Ebenezer Clapp (Ebenezer, Nathaniel, Nicholas), 1705-1752
The Clapp Memorial. Record of the Clapp Family in America … Ebenezer Clapp, compiler. (Boston: David Clapp & Son, 1876)
Ebenezer, oldest son of Ebenezer and Hannah Clapp, was born in Dorchester, Oct. 4, 1705, and died Jan. 10, 1752.
[footnote: The year in which Ebenezer Clapp died was memorable by the extreme prevalence and fatality of the smallpox, more particularly in Boston. Blake says of it: “this year ye Small-Pox went through Boston, which it had not done for 21 Years before, so that there were many Thousands to have ye Distemper. There Died of it there 561 Persons, 31 by Inoculation & 530 ye common way. Of those that were Inoculated there Died about one out of 85, and of those that took it ye natural way hardly one out of Ten; it did not spread much in ye Country Towns (except Charlestown) though it was in many of them; there were Seven persons had it in this Town [Dorchester], one of whom Died, namely Robert Searl, a man about 80 Years of age. There were according to Accounts Two Thousand Persons Removed out of Boston, into ye Country Towns to escape ye Distemper, which was far more than ever were known to Remove at any time heretofore.”]
No. 14322 Howe House, published in Dorchester Book, 1899.
No. 22569 Detail from 1874 map showing Howe property on Willow Court.
He married, Feb. 21, 1727-8, Hannah, daughter of John and Abigail Pierce, of Dorchester, he being then about 22 ½ years old, and she about 19. Neither of them lived to old age, he dying in the 47th year of his age, and she died Nov. 24, 1757, in her 49th year. He built the house now standing and owned by his granddaughter the widow of James Howe, near the north-west end of Willow Court, beyond the house first erected by Roger and alluded to on p. 4. Previous to this house being built, he lived in the one afterwards known as the old Champney house, on the easterly corner of what is now Cottage and Sumner Streets. At the time the new house was raised, it was and had long been customary to celebrate such an occasion by the assembling of most of the men of the neighborhood, who after rendering such assistance as was needed in the raising, partook of the entertainment which was sure to follow. I have heard my father say, that after the raising of this house, May 15, 1750, a large collection of people repaired to the house already spoken of, where Ebenezer Clapp then lived, about a third of a mile distant, playing leaf-frog all the way on the road. Ebenezer Clapp was an active man, and carried on the business of tanning as well as that of farming.
Children of Ebenezer and Hanna (Pierce) Clapp:
Abigail, b. Jan. 15, 1728-29; d. June 23, 1809. She m. June 5, 1752, Henry Humphreys, and had ten children, one of whom was Deacon James Humphreys, b. June 5, 1753, a prominent citizen of Dorchester, for many years Deacon of the First Church, and d. July 13, 1845, aged 92 years. Deacon James was father of Deacon Henry Humphreys, now living on the homestead of his ancestors, corner of Dudley and Humphreys Streets, and who not many years since gave up the business of tanning, which had been carried on by the family in a yard in front of the house through seven generations.
Ann, b. March 16, 1731; d. May 26, 1812. She m. Dec. 11, 1760, Noah Clapp (Jonathan, Nathaniel, Nicholas), who for so many years filled various important offices of trust and honor in the town of Dorchester. Her father was a cousin of her husband, so that bringing down the generations in rotation from the first settlers, her children on their father’s side, come before her. She was an exemplary woman, mild and gentle in disposition and manners, and studied things which were peaceful. These qualities made her a suitable companion for her meek and studious husband, with whom she walked calmly and cheerfully in the journey of life.
Ebenezer, b. April 23, 1732; d. Jan. 29, 1802.
Daniel, b. Feb. 19, 1733-4; d. June 19, 1734.
Lemuel, b. April 9, 1735; d. Dec. 29, 1819.
Hannah, b. Sept. 8, 1736; d. Jan. 5, 1804. She m. June 19, 1755, Timothy Tileston, and had a large family of children. Her husband lived to be 91 years of age, and d. April 20, 1819.
John, b. July 17, 1738; d. Feb. 19, 1739.
Elizabeth, b. Jan. 10, 1739-40; d. June 22, 1741.
Elizabeth, b. Aug. 8, 1741; d. Dec. 18, 1741.
Elisha, b. June 10, 1743; d. Aug. 14, 1775, aged 32 years. He was a tanner by trade, and commenced business for himself, on the road leading westerly from the Five Corners, now called Cottage Street. He lived in a house south and front of the old Blake house (afterwards Caleb Williams’s), and the old barn west of the house and fronting on the street he used as a mill and bark house. He was a steady, hard-working man. He m. June 17, 1773, Sarah, daughter of Thomas Bird, of Dorchester. They had one child, Elisha, born a few months after his father’s decease, and lived only a few days. His widow afterwards married John Hawes, a large land-holder in Dorchester and afterwards in South Boston, and a most liberal benefactor to the latter place by bequests for public purposes.
William, b. Aug. 8, 1745; d. March 8, 1778, in his 33d year. He resided in Boston, and was a carpenter by trade. He m. Dec. 1, 1768, Sarah Tileston, of Boston, dau. of Onesiphorus Tileston, a wealthy wheelwright, who lived in Purchase Street, opposite his wharf. [William’s children are listed but none seem to have a Dorchester connection.]