, religious Man. He married Mrs. Sarah Poud: They had Four Children that lived to be grown up, one Son and three Daughters. In his old Age he buri his first Wife, aud married again to Mrs. Deborah Smith of Boston, with whom he went to live ; and there he died in December 1717, in the 66th Year of his Age, and was interred near his Relations.
Thus God was pleased to Bless this Pious Family, and make them Blessings in their Day & Generation. They have all of them finished their Pilgrimage in this World, and are gath- ered to their Fathers, and entred into the Rest that remains for the People of God; leaving behind them their good Names, and their bright Examples of Piety and Virtue. Divers also of the Grand-Children are removed by Death.
May the Blessings of these Godly Ancestors rest upon their Posterity, even unto the latest Generations : And may their Posterity put themselves in the way to Inherit those Blessings, by continuing stedfast in the Corenant of their God, under which their Ancestors have brought them ; and by walking in and eleaving to, the good ways of their fore Fathers, treading in their Steps and making good their Ground.
Capt. Clap had one Brother, and two Sisters, with their Husbands, that upon his Advice and Encouragement, after- wards came over and settled themselves here in Dorchester. Ilis Brother Edicard Clap was a godly Man, a Dracon of the Church of Dorchester, as two of his Grandsons have been since. His Sisters were the Wives of Mr. George Weeks and Mr. Nicholas Clap, religious Families. Deut. 7. 9. Know there- fore that the Lord thy God, He is God, the Faithful God, which
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keepeth Covenant and Mercy with them that love him, and keep his Commandments, to a Thousand Generations.
James Blake, jun.
Capt. Roger Clap " was buried with much pomp ; the mili- tary officers, probably the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company, preceding the corpse; the Governor and General Court following the relations as mourners, and the guns firing at the Castle." Most of his descendants reside in Northamp- ton (where his son Preserved removed) and that vicinity, in the western part of Massachusetts. Thomas, a son of l're- served, removed from Northampton to Hartford, Conn., and was the progenitor of most of the name in that state. There are but few living who descended from the other sons of Roger. Several of his posterity have been distinguished for their learn- ing and ability, with whom may also be ranked the Rev. The- odore, now a clergyman of New Orleans, who was born in East Hampton. Mass.
At the decease of Eller Hopestill, Sept. 2, 1719, his pastor, Rev. John Danforth, published a Funeral Poem, wherein he sets forth the merits of this family, as well as of the subject of his poem, in a quaint and curious style. As there are probably but very few copies of it extant, some extracts will here be given.
" Inroll'd i' th' Number of Christs Witnesses, To follow Him into a Wilderness; A Blessed Number of This Precious Name, Elect by Heau'n into this Patmos Came.
* * * * * * * Such a Bright Family How rarely seen ! No Ishmael, Esau, Dinah found therein. . * * % * * This Family did God mouchsafe to Bless With Copious and Extensive Usefulness. The Father Held our Castle without Fear, And was Chief, Pious, Valiant, Bulwark there.
218 Roger Clap.
Vertuous in Heart and Useful in their lives Werr. also his Collateral Relatives. For his Descendants, View the Assembly's List : Long Years, Three Sons in General Court Assist; And in the Ruling Ellership, No less :
In whom their Pastors Heart could acquiesce. Our Hopestill, with the Food of Angels Fed, His Name and Fathers Hope well Answered : Converting Mercy and Restraining Grace With their sweet Fruits urthin his Soul had Place.
*
* * * Such Lives as his, deserre all Observation, Lasting Remembrance, Constant Imitation ; Adorned with Goodness, Sweetness, Self Denial, Meckness of Wisdom under every Trial, With Frar of GOD; and Hate of Sinful Strife Guinst Strangers, Neighbours, Brethren, Children, Wife. None could Roping; He was so Debonair, So True, so Just, so Kind, so Calm, so Fair ; So Valuable, (tho' no Son of Thunder,) The Church Rejoye'd when such an Elder crowned her.
* * *
His House, Feasts of Devotion did afford ; Resolu'd, his Family should serve the LORD. Thro' Pride his Talents, he unuld not decline To Use, altho' he could not see them Shine : Trusting in GOD; was not reduced to be Unuseful thro' excess of Modestie.
No Laws hr Brake, altho' he unted many : Feuds he Composed, altho' he Raised not ony : This Greatness Goodness was; his Victory His Faith; his Honour, his Humility, . With Wisdom, Trustiness, Sincerity. Hlis Vertues Irt us duely Imitate, Our Loss of such a Peace-full Man is Great. Mourn we aright. And may kind Hrav'n Afford Widow and Children, Comfort in the LORD."
Deacon Edward Clap was an eller brother of Capt. Roger. He came to this country in 1633, and spent the remainder of
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his days in Dorchester. He served the town in many of its responsible offices, and was a deacon of the church twenty-six years. He died January 8th, 1664.
