M. 23 Jan 1735 in (probably) Northampton, Massachusetts
Wife: Submit Strong
D. 10 May 1782 in Easthampton, Massachusetts
When the spirit of independence swept through New England in 1776, many men served regardless of their age, and 63-year-old Jonathan Clapp joined the fight.
Jonathan was born on September 2, 1713 to Roger Clapp and Elizabeth Bartlett in Easthampton, Massachusetts, one of nine children. On January 23, 1735, Jonathan married his first cousin, Submit Strong (their mothers were sisters), and between 1735 and 1755 they had 11 children.
In his younger days, Jonathan lived with his childless uncle Joseph Bartlett (1683-1755). Joseph operated a corn mill given to him by his father Samuel Bartlett (~1639-1712), who was Jonathan's grandfather. Joseph received the mill and land in 1705 and set up a tavern there. Jonathan helped his uncle run both businesses and eventually they became his.
Jonathan was known for being shrewd. There was a story that took place around 1760 after a lot of snow had fallen creating drifts of four feet deep in some places. The snow was followed by some rain which then froze, forming a dangerous crust. He saw opportunity to make money by riding on horseback to the town of Hatfield and purchasing a “drove of cattle,” that he took to Boston. He made £100 pounds on the beef because the severe weather had resulted in a meat shortage.
Jonathan’s main livelihood was his public house, which was described as "a homelike, old-time tavern.” It was said that "most of the travel from Hartford and New Haven passed northward through this locality, in consequence of which there came to it very liberal patronage." In 1775, soldiers from Southampton met at Jonathan’s tavern before heading to Boston for the Battle of Bunker Hill. The tavern remained in the family for 100 years, and the building survived until about 1876 when it was torn down.
It’s easy to imagine that as Jonathan served drinks to men marching off to war, he became motivated to join the cause. So in spite of his age, on February 8, 1776, Jonathan was commissioned as 2nd Major in the 2nd Hampshire County Regiment of the Massachusetts Militia. Colonial militias played a different role in the war from the Continental Army because they didn’t have a full-time commitment to being soldiers. As a major, Jonathan guided a small force of men who lived in the Easthampton area, and they trained locally, ready to be called upon whenever needed.
Payroll list of unit headed by Jonathan in 1777.
We know that Jonathan’s men “answered the alarm” to help out at Fort Ticonderoga during the summer of 1777. This would require a march of over 160 miles to reach it, an effort that was in vain since the Americans surrendered the fort to the British before Jonathan’s men got there.
The service must have been too strenuous for Jonathan because he resigned a year later. In a letter dated April 5, 1778, he put in a request to step down, saying his advanced age caused an “inability to perform the duties of his office.” His son Benjamin, himself almost 40 years-old, was also in the militia as a quartermaster, and Jonathan called upon him him to also quit. Benjamin said he was going to continue on as a soldier, but Jonathan told him, "No, my son, you must stay and take care of me." In June 1779, Jonathan prepared his will, which began by mentioning that he was “weak of body.” The will reveals that he accumulated a lot of land in his life, enough to parcel out to each of his eleven children.
Jonathan didn’t live to see the war’s aftermath and the founding of the United States government. He died on May 10, 1782 in Easthampton and is buried in Main Street Cemetery. The inscription on his grave reads:
In Memory of
MAJR Jonathan CLAP,
who died May 10th, 1782, in the 69 year of his age.
The wise, the just, the pious and the brave,
Live in their death, and flourish in the grave.
Here sown in death the body lies.
Till God shall call & bid it rise.
Children:
1. Jonathan Clapp — B. 8 Oct 1735, (probably) Easthampton, Massachusetts; D. 17 Nov 1822, Easthampton, Massachusetts; M. (1) Mary Strong (?-~1778); (2) Margaret Roguel (1745-1821), about 1778
2. Joseph Clapp — B. 23 Nov 1736, Easthampton, Massachusetts; D. 8 Nov 1815, Easthampton, Massachusetts; M. Hannah Lyman (1736-1797)
3. Benjamin Clapp — B. 16 Dec 1738, Easthampton, Massachusetts; D. 8 Nov 1815, Easthampton, Massachusetts; M. Phebe Boynton (1750-1847), 1765, Easthampton, Massachusetts
4. Submit Clapp — B. 8 Oct 1741, (probably) Easthampton, Massachusetts; D. 18 Jan 1818, Easthampton, Massachusetts; M. Asahel Clark (1737-1822)
5. Hannah Clapp — B. 15 Jun 1742, (probably) Easthampton, Massachusetts; D. 20 Aug 1813; M. Elias Lyman
6. Lucy Clapp — B. Aug 1744, (probably) Easthampton, Massachusetts; M. Samuel Kellogg, 1764
7. Rhoda Clapp — B. 19 Dec 1746, Easthampton, Massachusetts; D. 29 Nov 1820, Montague, Massachusetts; M. Daniel Whittemore (1741-1816)
8. Lois Clapp — B. Oct 1748, (probably) Easthampton, Massachusetts; M. (1) Jonathan Lyman; (2) Joesph Day
9. Beulah Clapp — B. about Dec 1750, (probably) Easthampton, Massachusetts; M. Solomon Allen (1751-1821)
10. Phebe Clapp — B. 26 Dec 1752, (probably) Easthampton, Massachusetts; D. 21 Jul 1830; M. Joseph White (1749-1830), 7 Dec 1791
11. Merab Clapp — B. 10 Sep 1755, (probably) Easthampton, Massachusetts; D. 3 May 1825, Pittsfield, Massachusetts; M. (1) Elisha Allen (1752-1796); (2) Oliver Root (?-1807), 4 Dec 1805, Conway, Massachusetts
Sources:
The History of Easthampton: its settlement and growth, Payson W. Lyman, 1866
The Clapp Memorial: record of the Clapp family in America, Ebenezer Clapp, 1876
"Easthampton, Mass.," L.S. Smith, New England Magazine, 1904
Tombstone inscription of Jonathan Clapp, Main Street Cemetery, Easthampton, MassachusettsSiege of Fort Ticonderoga (1777) (Wikipedia article)
View of Fort Ticonderoga in 1777.
