William Clapp (Lemuel, Ebenezer, Ebenezer, Nathaniel, Nicholas), 1779-1860
No. 8395 Scan of photo owned by Dorchester Historical Society of William Clapp aged 79 years 2 mos and Elizabeth Clapp aged 75 years 2 mos. Ambrotypes taken May 7th, 1858.
The Clapp Memorial. Record of the Clapp Family in America … Ebenezer Clapp, compiler. (Boston: David Clapp & Son, 1876
William, son of Capt. Lemuel and Rebecca (Dexter) Clapp, was born in Dorchester, March 3, 1779, died Feb. 29, 1860, and was buried on the 3d of March, the day on which he would, if spared, have completed his 81st year. He followed the business of his father, and established and carried on, till near the close of his life, the large and well-known tan-yard on the corner of what is now Boston Street and Willow court, for many years the largest tannery in Dorchester. He built a house on the opposite corner of the court (north from the tannery and few rods east of his father’s), which still stands, a substantial and commodious brick mansion. Later in life, he devoted his time to his large farm, situated in the north part of the town, adjoining Boston, and well known to the passers by for its systematic cultivation and its horticultural fertility. He married, Dec. 15, 1806, Elizabeth, daughter of Deacon James Humphreys, of Dorchester, who was born Feb. 22, 1783, and died Oct. 4, 1869. Mr. Clapp filled important offices in the town and was two years a Representative to the general court; was also Captain of the Military Company in Dorchester for some years. The death of three of his children in 1838, in the space of four days, by typhus fever, at the ages of 17 (Alexander), 19 (James) and 21 (Rebecca Dexter) years, was a very afflicting event to the parents, but was borne with Christian resignation. The whole family were sick at the same time, and the result of other cases was for a time doubtful. Two of the victims of this terrible epidemic were buried in one day. Mr. Clapp was a man of excellent character, of sound judgment, firm and decided, and much esteemed by the people of the town. He left a large landed estate in the north part of Dorchester and in South Boston. A sermon on his life and character was preached by Rev. Nathaniel Hall, minister of the First Parish, March 4, 1860.
Children of William and Elizabeth Humphreys Clapp.
Elizabeth, b. March 2, 1808; d. Oct. 20, 1809.
William, b. Sept. 28, 1809; d. May 2, 1825.
Thaddeus, b. May 11, 1811; d. July 10, 1861. Attended the public schools in Dorchester, and was fitted for College at the Academy of Hiram Manley, in Dorchester; he grad. at Harv. College in 1834 with the second honors of his class, and delivered the salutatory oration in Latin. He was engaged for a short time in teaching school; and was Secretary of the Board of School Committee of Dorchester for several years. Feeble health prevented his engaging in any profession. He took his degree of Master of Arts in 1838, and the same year went to Franklin, La., where for five or six months he was tutor in a private family. On his return, in 1839, he gave his attention to farming, and having a special taste for the cultivation of fruit, with abundance of land and suitable soil for the gratification of his taste, he eventually became celebrated as a horticulturist and one of the leading pomologists of the day. In connection “with his brothers, Frederick and Lemuel, he succeeded in raising from seed a new variety of pear—a cross between the “Flemish Beauty” and the “Bartlett”—to which was given the name of “Clapp’s Favorite,” now well known, and much prized by fruit growers. A representation of this pear is carved upon his tomb-stone at Forest Hills Cemetery. He was a member of the Massachusetts Horticultural, the Norfolk Agricultural and the American Pomological Societies, and obtained many premiums for choice varieties and fine specimens of fruit. He was also member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society. He was of a most amiable disposition, and led a life of unspotted integrity. He m. in Claremont, N.H., Aug. 11, 1857, Mary H. Dustin, daughter of Rev. Caleb, N.H., Aug. 11, 1857, Mary H. Dustin daughter of Rev. Caleb Dustin, but had no children. His wife survives him.
Frederick, b. Jan. 26, 1813; d. May 19, 1875, aged 62 years. He followed the tanning business with his father as long as the business was continued in that part of the town, and afterwards gave his attention to farming and horticulture. He built a dwelling-house and occupied it till his death, situated a few rods north of his father’s, on Boston Street, being the most northerly house in the town of Dorchester and near the ancient gateway opening to the “Neck” over the Causeway road. With his brother Lemuel, he came into possession, shortly before his death, of the old homestead of his grandfather, Capt. Lemuel in Willow court. He m. May 17, 1840, Martha M. Blake, of Warwick, Mass.
