Ebenezer Clapp (Ebenezer, Noah, Jonathan, Nathaniel, Nicholas), 1809-1881
The Clapp Memorial. Record of the Clapp Family in America … Ebenezer Clapp, compiler. (Boston: David Clapp & Son, 1876)
Ebenezer, fifth son of Ebenezer and Eunice (Pierce) Clapp, was born in Dorchester, April 24, 1809. Until he was about twenty-two years and six months old, he remained at home with his parents and worked in the tannery with his father, who, as previously stated, had carried on the business successfully for many years. His school education was received at the brick school-house, adjoining the old homestead. In the month of September, 1831, an opening was made for him, temporarily, in the Boston Custom House, to take the place of his cousin, Joshua Seaver, son of Ebenezer Seaver, Esq., of Roxbury, who was obliged, on account of ill health, to vacate for a time his position there. In June, 1832, Mr. Seaver, having returned from the South, resumed his duties at the Custom House, where he continued until the fall of that year, when he decided, for the benefit of his health, to go to the Island of Porto Rico. He embarked in a vessel for that port, but never reached his place of destination. Intelligence was subsequently received that the vessel in which Mr. Seaver sailed drifted ashore at the Bermuda Islands. It was supposed to have capsized in a squall, and that all on board perished. The vessel belonged to Mr. James Brown, of Boston, and two of his sons were lost. Mr. Clapp succeeded Mr. Seaver, and received a commission as Inspector for the District of Boston and Charlestown, Aug. 31, 1833, David Henshaw being at that time the Collector. Mr. Clapp held the office of Inspector eleven years. The Boston Post said of him, on retiring,–“Mr. Clapp has been a faithful and capable officer, and retires with the respect and esteem of all with whom his official duties have brought him in contact.”
After withdrawing from the Custom House, he was engaged in the book-selling and stationery business in Boston, on the corner of Franklin and Washington streets, until 1861; then in the same business for a few years at 308 Washington Street, and for the last eight or ten years to the present time at 7 School Street. While in the first-named place, he published the History of Dorchester. Much of the labor of compiling that work devolved upon him, as one of the committee of the Dorchester Antiquarian and Historical Society appointed for that purpose.
In June, 1834, he commenced keeping a daily journal. This has been continued by him ever since, upwards of 41 years, and he hopes to keep it the remainder of his days. The love for historical and genealogical research, which was so marked a trait in the character of his grandfather Noah, has attached itself strongly to Ebenezer, and, aided by a retentive memory, has made his mind a store-house of reliable facts connected with the persons and events which go to make up the history of the old town of Dorchester, so that he has long been looked up to as an authority in such matters. In 1843, the Dorchester Antiquarian and Historical Society was organized, the preliminary meeting being held at his house on the 27th of January of that year. He was elected Corresponding Secretary of the Association, to which office he has been annually chosen to the present time, thirty-two years. In 1842, Mr. Clapp resolved to collect the history of his ancestors to leave to his children and posterity, believing that when that generation should have passed away it would be almost an impossibility for any one successfully to accomplish it. In collection information in regard to this own family, the importance of the work became manifest, and he determined, as far as possible, to collect together and write out a genealogical history of all bearing the name of Clapp. The patience, perseverance and energy he has manifested during an entire generation of the race, in commencing and carrying on the design thus contemplated, is shown so thoroughly in the work now accomplished as to entitle him to the lasting gratitude and regard of those who are connected with the families here represented, and of all interested in such pursuits.
