Edward Clap, d. 1664
from The Clapp Memorial. Record of the Clapp Family in America … Ebenezer Clapp, compiler. ( Boston: David Clapp & Son, 1876)
Edward Clapp was an elder brother of Captain Roger, and came from England to Dorchester about 1633. He probably came in the vessel which arrived July 24th of that year.
[Footnote: “July 24, 2633. A ship arrived from Weymouth, with about 80 passengers and 12 kine, who sate down at Dorchester. They were 12 weeks coming, being forced into the Western Islands by a leak, where they stayed three weeks and were very courteously used by the Portugals; but the extremity of the heat there, and the continual rain, brought sickness upon them, so as, (blank) died.”—Winthrop’s History of New England.]
Thomas and Nicholas it is most likely came in the same vessel; and John, brother of the last named two, not until some time subsequently.
Dea. Edward was a man much esteemed by the town, and held many responsible offices, being one of the Selectmen for several years, and Deacon of the church twenty-six years. In the Church Records we find the following account of his death: “The 85h day of the 11th mo. 1664, being the Sabbath day, Deacon Edward Clap departed this life and now resteth with the Lord, there to spend an eternal Sabbath with god and Christ in Heaven, after that he had faithfully served in the office of a Deacon for the space of about five or six and twenty years, and being the first Church officer that was taken away by death since the first joining together in covenant, which is now 28 years, 4 mo. And odd days.” John Farmer, of New Hampshire (who probably did more than any other person in the country towards tracing out the genealogy of ancient families and names, until James Savage issued his four octavo vols. Of 2493 pages), published in 1830 a Genealogical Register, in which he says Deacon Edward Clapp died “leaving no issue.” I think he came to that conclusion by information obtained from the Rev. Dr. Harris or Mr. Elisha Clap; but they were all mistaken. Probably Elisha thought that the Ezra who died in 1691 was a son of Deacon Edward, and thus arrived at the conclusion that he left no descendants; but he was a grandson, then about 17 years of age. The old gentleman, as will be seen by his Will, left his lands in Milton to his son Ezra, and thither the latter removed some time after the father’s decease. Dea. Edward had a second wife when he died. The Christian name of the first was Prudence; that of the last, Susanna, daughter of William Cockerill, of Salem, Mass. One of them, probably the first, must have been a sister to Thomas, Nicholas and John, for John in his Will calls him his brother-in-law; at the same time he calls Roger cousin, so that Edward and Nicholas and their wives were of but two families. Deacon Edward owned one-half of the Mill called “Clapp’s Mill,” and Deacon Nicholas owned a quarter of the same. It stood nearly Northeast of the house formerly owned and occupied by the later Presevered Baker, in the north part of Dorchester near Roxbury, not far from the bend of the creek which formerly run inland from the salt water in the south bay. The mill was built by a Mr. Bate, probably Mr. James Bate (now spelled Bates) for the above-named owners. Prudence, the first wife of Deacon Edward, died previous to 1656; his second wife, who lived his widow about 24 years, died June 16, 1688.
[Will of Edward Clapp is given]
Children of Dea. Edward and 1st wife Prudence Clapp:
Elizabeth, b. 1634; d. Jan. 16, 1694, aged 60 years. She m. about the first of Jan., 1652, Elder James Blake, b. in Eng. 1623; her husband survived her a little upwards of six years, and d. June 28, 1700, aged 77 years.
Prudence, b. Dec. 28, 1637; m. Simon Peck, of Hingham, February 1660. She joined the church in Dorchester Feb. 20, 1658, and was dismissed to the church in Hingham. Their son Ephraim was baptized in Dorchester the 20th of 4th mo., 1680.
Ezra, b. May 22, 1640; d. Jan. 28, 1717, aged 77 years.
Nehemiah, b. about Sept.1646; d. April 2, 1684, aged 38 years.
Susanna, b. Nov. 1648.
Children of Edward and 2d wife Susanna (Cockerill) Clapp:
Esther, b. July, 1656; m. June 9, 1684, Samuel Strong, of Northampton. He was brother of Ebenezer, who m. Hannah, dau. of Nicholas Clapp, and who was great-grandfather to Gov. Caleb Strong.
Abigail, b. April 27, 1659; d. Jan. 3, 1660.
Joshua, b. May 12, 1661; d. May 22, 1662.
Jonathan, b. March 23, 1664; d. May 30, 1664.