John Clap

1700 - 1788  (88 years)

• Name	John Clap
  Birth	21 Mar 1700	Sudbury, Middlesex County, Province of Massachusetts Bay   [2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 11]
  Letter	25 May 1717 (17 years)	Sudbury, Middlesex County, Province of Massachusetts Bay   [3]
  He wrote the following letter to his uncle, the Rev. Nathaniel Clap of Newport, Rhode Island on 25 May 1717: Honoured Sir By these I Let you Understand that at present I am in Good Health, and that I received the Book you Sent me, Intituled, Purchase His Pilgrimage (Whereof I have read near one half) For which I render you Many Humble and Hearty Thanks; as also for your Providential care, in Borrowing of Mr. Parry, a Book Intituled The Successions of Englands Monarchs for me, Which I Received of him near the Middle of January, and Having Dilligently Perused it, I returned it home the Last Thursday without any harm thereto. I Lament my Liability to Retaliate the many favours your Goodness has heaped upon me But assure your self that I shall Omit nothing that a Gratemll mind is Capable of. And so not to be Tedious to you, Imploring the Continuance of your Good Esteem, I Crave Leave to subscribe myself in all Love and Respect. Your Obedient Nephew and Servant John Clap.
  Education	say 1720 (19 years)	Sudbury, Middlesex County, Province of Massachusetts Bay   [2]
  According to Ebenezer Clap (1861), "He had a common school education, but being uncommonly studious and attentive to books, and having a very retentive memory withal, furnished himself with a most surprising fund of knowledge - was able to converse with any person on philosophy, astronomy, mathematics in all its various branches, geography, divinity, &c., &c. His company was courted by all his literary acquaintance. Yet with all his acquired knowledge, he never accumulated any pecuniary profit by it, such gains not being his object. He lived above want, which was the extent of his wishes, and died a firm and sincere christian."
  Religion	11 Feb 1723 (22 years)	Sudbury, Middlesex County, Province of Massachusetts Bay   [10]
  The church records by Mr. Loring state as follows: 44 Feb. 11, 1723. The church met at my house, where, after the brethren on the east side had manifested their desire that the church might be divided into two churches, it was so voted by majority." At the time of the division of the church, the number of communicants on the west side was thirty-two males and forty-two females. (Steams' Collection.) The Church Records went into the possession of the West Parish. On March 18, 1724-5, the west side people "entered into and renewed" a "holy church covenant," and was signed by the male members including John Clap and his father.
  Death	12 Apr 1788	Sudbury, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, U.S.A.   [2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 11]
  Burial	Aft 12 Apr 1788	Revolutionary War Cemetery , Sudbury, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, U.S.A. Revolutionary War Cemetery ,  Sudbury, Massachusetts   [6, 8, 9]
  	Gravestone of John Clap Erected In Memory of Mr John Clap, who was born March 21st 1700. And died April 12th 1788 In the 88th year of his Age.
  Siblings	1 brother and 2 sisters
  + 1. John Clap,   b. 21 Mar 1700, Sudbury, Middlesex County, Province of Massachusetts Bay d. 12 Apr 1788, Sudbury, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, U.S.A.  (Age 88 years) ▻ Abigail Esterbrook,  m. 17 Mar 1723/24   2. Thankful Clap,   b. 6 Oct 1706, Sudbury, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, U.S.A.   3. Nathaniel Clap,   b. 10 Sep 1709, Sudbury, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, U.S.A. d. probably young, Sudbury, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, U.S.A.   4. Elizabeth Clap
  Patriarch & Matriarch	Richard Clap   (3 x Great Grandfather)  Silence  (Mother)
  Person ID, Branch	I150	Roy Line
  Last Modified	4 Jul 2025

  
  