The service must have been too strenuous for Jonathan because he resigned a year later. In a letter dated April 5, 1778, he put in a request to step down, saying his advanced age caused an “inability to perform the duties of his office.” His son Benjamin, himself almost 40 years-old, was also in the militia as a quartermaster, and Jonathan called upon him him to also quit. Benjamin said he was going to continue on as a soldier, but Jonathan told him, "No, my son, you must stay and take care of me." In June 1779, Jonathan prepared his will, which began by mentioning that he was “weak of body.” The will reveals that he accumulated a lot of land in his life, enough to parcel out to each of his eleven children.
Jonathan didn’t live to see the war’s aftermath and the founding of the United States government. He died on May 10, 1782 in Easthampton and is buried in Main Street Cemetery. The inscription on his grave reads:
In Memory of
MAJR Jonathan CLAP,
who died May 10th, 1782, in the 69 year of his age.
The wise, the just, the pious and the brave,
Live in their death, and flourish in the grave.
Here sown in death the body lies.
Till God shall call & bid it rise.
Children:
1. Jonathan Clapp — B. 8 Oct 1735, (probably) Easthampton, Massachusetts; D. 17 Nov 1822, Easthampton, Massachusetts; M. (1) Mary Strong (?-~1778); (2) Margaret Roguel (1745-1821), about 1778
2. Joseph Clapp — B. 23 Nov 1736, Easthampton, Massachusetts; D. 8 Nov 1815, Easthampton, Massachusetts; M. Hannah Lyman (1736-1797)
3. Benjamin Clapp — B. 16 Dec 1738, Easthampton, Massachusetts; D. 8 Nov 1815, Easthampton, Massachusetts; M. Phebe Boynton (1750-1847), 1765, Easthampton, Massachusetts
4. Submit Clapp — B. 8 Oct 1741, (probably) Easthampton, Massachusetts; D. 18 Jan 1818, Easthampton, Massachusetts; M. Asahel Clark (1737-1822)
5. Hannah Clapp — B. 15 Jun 1742, (probably) Easthampton, Massachusetts; D. 20 Aug 1813; M. Elias Lyman
6. Lucy Clapp — B. Aug 1744, (probably) Easthampton, Massachusetts; M. Samuel Kellogg, 1764
7. Rhoda Clapp — B. 19 Dec 1746, Easthampton, Massachusetts; D. 29 Nov 1820, Montague, Massachusetts; M. Daniel Whittemore (1741-1816)
8. Lois Clapp — B. Oct 1748, (probably) Easthampton, Massachusetts; M. (1) Jonathan Lyman; (2) Joesph Day
9. Beulah Clapp — B. about Dec 1750, (probably) Easthampton, Massachusetts; M. Solomon Allen (1751-1821)
10. Phebe Clapp — B. 26 Dec 1752, (probably) Easthampton, Massachusetts; D. 21 Jul 1830; M. Joseph White (1749-1830), 7 Dec 1791
11. Merab Clapp — B. 10 Sep 1755, (probably) Easthampton, Massachusetts; D. 3 May 1825, Pittsfield, Massachusetts; M. (1) Elisha Allen (1752-1796); (2) Oliver Root (?-1807), 4 Dec 1805, Conway, Massachusetts
Sources:
The History of Easthampton: its settlement and growth, Payson W. Lyman, 1866
The Clapp Memorial: record of the Clapp family in America, Ebenezer Clapp, 1876
"Easthampton, Mass.," L.S. Smith, New England Magazine, 1904
Tombstone inscription of Jonathan Clapp, Main Street Cemetery, Easthampton, Massachusetts
