Lemuel Clap (Ebenezer, Ebenezer, Nathaniel, Nicholas), 1735-1819
from The Clapp Memorial. Record of the Clapp Family in America … Ebenezer Clapp, compiler. (Boston: David Clapp & Son, 1876)
Lemuel, third son of Ebenezer, Jr., and Hannah (Pierce) Clapp, was born in Dorchester, April 9, 1735, and died Dec. 29, 1819. He married, first, Dec. 11, 1760, Susanna Capen, of Dorchester, who died March 6, 1767, aged 26 years. They were married the same day his sister Ann was married to Noah Clapp. He married, second, Nov. 3, 1768, Rebecca, third daughter of Rev. Samuel Dexter, of Dedham. Lemuel was a Captain in the Revolutionary War, and his company was on duty for several of its first years at Dorchester Heights, Noddle’s Island, and other places near by. The enlistments for this service were short, a few months at a time, and sometimes less, and his company, therefore, often changed its members. Sometimes there were quite a number of the Dorchester Clapps in its ranks. He was a tanner by trade, and carried on the business on the old Causeway road, near the corner of what is now Willow Court. His house was in the same court, and was enlarged and elegantly fitted up by him from the small one originally built by Roger, and referred to earlier. He was a man of energy and decision, and much respected in the town. His wife, Rebecca, survived him, and died May 31, 1823, aged 84.
Children of Capt. Lemuel and 1st wife Susannah (Capen) Clapp:
Susanna, b. Nov. 2, 1761; d., Dec. 10, 1761.
Lemuel, b. Aug. 5, 1763; d. April 5, 1783.
Edward, b. Jan. 24, 1765; d. Dec. 16, 1790. Began to learn the trade of shoe-making, but relinquished it and worked with his father in the tanning business, and continued in it till he died.
Children of Capt. Lemuel and 2d wife Rebecca (Dexter) Clapp:
Samuel, b. Oct. 1, 1769; d. Jan. 1, 1770.
Ebenezer, b. Oct. 8, 1770; d. Mar. 13, 1806; m. Nov. 12, 1795, Abigail Glover Clapp, dau. of Joseph Clapp, of Dorchester. He built the house now standing on the east side of Boston Street nearly opposite Willow court, then the most northerly house on the old Causeway road leading to the Neck. He inherited from his father much land in the neighborhood. His widow occupied the house, after his decease and died there. Children:
Abigail, b. in Dorchester, Sept. 13, 1796; d. Jan 7, 1829, aged 32 years. She m. Oct. 29, 1822, Josiah Adams, of Salem. She left several children.
Catherine Barnard, b. in Dorchester, Nov. 21, 1797; d. in Dorchester, April 3, 1870. She m. first, June 17, 1839, John W. Harris, of boston, who d. April 3, 1843, leaving one child. They lived in her parents’ house, on Boston Street. She m. second, March 25, 1845, James Blake, the former husband of her deceased sister Polly, and lived with him in Newton. Afterwards, they resided in Dorchester, where she d. April 3, 1870, and where he now lives.
Polly, b. in Dorchester, July 8, 1799; d. in Boston, Jan. 9, 1840; m. Sept. 6, 1825, James Blake , of Boston, afterwards husband to her sister Catharine B. She left several children.
Rebecca, b. Nov. 13, 1771; d. Nov. 13, 1772.
Jason, b. Sept. 20, 1773; d. Dec. 8, 1852, aged 79 years.
Richard, b. Oct. 15, 1774; d. Sept. 20, 1775.
Elisha, b. June 25, 1776; d. Oct. 22,1830. Graduated from Harvard 1797.
Stephen, b. Sept.9, 1777; d. July 11, 1778.
William, b. March 3, 1779; d. Feb. 29, 1860, aged 80 years.
Richard, b. July 24, 1780; d. Dec. 26, 1861, aged 81 years.
Catharine, b. April 17, 1782; d. unm. Feb. 21, 1872, in her 90th year. She retained her mental faculties to the last, reading her bible and other good books daily, without glasses, which through her long life she never used; was a worthy woman, of the old puritan stamp; lived and died in the house in Willow Court, occupied by her father during his life. The house, after her death, as elsewhere mentioned, passed into the hands of her nephews, Frederick and Lemuel.
the following is from Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors of the Revolutionary War. vol. 3 (Boston, 1897), 489
Clap, Lemuel, Dorchester. 1st Lieutenant, sharing command with Capt. Oliver billings of a company in Col. Lemuel Robinson’s regt., which assembled on the alarm of April 19, 1775; service 12 days; also, Captain, 1st Dorchester co., Co. Benjamin Gill’s regt.; engaged March 4, 1776; discharged March 8, 1776; service, 5 days at the taking of Dorchester Heights; also, Captain 1st (North Dorchester) co., Col. Benjamin Gill’s (3d Suffolk Col.) regt.; list of officers dated Stoughton; ordered in Council, March 25, 1776, that a commission be issued; reported commissioned March 23, 1776; also, same regt. engaged March 14, 17876; discharged March 26, 1776; service, 12 days; also, same regt.; engaged June 13, 1776; discharged June 16, 1776; service, 3 days; also, Col. Pierce’s regt.; marched to Castle Island March 1, 1778; discharged April 3, 1770; service, 1 mo. 3 days; also, Captain; list of officers commissioned to command the guards raised to do duty under Maj. Gen. Gates and Maj. Gen Heath at and about Boston; commissioned May 11, 1779; stationed at Dorchester Heights; also, engage May 7, 1779; discharged Aug. 10, 1779; service 3 mos. 4 days; also, engaged Aug. 11, 1779; discharged Oct. 31, 1779; service, 2 mos. 21 days; also, engaged Nov. 1, 1779; discharged Jan. 31, 1780; service, 3 mos.; also, engaged Feb. 1, 1780; service to May 1, 1780, 3 mos.; also, engaged May 1, 1780; discharged July 31, 1780; service 3 mos; also engaged /Aug. 1, 1780; discharged Oct. 16, 1780; service 2 mos. 16 days; above service from May 7, 1779, with detachment of guards under Maj. Nathaniel Heath at Dorchester; also, Col. Solomon Lovell’s rgt.; return of officers who marched to reinforce Continental Army for 3 months [year not given].