  Father	Deacon John Clap,   b. 7 Apr 1671, Dorchester, Suffolk County, Massachusetts, U.S.A. d. 26 Nov 1735, Sudbury, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, U.S.A. (Age 64 years)
  Mother	Silence
  Family ID	F183	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Spouse / Partner	Abigail Esterbrook,   b. 25 Sep 1702, Lexington, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, U.S.A. d. 26 May 1790, Sudbury, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, U.S.A. (Age 87 years)
  Marriage	17 Mar 1723/24	Sudbury, Middlesex County, Province of Massachusetts Bay   [1, 2, 3, 5, 12]
  Age at Marriage	He : 24 years - She : 21 years and 6 months.
  Children	6 sons and 4 daughters
  +   1. Beulah Clap,   b. 1 Jan 1724/25, Sudbury, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, U.S.A. d. 4 May 1809, Rutland, Worcester County, Massachusetts, U.S.A. (Age 84 years) ▻ Captain Phineas Walker  m. 12 Dec 1744     2. Joel Clap,   b. 2 Jul 1726, Sudbury, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, U.S.A. d. 1770 (Age 43 years)  [Father: Birth]  [Mother: Birth]     3. Jerusha Clap,   b. 14 May 1728, Sudbury, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, U.S.A. d. Sudbury, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, U.S.A.  [Father: Birth]  [Mother: Birth]     4. Asahel Clap,   b. 12 Mar 1729/30, Sudbury, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, U.S.A. d. Rutland, Worcester County, Massachusetts, U.S.A.  [Father: Birth]  [Mother: Birth]     5. Ann Clap,   b. 9 Feb 1732, Sudbury, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, U.S.A.  [Father: Birth]  [Mother: Birth]     6. Mary Clap,   b. 18 Nov 1733, Sudbury, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, U.S.A. d. Hubbardston, Worcester County, Massachusetts, U.S.A.  [Father: Birth]  [Mother: Birth]     7. John Clap,   b. 24 Dec 1735, Sudbury, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, U.S.A. d. 6 Jul 1736, Sudbury, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, U.S.A. (Age 0 years)  [Father: Birth]  [Mother: Birth]     8. Silas Clap,   b. 17 Sep 1737, Sudbury, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, U.S.A. d. 11 Dec 1755, Sudbury, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, U.S.A. (Age 18 years)  [Father: Birth]  [Mother: Birth]     9. Samuel Clap,   b. 11 Dec 1755  [Father: Birth]  [Mother: Birth]   10. Colonel Daniel Clap,   b. 10 Oct 1739, Sudbury, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, U.S.A.  [Father: Birth]  [Mother: Birth]
  Family ID	F184	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	4 Jul 2025

  
  

• Pedigree

  ← Click to display 1John Clap(1700 – 1788) 2Deacon John Clap(1671 – 1735) 4Nathaniel Clap(1640 – 1707) 8Deacon Nicholas Clap(1612 – 1679) 16Nicholas Clap(Abt 1575 – 1631) 17Elizabeth( – 1631) 9Sarah Clap 18father Clap 19 5Elizabeth Smith(Abt 1648 – 1722) 10 20 21 11 22 23 3Silence 6 12 24 25 13 26 27 7 14 28 29 15 30 31

  
  

• Event Map		Birth - 21 Mar 1700 - Sudbury, Middlesex County, Province of Massachusetts Bay Letter - 25 May 1717 - Sudbury, Middlesex County, Province of Massachusetts Bay Education - say 1720 - Sudbury, Middlesex County, Province of Massachusetts Bay Religion - 11 Feb 1723 - Sudbury, Middlesex County, Province of Massachusetts Bay Marriage - 17 Mar 1723/24 - Sudbury, Middlesex County, Province of Massachusetts Bay Death - 12 Apr 1788 - Sudbury, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, U.S.A. Burial - Aft 12 Apr 1788 - Revolutionary War Cemetery , Sudbury, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, U.S.A.  = Link to Google Earth
  Pin Legend	: Address       : Location       : City/Town       : County/Shire       : State/Province       : Country       : Not Set

  
  

• Sources 🟢 Primary Evidence 🟡 Secondary Evidence 🟠 Tertiary Evidence 🔴 Unreliable Evidence

  [S1552] Bailey, Frederick W. Early Massachusetts Marriages Prior to 1800 as Found on Ancient Court Records of the Counties of Middlesex, Hampshire, Berkshire and Bristol, (Worcester: Frederick W. Bailey, 1914). [S1098] Clap, Ebenezer. "Nicholas Clap and His Descendants" , (Boston: The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, volume XV, 1861). [S1557] Clapp, Ebenezer. The Clapp Memorial: Record of the Clapp Family in America, (Boston: David Clapp & Sons, 1876). [S1561] Davis, George Arthur. Davis and Fifty Allied Colonial Families of New England, (Augusta, Maine: Kennebec Journal, 1956). [S1559] Estabrook, William. Genealogy of the Estabrook Family, (Ithica, New York: Andrus & Church, 1891). [S14] Ancestry.com, Find a Grave® Index, 1600s-Current® http://findagrave.com, (Lehi, Utah: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.), Memorial ID 68791952 John Clap. [S1947] Gravestone Inscription. [S1560] Greenlaw, Lucy Hall. Inscriptions from the Old Cemetery at Sudbury, Mass., (Boston: David Clapp & Son. 1906). [S1562] Greenlaw, Lucy Hall. "Inscriptions at Sudbury, Mass.", (Boston: The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Volume LXI, January 1907). [S953] Hudson, Alfred Sereno. The History of Sudbury, Massachusetts 1638-1889, Reprint of 1889 edition, (Sudbury, Massachusetts: The Sudbury Press, 1968). [S1558] Lea, J. Henry. Genealogy of the Ancestors and Descendants of George Augustus and Louisa (Clap) Trumbull, of Trumbull Square, Worcester, Mass, (Unknown Place: By the Author, 1886). [S982] Woods, Henry Earnest. Vital Records of Sudbury, Massachusetts to the Year 1850, (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1903).