Farmer, in his Genealogical Register, says that Deacon Edward " died without issue; " but he was mistaken. Ile had nine children. By his first wife, Prudence, he had Eliza- beth, born 1634, who married Elder James Blake ; Prudence, born 1637, who married Simon Peck, of Ilingham ; Ezra, born 1640; Nehemiah, born 16-16; and Susanna, born 164S. By his second wife, Susanna, he had Esther, born 1656; Abi- gail, born 1650; Joshua, born 16tl; and Jonathan, born 1664, about two and a half months after the decease of his father. The last named three died young. Six of these, two sons (Ezra and Nehemiah) and four daughters, were alive at the time of their father's death. Nehemiah died in Dorehes- ter, April 2, 1684, leaving two children, Edward and Submit. Edward married, and lived most of his days in his native town; he joined an expedition against the Indians in 1722, and after- wards removed to Sudbury, where he died, Dee. 3, 1733, aged 53 years, leaving Que daughter, Mary. Submit removed to Sudbury, and married Joseph Britnall, of that town ; she sur- vived him, and, July 23, 1741, married again to Richard Tay- lor, of that place.
Ezra, son of Deacon Edward, removed to Milton, where he spent the remainder of his days, and died Jan. 23d, 1717. Ilis father, in his will, left him all his land lying on the south side of Neponset river ; likewise a part of his estate in Dor- chester. The estate in Milton, where he removed, was situ- ated between the meeting house and Dorchester Upper Mills. Ezra built a mill on the Neponset, about the year 1712. HIJ bad fourteen children ; seven by his first and seven by his second wife. flis eldest son, Edward, born in 1672, joined the expedition to Canada in 1620, and never returned. Ilis son Nehemiah was a deacon of the church in Milton, and was much respected by the citizens of that town. The descend- ants of Fera, in the male line, have not been numerous, and it
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Roger Clap.
is believed that but three now survive ; one living in Chester, Vt. ; one in Orange, Mass., or that vicinity ; and one in Bos- ton. The age and circumstances of these go far to prove that they will be the last.
Thomas, son of Richard Clap, was born in Dorchester, Eng- land, in 1597. He came over to New England in 1633, and renruined a while in Dorchester, then removed to Weymouth, and from thence to Scituate. He removed to the last-named place in 1640, where he spent the remainder of his days, and died April 20th, 1684, aged 87 years. He was a man of energy and ability, and in church, town and colony affairs held important offices. He was a deacon thirty-seven years, a dep- uty to the court, and was engaged in the warm controversies which agitated the churches in that town for upwards of thirty years, commencing under the ministry of Rev. Charles Chauncey, afterwards president of Harvard College. Ilis chil- dren were Thomas, Eleazer, Samuel, Increase, Elizabeth, Pru- dence, John and Abigail. Thomas was born March 15th, 1639, while his parents resided in Weymouth ; he afterwards removed to the south part of Dedham, subsequently incorpo- rated as Walpole, and was the ancestor of the Claps of that place. Eleazer removed to Barnstable, and was killed in that brave and sanguinary battle with the Narragansett Indians, fought at Rehoboth in 1676. Samuel was a very important man, for many years a representative to the General Court. Hle settled in Scituate, and was the ancestor of nearly all of the name in that town. John, son of Thomas, born Oct. 18th, 1656, was a youth of extraordinary piety and promise ; he died when a little upwards of 13 years of age. A memoir of his life was written and published by Rev. Mr. Witherell, of Seitnate. There is also some account of him in Cotton Mather's Magnalia.
Several of the descendants of Thomas were distinguished for their learning, piety and worth. His great-grandson, Thomas, born June 26th, 1703, was, for many years, presi- dent of Yale College, and was one of the most celebrated men
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of his day. President Styles, his successor, speaks of him as standing in the first ranks of the learned men of the age. " He studied," says he, " the higher branches of mathematics, and was one of the first philosophers America has produced, and equalled by no man except the most learned Professor Win- throp."
The greater part of the descendants of Thomas live in Seit- unte.
Nicholas, son of Richard Clap, of England, and brother of Thomas, before named, undoubtedly came with him to Dor- chester, about 1635, where he settled, and remained the rest of his days ; he died very suddenly, Nov. 24th, 1679. He was a highly respectable man ; he held several important offices in the town, and was a deacon of the church. His first wife was a sister of Capt. Roger Clap. llis children by his first wife were, Sarah, born 1637, who married in Connecticut ; Nathan- iel, 1640, who settled in Dorchester, and was " a choice man ;" Ebenezer, 1643, who settled in Milton ; and Hannah, 1646, who married Ebenezer Strong, of Northampton. By his sec- ond wife he had Noah, born 1667, who settled in Sudbury, and Sarah. All of the posterity, in the male line, are from Nathaniel. Ebenezer was not married until he was about 60. years of age ; he left no children ; and Noah left no sons who arrived at manhood. Among the most eminent of the descend- ants of Nicholas was his grandson, Rev. Nathaniel, born in Dorchester Jan. 20th, 1668, who was, for many years, a min- ister of the Gospel at Newport, R. I., and was celebrated for his piety, learning and benevolence, abounding in charity and good works. Most of the descendants of Nicholas reside in Dorchester ; there are a few in the county of Middlesex, a few in Vermont, and a few scattering.
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