Person:Richard Clapp (2)

Biography

Richard Clapp was a "billman." He appears in the 1569 Devonshire Muster Rolls for Sidbury. He appear in the 1571, 1576, 1581 and 1589 Sidbury subsidy rolls. His residence was near the Ottery Hill on the border with Ottery St Mary [deposition of his son Nicholas saying his father described the border stones remarking the grazing bounds of sheep there].

The birth of Richard is unrecorded we only know that he was the sole son named in his father's will. Based on the contents of his father's will it is posited he was born about 1528 because in the will Richard was already married with two children. He died after 1589 [when Richard was last listed as the sole Clapp in the Sidbury subsidy rolls] and before 25 JUL 1609 [when his widow Christian wrote her will].

Richard had seven known children. He left a widow Christian who is currently thought to be the mother of all of his children. Richard's wife Christian (__ ), died in Sidbury, Devonshire, between 25 July 1608 [writing of her will] and 12 August 1608 [will proved]. Walter Goodin Davis in 1945 postulated that Richard had an unknown first wife before Christian. This is based on the fact that Christian only named one son, Nicholas, in her will. However, in more recent research published in 2000 by NEHGS in Kempton Ancestry the authors assert that this is not sufficient evidence to believe Richard had a first wife. The authors point out that It was not uncommon for a widow during this period in England who had meager resources to only name one son even if she had several sons. As evidenced by her inventory she had little more than her wearing apparel. Their son Peter's will names his brother Nicholas and Robert and Peter's marriage record named his father as Richard Clapp of Sidbury. Furthermore his other brother Richard Clapp was appointed executor of Peter's will. Taken together we can see there were clearly more sons than named in the Richard widow's will. Richard and Christian's grandson John left a will leaving bequests to "my dear and loving cousins Roger Claps children" and appointed "my cousin Roger Clap" as one of the overseers indicating that their father William was also a son of Richard and Christian Clapp. In total these data indicate that Richard had five sons and two daughters (see list of children below). Both his sons William and Nicholas had children that came to New England.

Will of Widow Christian Clapp

To the poor of Sidbury 5s. To my godchildren 4d. each. To my goddaughter dwelling at Broadclist22 one petticoat. To Mary Clapp my gowne. To Elizabeth Clapp, my son Nicholas his wife, my cloake. To Prudence Clapp, Ann Crutchell and Ann Windsam all linen apparell. To Prudence Clapp my cobord at Pynhill,23 etc. 121 To said Ann Windsam £10 to be paid at the end of a year after my death, to be employed to the best use for her benefit and if she happen to die before the age of 20, said £ 10 to remain to Prudence Clapp. To Eyde Crutchett my daughter £10. To Richard Clapp my son Nicholas his son one chest. To Ellen Lee my kyrtle. Residue to Nicholas my son, executor. Witnesses: Thos. Ebson,24 James Taylor Proved 12 August 1608

The inventory of widow Christian Clapp of Sidbury was presented 9 August 1608 and totalled a modest £ 15 1 Os, which was insufficient to pay the legacies outlined in her will

Sources

1.   Roberts, Gary Boyd. Ancestors of American Presidents. (Boston, Massachusetts: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2009).

   Ancestor of five American presidents: through son William, James A. Garfield, George H. W. Bush, George W. Bush and Franklin Delano Roosevelt; Roosevelt was descended from one of William's daughters, who married her cousin, a son of another of Richard's sons, Nicholas, who was also the ancestor of Calvin Coolidge.

2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2} Smith, Dean Crawford, and Melinde Lutz Sanborn. The Ancestry of Eva Belle Kempton 1878-1908. (Boston, Massachusetts: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1996-2008)
   IV:120.

   Richard Clapp, living in 1589 and probably still living in 1595, but died before 25 July 1608 when his widow made her will.

3. ↑ ^3.0 3.1 Holman, Mary Lovering; Winifred Lovering Holman; and Helen Pendleton Winston Pillsbury. Ancestry of Colonel John Harrington Stevens and his wife, Frances Helen Miller: Compiled for Helen Pendleton (Winston) Pillsbury. (Concord, New Hampshire: Rumford Press, 1948, 1952)
   1:277.

   link to source recommended by Robert Charles Anderson Born about 1528 in Sidbury, Devon, England and died before 25 Jul 1609 in Sidbury, Devon, England. With first unknown unknown wife had 1) 1st child 2) 2nd child 3) Peter 4) Robert 5) Mary 6) William. With 2nd wife Christian (unknown) has 1) Nicholas 2) Edye and 3) A daughter.

Note these older Genealogies also treat this family but have errors corrected in Kempton Anc and should be used with caution:

1. Mary Lovering Holman, The Scott Genealogy . . . (Boston 1919) 224-30 link
2. Walter Goodwin Davis, The Ancestry of Joseph Neal, 1769-c.1835 (Portland, Maine, 1945) 87-93 link
3. Mary Lovering Holman (and Winifred Lovering Holman), Ancestry of Colonel John Harrington Stevens and his wife Frances Helen Miller, 2 volumes (n.p. 1948, 1951) 1:276 link
4. Mary Walton Ferris, Dawes-Gates Ancestral Lines (n.p., 1943) 1:155-75 link