House Destroyed in King Philip’s War — Preserved Clapp

B. 23 Nov 1643 in Dorchester, Massachusetts
M. 4 Jun 1668 in Northampton, Massachusetts
Wife: Sarah Newberry
D. 22 Sep 1720 in Northampton, Massachusetts

Preserved Clapp had several contacts with the Native American population of early New England, and in one instance suffered the loss of his home. This was the reality of life along the colonial frontier of America.

Preserved was born on November 23, 1643 in Dorchester, Massachusetts to Roger Clap and Joanna Ford. They had 14 children, of which seven lived to adulthood. "Preserved" is an example of a naming trend amongst Puritans — some parents chose "virtue" words instead of traditional names. Preserved had siblings named Experience, Wait, Desire, Thanks, Unite, Supply and Hopestill.

When Preserved was about 20 years-old, he made the decision to move to Northampton, located on the Connecticut River in Massachusetts. No one else in his family seems to have made such a migration. Most settlers in Northampton had previously lived in the Hartford area; a group of families from Connecticut had founded the settlement about a decade before Preserved arrived.

On June 4, 1668, Preserved married Sarah Newberry of Windsor, Connecticut, and between 1669 and 1688, they had eight children. The Clapp children were educated in Northampton's school, and unusual for the times, even the girls received lessons, although it was believed they were taught in a class separate from the boys. Preserved held several offices in the community. He was a representative to the General Court and ruling elder in the church, both positions denoting leadership. He was also a member of a lead mining company in Northampton.

During the 17th century, New Englanders often had an uneasy relationship with indigenous people. Preserved once had a confrontation with an Indian who had previously lived with his family, possibly as a servant. The man was angry at Preserved for not letting him use his gun, and had left the household. He returned several years later armed and with a few companions from Canada. The former servant fired first, grazing Preserved’s nose, but Preserved fired back and killed him.

Preserved was also the victim of an Indian raid in Northampton during King Philip’s War in 1675. The war was the result of a deteriorating relationship between the tribes of New England and the Puritans who settled there. In the aftermath of a battle in nearby Hatfield on October 28th, a few Indians captured guns left unattended in a field at a gathering of some Northampton men. The now-armed Indians surrounded the men and chased them into town. They set fire to four houses and four barns, and one set of buildings belonged to Preserved. He lost everything he owned, but luckily he and his family were safe. On January 1st, he asked for land in a more protected part of town to rebuild his home, and this was granted. 

During King Philip's War, scenes like this played out all over Massachusetts.

As the war continued into 1676, Preserved served in the Northampton militia, and on May 18th, he was one of the men involved in the Turner Falls Fight. The event, also known as the Turner Falls Massacre, was a mass of soldiers from Northampton and its surrounding towns making a surprise attack on an Indian camp. There was little mercy shown for the men, women and children, and they were butchered with swords. As the English force retreated, they were in turn attacked by Indians as they made their way home. Thirty-eight men were killed, but Preserved made it back to Northampton without incident.

After the war, things calmed down for a few years. Then in 1688, there were new threats from Indian raids that were thought to be instigated by the French in Canada. Preserved won the appointment of militia captain in December 1690, which was by election among the men of Northampton. As captain, he was involved with helping the nearby town of Deerfield, which was going through a series of attacks from Indians. His company of 20 men were ordered to assist them in tracking them down.

Preserved continued in his role as a town leader well into his 60s. Serving as a selectman in June 1708, he petitioned the General Court for tax exemptions for young men who had served in the militia during the recent Indian wars. However, his request was denied.

Preserved's wife Sarah died in Northampton on October 3, 1716, and Preserved passed away on September 22, 1720 at the age of 76. They were both buried in Bridge Street Cemetery. Descendants of Preserved include Mike Huckabee and Sarah Huckabee Sanders.

Children:
1. Sarah Clapp — B. 24 Feb 1669, Northampton, Massachusetts; D. 7 Aug 1703, Northampton, Massachusetts

2. Wait Clapp — B. 18 Nov 1670, Northampton, Massachusetts; D. 29 Jan 1722, Norwalk, Connecticut; M. John Taylor (1667-1744)

3. Mary Clapp — B. 14 Nov 1672, Northampton, Massachusetts; D. 2 Nov 1691, Northampton, Massachusetts

4. Preserved Clapp — B. 29 Apr 1675, Northampton, Massachusetts; D. 11 Oct 1757, Northampton, Massachusetts; M. Mehitable Warner (1683-1767), 21 Jan 1703, Northampton, Massachusetts

5. Samuel Clapp — B. 13 Nov 1677, Northampton, Massachusetts; D. 12 May 1761, Northampton, Massachusetts; M. (1) Sarah Bartlett (1679-1703), 1697, Northampton, Massachusetts; (2) Thankful King (?-1705), 15 Sep 1704, Northampton, Massachusetts; (3) Mary Sheldon (1687-1763), 17 Mar 1708

6. Hannah Clapp — B. 5 May 1681, Northampton, Massachusetts; D. 8 Nov 1758, Northampton, Massachusetts; M. (1) Abraham Miller (1762-1727), 1 Jan 1699, Northampton, Massachusetts; (2) John Parsons (1674-1746), 12 Jun 1729, Northampton, Massachusetts

7. Roger Clapp — B. 24 May 1684, Northampton, Massachusetts; D. 9 Jan 1762, Northampton, Massachusetts; Elisabeth Bartlett (1687-1767), 28 Nov 1706, Northampton, Massachusetts

8. Thomas Clapp — B. 16 Jun 1688, Northampton, Massachusetts; D. about 1745, Hartford, Connecticut; M. Mary King (1691-1772), 18 Apr 1711, Hartford, Connecticut

Sources:
The History of Easthampton: its settlement and growth, Payson W. Lyman, 1866
History of Northampton, Massachusetts, From Its Settlement in 1654, Volume 1, James Russell Trumbull, Seth Pomeroy, 1898
The Clapp Memorial: record of the Clapp family in America, Ebenezer Clapp, 1876
Early American Ancestors: Preserved Clapp (website)
Famous Kin (website)