Children of Frederick:
Julia Elizabeth, b. June 21, 1841.
Frederick William, b. Oct. 10, 1843; d. same day.
Frederick Augustus, b. Oct. 11, 1845; d. Nov. 11, 1874. His death occurred just as he was entering upon the responsibilities of active manhood, in the exercise of virtuous qualities that made him beloved and respected by all. He was a thoughtful and discriminating reader, especially fond of natural history, and as an amateur entomologist had himself gathered and arranged a beautiful and valuable entomological collection. His chosen vocation as a florist was a source of much enjoyment to him, and he had an innate and practical regard for all similar pursuits.
Edward Blake, b. March 11, 1851.
Mary Louisa, b. Feb. 9, 1854.
Lemuel, b. Jan 21, 1815. He inherits and occupies the house built and lived in by his father, on the corner of Boston Street and Willow Court. Since the tanning business was given up by his father, he has attended to the cultivation of the extensive grounds connected with the estate, on the extreme northerly border of the town of Dorchester, and comprising the well-known orchard long designated by the family name. He is much interested in growing new varieties of fruits, and has originated many fine varieties of pears, he planting with his own hand the seed from which the “Clapp’s Favorite” originated. He is interested in all that concerns the Clapp family History, and has furnished important ancient documents to assist in completing it. He m. June 9, 1840, Charlotte Tuttle, dau. of Charles and Sarah Ann (Austin) Tuttle, of Boston. Children:
Rebecca Dexter, b. May 9, 1841; d. March 6, 1865.
William Channing, b. Aug. 31, 1843; m. June 19, 1867, Martha A. Kingman. Children: Frank Lemuel, b. June 2, 1871.; Sidney Kingman, b. Jan. 8, 1873.
Elizabeth Humphreys, b. Nov. 16, 1845; d. June 28, 1849.
Sarah Austin, b. Feb. 18, 1848; m. June 9, 1873, Samuel A. Cushing, Jr. Child: Austin Andrews, b. March 9, 1874.
James Humphreys, b. Oct. 18, 1851.
Elizabeth Humphreys, b. Sept. 18, 1816; m. Nov. 19, 1844, Rev. Hiram Withington, b. in Dorchester, July 29, 1818. Mr. W. studied for the ministry at the Divinity School in Cambridge, after having been for several years a successful teacher of the public schools in Dorchester and other places; graduated in 1844, and at once took his place as a “popular preacher, possessing that delicacy, tenderness and glow of both thought and feeling that gave him great command over his audience.” He was ordained as pastor of the Unitarian Congregational Church at Leominster, Mass., Dec. 25, 1844, thus commencing his conjugal and his ministerial life almost at the same time. But the brightness of his prospects soon became clouded. The labors belonging to a large parish caused a rapid decline in his health; his wife’s health also suddenly failed, and she died Dec. 3, 1845, leaving one child: William Clapp, born November 25, 1845. His labors were, however, continued, and Feb. 21, 1843, he married again; but his physical and mental prostration so increased that he was compelled to ask leave to resign his charge, and on the 3d of September, 1848, he preached his farewell sermon. He immediately removed to the house of his father in Dorchester, where he rapidly sank, and died Oct. 30th of that year. The year after his death a Memoir of his Life was published, with Selections from his Sermons and Correspondence. [Boston: Wm. Crosby and H.P. Nichols, 1849.]
Rebecca Dexter, b. Dec. 26, 1817; d. Nov. 13, 1838, aged 21 years. She was a young lady of great promise, and of marked Christian excellence. She was one of the three victims, already alluded to, of the fearful disease which visited her father’s family and afflicted more or less severely each member of it, excepting her brother Thaddeus, then absent at the South.
James, b. Dec. 28, 1819; d. Nov. 17, 1838, aged 19 years.
Alexander, b. June 16, 1821; d. Nov. 13, 1838, aged 17 years. James and Alexander possessed traits of character which gave promise of high moral worth, and future usefulness.