He was chosen in 1854, and still remains, Deacon of the First Church in Dorchester, Rev. Nathaniel Hall, late pastor, succeeding his father, Ebenezer, in that office, and has been annually elected Clerk of the First Parish, thirty-eight years. He was appointed Justice of the Peace about twenty years since, and has held a commission up to the present time; has likewise been a member of the School Committee of Dorchester. He married, April 4, 1833, Sarah, daughter of William and Sarah (Shepard) Swan, of Dorchester, who was born May 10, 1806. His residence is on Sumner St., Dorchester, and the rear end of his home lot joins on to the east side of the old burying-ground, where so many of his ancestors and family and friends are laid, in that beautiful “garden of the living and home of the dead.” W.B.T. (William Blake Trask)
[Footnote: Rev. Nathaniel Hall, son of Nathaniel and Joanna Cotton (Brooks) Hall, of Medford, Mass., was born in that town, Aug. 13, 1805. He was a descendant in the seventh generation from Rev. John Cotton, minister of the First Church, Boston, and in the eighth generation from Rev. Nathaniel Ward, of Ipswich, Mass., the author of “The Simple Cobbler of Agawam.” As already mentioned, p. 218, he succeeded the Rev. Dr. Harris Oct. 23, 1836, as sole minister of the first Church in Dorchester, having been ordained colleague with him July 16, 1835. Since the notice of him on that page was printed, Mr. Hall has been removed by death from his earthly labors, his decease taking place in Dorchester, Oct. 21, 1875. On returning from a residence of several months in Canada for the benefit of his health, but having obtained no relief, he tendered the resignation of his pastoral office on the 10th of October, which resignation had not been acted on by the Parish at the time of his death. Mr. Hall, as these duties show, was minister of that ancient church and society forty years, and its sole pastor thirty-nine years. From the time of Rev. Richard Mather’s ordination over the same church in 1636, there have been, exclusive of colleagues, but seven ministers settled over it. Their names with their terms of service have been as follows:–Richard Mather, 33 years; Josiah Flint, 9 years; John Danforth, 48 years; Jonathan Bowman, 44 years; Moses Everett, 18 years; Thaddeus Mason Harris, 43 years; Nathaniel Hall, 39 years. The course of the Rev. Mr. Hall’s ministry, during the long period of his settlement, has been marked by a constant, earnest and warm-hearted devotion to the various duties of his calling, with a firm and conscientious support, both in and out of the pulpit, of the various philanthropic and patriotic measures which, during that time, have been urged upon the public mind. Whatever differences of opinion may have existed at the time in regard to his advocacy of some of these objects, he has ever stood high in the estimation of all who have been associated with him as a faithful Christian minister and a kind and sympathizing friend, and has now passed away with the sincere love and respect of the whole community At his funeral, on the 25th, the services ,which were peculiarly of the whole community. At hi s funeral, on the 25th, the services, which were peculiarly impressive, wree conducted by the Rev. James Freeman Clarke, of Boston, and Rev. Drs. Peabody and Briggs, of Cambridge. An unusual number of the aged people of Dorchester were present, including one, Mrs. Hannah Foster, aged 92, who distinctly remembered the ordination services of the previous minister, Rev. Dr. Harris, Oct. 23, 1793. Mr. Hall married Sarah Elizabeth, daughter of John G. Coffin, M.D., a much esteemed physician of Boston in the early part of this century, and of the four children born to them, one son, Henry Ware, was eminently distinguished for heroic conduct in the lat War of the Rebellion. He left Harvard College in September, 1858; was made Lieutenant of the 51st Illinois Reg’t Dec. 24, 1861, Captain June 28, 1862, and Adjutant Sept. 30, 1862; was killed at the battle of Kenesaw Mountain, June 27, 1864.]
Children of Ebenezer and Sarah (Swan) Clapp, of Dorchester.
Ann Eliza, b. Feb.15, 1834.
Charles Augustus, b. Nov. 9, 1835. After a few years of early life spent in his father’s store and then in that of Crosby & Nichols, Mr. Clapp entered the well-known establishment of Ticknor & Fields, in the “Old Corner Bookstore,” where he remained, gaining most valuable experience, till 1864, when that store with its retail trade was given up by Ticknor & Fields. Their successors were the new firm of E.P. Dutton & Co., Mr. Clapp being the junior partner. The business was successfully carried on by them for several years, during which time the store had been the only Episcopal book-store in the city, and become one of the leading publishing houses, in that line, in the country. Having purchased stock and plates of several Church publishing houses in New York, and that city being the most desirable place for a large business of this kind, in the spring of 1868 they began a branch there of their Boston establishment. A favorable opportunity soon offered for greatly enlarging this branch, and they finally decid3ed to sell out their business at the “old corner” in Boston, and take a prominent store on Braodway, in New York. This was done in the spring of 1869, and the large publishing-house of E.P. Dutton & Co. has since been strictly a New York one, having also a valuable and attractive retail department, which more particularly under the care of Mr. Clapp. He m. Oct. 1, 1863, Amanda Robins Neally, dau. of Charles Herbert and Hannah Amanda Neally, of boston. Child: Emma Louise, b. Sept. 13, 1864.
Ebenezer Herbert, b. Oct. 17, 1838; m. April 17, 1836, Lizzie Graham Mason, dau. of James S. Mason, of Philadelphia. For several years, he was engaged I the Adjutant General’s office in the State House, Boston. Afterwards, he moved to Colorado Springs, El Paso Co., in Colorado, where he entered into extensive business and held several important public offices. The failure of his wife’s health compelled their removal, and they then went to Philadephia, where he is now settled in business with his father-in-law. Child: Herbert Mason, b. July 9, 172.
George William, b. June 30, 1840; d. May 7, 1841.