John Strong (1605-1699) – Two 10th Great Grandfathers on the same pilgrim ship!

John Strong is my 10th Great Grandfather, on my father’s side of the family.  Interestingly, he emigrated from England to the Massachusetts colony on the ship Mary and John, the same ship that my 10th Great Grandfather on my mother’s side Captain Roger Clapp, arrived on.  I’ve written extensively about Roger Clapp in other posts… Continue reading John Strong (1605-1699) – Two 10th Great Grandfathers on the same pilgrim ship!

Lucy Hanson (1798-1879)

Lucy Hanson is Edwin Ruthven Clapp’s mother and my 4th Great Grandmother. She was born on January 10, 1798 in Deerfield Massachusetts to parents William Hoar and Persis Gunn.  How then did she have the name Hanson? In 1818, four years after her mother died, when Lucy was 20 years of age and just one year before her… Continue reading Lucy Hanson (1798-1879)

Shadrach Hoar (1743 – 1832)

Shadrach Hoar is my 6th Great Grandfather on the Forster side of our family. His Heritage is Puritan.  His Great Grandfather, Hezekiah arrived in the Massachusetts from England in 1634 as a single man of 26.  He married at age 45 and had eight children before his death at 85. Shadrach was born September 18, 1743 in… Continue reading Shadrach Hoar (1743 – 1832)

The Memoirs of Captain Roger Clapp (1609 – 1690)

Roger Clapp is my 10th Great Grandfather. Late in life he wrote his memoir, which I have attempted to publish complete in this post.  This text is taken directly from the book MEMOIRS of ROGER CLAPP published in 1844 by David Clapp. This full text includes his religious motivations as well as stories of men roasted… Continue reading The Memoirs of Captain Roger Clapp (1609 – 1690)

Captain Roger Clapp’s Story . . . In His Own Words

Roger Clapp is my 10th Great Grandfather. Late in life he wrote his memoir and in it he recounted how and why he had traveled to the Massachussets Colony and what transpired when he arrived.  Roger was a Puritain and his motivations were deeply religious.  Religious references and lists of people fill his narrative. The… Continue reading Captain Roger Clapp’s Story . . . In His Own Words

Roger Clapp (1609 – 1690)

Fanciful drawing of Captain Roger Clap, possibly with historically accurate uniform.  Scan from The Pilgrim Shore by Edmund H. Garrett. Boston: Little, Brown, 1900. Roger Clapp is my 10th Great Grandfather. He arrived in the Massachusetts colony on May 30, 1630.  He came on the ship “Mary and John”, which was the first of 17 ships… Continue reading Roger Clapp (1609 – 1690)

E.R. Clapp’s early days in Fort Des Moines

My 2nd Great Grandfather – Edwin Ruthven Clapp (1827 – 1906) E.R., as he was known, was a powerful and well connected man in Des Moines.  He was a banker, real estate developer and a factory owner.  He was “Sargent of Arms” of the Iowa State Legislature and moved in the highest levels of Iowa politics and… Continue reading E.R. Clapp’s early days in Fort Des Moines

The Forster Block – A legal battle

If you’re reading the posts on this site, you’ll know already about “The Clapp Block”, which was built by Edwin Ruthven Clapp (1827-1907) who was my 2nd Great Grandfather.  E.R. Clapp, as he was known, built the impressive office building known as The Clapp Block in 1873. Here’s a picture of The Clapp Block Just… Continue reading The Forster Block – A legal battle

The Clapp Block in the Des Moines Daily News August 7 1901

I’ve been looking for more on Edwin Ruthven Clapp (1827 – 1906), my 3rd Great Grandfather. He built a large and famous office building in Des Moines, called “The Clapp Block”. On August 7, 1901 there was a full page on The Clapp Block in the Des Moines Daily News. the clapp block des moines… Continue reading The Clapp Block in the Des Moines Daily News August 7 1901

Some glimpses into the life of Edwin Ruthven Clapp’s family

Edwin Ruthven Clapp (1827 – 1906)  is my 2nd Great Grandfather. Today I spent some time with the E.R. Clapp family in Des Moines. Some of what follows I’ve written about before and some of it is new information to me. I’m trying to put it all together for myself and while I’m doing that,… Continue reading Some glimpses into the life of Edwin Ruthven Clapp’s family