Joseph Clapp (Joseph, Ebenezer, Nathaniel, Nicholas), 1751-1823.
The Clapp Memorial. Record of the Clapp Family in America … Ebenezer Clapp, compiler. (Boston: David Clapp & Son, 1876)
Joseph, son of Joseph and Abigail (Dyer) Clapp, was born Oct. 24, 1751, and died Sept. 18, 1823, aged 72 years. He married, first, Oct. 14, 1773, Abigail Glover, who died Oct. 3, 1775, in her 25th year.
[footnote: In the Genealogical History of the Blake Family, a valuable little work, compiled by the late Samuel Blake, of Dorchester, and published in 1857, we find the following reference to the marriage of several couples of Dorchester, and among them that of Joseph Clapp and Abigail Glover.
“Under the date of Sept. 18, 1773, there were four intentions of marriage entered in Mr. Noah Clapp’s Book of Records. The parties were Increase Blake and Sarah Pierce, John Baker, Jr., and Ann Pierce, Jonathan Blake and Sarah Pierce tertia, and Joseph Clapp, Jr. and Abigail Glover. These four couples, on a pleasant day, the 14th of October following, met together and started off, wit the plausible excuse of going a short distance into the country a chesnutting. But instead, they made their way to Quincy, and called at the mansion of the Hon. Samuel Quincy (an uncle of the present Hon. Josiah Quincy, sen.) who was a magistrate, and were all united in marriage by him at one time, ant then they returned to their several homes. Two of the ladies were sisters, viz., Sarah Pierce and Ann Pierce, and Sarah Pierce tertia was cousin to Sarah and Ann. Some of the above mentioned party died early, and Mr. Jonathan Blake and his wife Sarah outlived all the others many years. She died in 1831 and her husband in 1836.”]
He married, second, Nov. 14, 1776, Abigail, daughter of Henry Humphreys, and sister of Deacon James Humphreys. She died May 11, 1831. Joseph Clapp built the house on Washington Street, in Dorchester, near the Second Congregational Church, which has ever since been in possession of the family.
Children of Joseph and 1st wife Abigail (Glover) Clapp:
Joseph, b. Aug. 10, 1774; d. June 14, 1852, aged 78.
Abigail Glover, b. Sept. 26, 1775; d. June 18, 1838. She m. Nov. 12, 1795, Ebenezer, son of Capt. Lemuel Clapp. She lived in the house built by her husband in the north part of Dorchester, for many years one of the most northerly houses in the town. She was woman of fine personal appearance, and a sincere and devout Christian. Her death was caused by a tumor, from which she suffered the most distressing pain, which was borne with great patience, and her end was peaceful.
Children of Joseph and 2d wife Abigail (Humphreys) Clapp:
William, b. March 1778; d. April 12, 1786, aged 8 years
Samuel Dyer, b. Nov. 4, 1779; d. March 29, 1823. He m. Nancy Daniels, who died April 5, 1831, aged 56 yrs.; no issue; they lived on Centre St., Dorchester.
Hannah, b. July 25, 1781; d. Feb. 1, 1784.
Sally, b. May 2, 1783; d. April 10, 1785.
Hannah, b. July 4, 1785; d. March 16, 1790.
William, b. Oct. 7, 1786; d. April 5, 1842. He lived in Lexington, Mass., but was buried in the old burying-ground in Dorchester. He m. June 30, 1808, Sarah, b. June 7, 1789, dau. of Francis and Susanna (Chamberlain) Bowman, of Lexington. [Children listed]
Henry, b. Oct.13, 1788; d. Dec, 26, 1874; m. Oct. 12, 1812, Hannah Lemist, of Dorchester. They lived in Dorchester, in the house built by his father, on Washington St., near the church. He and his sister, Mrs. Hannah Tolman, were buried on the same day, Dec. 31, 1874. [Children listed, including: Joseph Henry, b. March 3, 1815. He lived in Dorchester and was a manufacturer of block tin. He. M. June 4, 1839, Lydia Clark]
James, b. April 20, 1790; d. March 18, 1860; m. June 18, 1816, Eliza Moore, of Boston, who d. in Dorchester, April, 1873. He was the first male member admitted, after its organization, to the Second Church in Dorchester. They moved to Boston, and in 1827 he was chosen Deacon of the Pine-Street Congregational Church. They afterwards returned to Dorchester, and he was active in every good work in the village Church, in the upper part of that town. They subsequently lived in Roxbury, and he was connected with the Eliot church there. Through life he took an active part in the temperance cause. He died in Dorchester, in the same house in which he was born, after a long and painful illness, and left the example of a life distinguished for fervent piety and a tender concern for the spiritual welfare of all with whom he was connected. A brief memoir of his life was published some time after his decease.
Hannah, b. Aug. 27, 1792; d. Dec. 28, 1874; m. Oct. 11, 1820, John Tolman, b. in 1793, and had four children: Abigail, m. Amasa Davenport; John, Hannah; James. They lived in Dorchester.
Harris, b. May 31, 1794; d. July 11, 1795.
Mary Ann, b. April, 1796; m. Oct. 11, 1820 (at the same time as her sister Hannah, Jonathan Hammond, and had three children: Joseph, James and Mary Ann. They lived in Dorchester; afterwards in Woburn, where Mrs. Hammond died in June 1875.
No. 2365 Clapp Kendall House