Genealogy Data Page 103 (Notes Pages)

Note: He moved from Dorchester to Norhamption at age 20. He bacame on of the leading men in civil and ecclesiastical affairs, and his usefulness was continued during a long and active life. He was a Captain of the town and their Representative in the General Court, and Ruling Elder in the church.

Source: (Name)
Title: Gen. Reg. of the First Settlers of N.E.
Author: James Savage
Publication: Gen. Publish. Col
Media: Book
Page: 60

Death: 20 SEP 1720 Northampton, Hampshire, MA

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Clapp, Roger Capt. (b. 6 APR 1609, d. 2 FEB 1690/91)

Note: Roger arrived on the "Mary and John" [Captain Squeb] which sailed from Plymouth, England on March 20, 1630. The passengers of this ship, including Rev. John Maverick and Rev. John Warham, were the first settlers of Dorchester, Mass. They arrived about June 17, 1630.

Roger Clapp was the youngest of five children. His father held a large copyhold [leased] farm called "Combe Wood", which was between the church and the English Channel about 12 miles east of Exeter, Devon. Their large thatch roofed cottage was only a few hundred yards from the chalk cliffs that fell 200 feet into the channel, and this beautiful, ancient cottage still stands today.

As Roger Approached adulthood he began to think about living abroad and his father consented. First, he went to live with Mr. William Southcot, a worthy gentleman, who lived three miles from Exeter. Since there was a very mean preacher in Mr. Southcot's town he took his family to Exeter every Sunday to worship, where there were many famous preachers. There Roger heard Rev. John Warham and became so impressed he decided he wanted to live near him. After his father consented he moved to Exeter and moved in with the family of Mr. Mossiour, "as famous a family for religion as I ever knew". Mossiour kept 7 or 8 men and maid servants and held a conference once a week with them on religious questions.

Up to this time Roger had never heard of New England, but here he heard that Rev. Warham was organizing a group of "many Godly persons" to establish homes in the new land. Mossiour asked Roger if he would go and he said he would go willingly if he was not engaged to his master. When Mossiour encouraged him to join the group he wrote to his father and asked his permission. At first his father was displeased and told his family that Roger should not go, and he failed to reply to his son. Not hearing from his father, Roger visited his father and "God so inclined his heart that he never said me nay".

When Rev. John Maverick, another minister organizing the emigration to New England, heard of Roger's desire to join the group, he went to the house of his father. Roger had never met this man who lived 40 miles away. Rev. Maverick asked his father for permission to take Roger under his care, and the elder Clapp agreed. So at the age of 21, Roger Clapp journeyed about 90 miles to Plymouth, Devon, where on 20 March 1630 he bearded the ship "Mary & John" with 139 other men, women 6 children and sailed for America.

The Clapps were considered dissenters of the Church of England. A later vicar wrote that Puritanism grew like a "small pox" amond the middle classes, and this resulted in Roger Clapp leaving for New England, along with 2 other "false parishoners", George Weekes and Stephen Hoppin.

Roger Clapp is most noted for the memoirs that he left for posterity, which he probably wrote about 1676. He described some of the history and experiences of the group of people who banded together in Plymouth, England and who founded one of the earliest settlements in New England. Three years later when he was 24 years old he married Johanna Ford, who was only 16 years old. She had been a fellow passenger on the "Mary & John", the daughter of Thomas Ford & Elizabeth Charde. In 1635, Thomas Ford joined the group of "Mary & John" families who decided to move to the Connecticut valley and settle at Windsor, Conn., but Roger chose to remain in Dorchester. He probably lived in a house he built near the old Causeway Road, leading to Little Neck (now South Boston). A passageway (later called Willow Court) led from the road to the house.

Roger Clapp's life was a busy and eventful one. In works of Benevolence he was forward and earnest, and his ability and energy of character were acknowledged by the colony and the town. In 1637 he was chosen Selectman and 14 times afterwards, prior to 1665. Several times he was chosen a Deputy from Dorchester, to the General Court. He was remarkably industrious, detested idleness and a man of Good judgement. His meekness and humility were proverbial and he had a very quiet and peaceful spirit. At the first organization of the military of the colony, in 1644, he became a Lieutenant of the Dorchester company. At that time the military was obliged to parade 8 days a year. He later became a Captain in that company and on 10 August 1665 he was appointed Captain of the Castle (Later Fort Independence) on an island in Boston Harbor.

He held this office for 21 years, until he was 77 years old. He resigned in 1686, principally because of the political troubles which began under the administration of Sir Edmund Andros. It is said that, under Andros, some things were required of him which were "grievous to his pious soul". In 1676, the castle was described as being a small island, 3 miles from Boston, built of stone, with four bastions and mounted with 38 guns, 16 whole culverins, commodiously seated upon a rising ground 60 paces from the waterside, under which, at high water mark, was a small stone battery of six guns. The commander, Captain Roger Clapp, then an old man, was paid an annual salary of 50 pounds. With him were 6 gunners who were paid 10 pounds a year.

On 24 September 1686, he relinquished command of the castle, and as he left, he was honored with the firing of nine guns. He spent the remaining five years of his life in the south end of Boston. His funeral included a great parade with the military and probably the Ancient & Honorable Artillery Company (of which he was a member) preceding the corpse, followed by his relations, mourners, the Governor and the members of the General Court, while the guns of the castle were fired.

He was very kind and affectionate to the soldiers under his command and encouraged them both, by precept and example, to be worthy citizens, "and enlisted none but pious as well as brave men". He was held in such affection by the people of Dorchester, that during a severe sickness in 1672, they visited him and held a fast "to beg his Life of God". When he recovered they held a day of Thanksgiving. Roger Clapp & Johanna Ford had fourteen children between 1634 and 16h0. She was only 17 when the first was born and she bore children for 24 years. Eight died young or in their youth, while six lived to adulthood and married.

Source: (Name)
Title: Gen. Reg. of the First Settlers of N.E.
Author: James Savage
Publication: Gen. Publish. Col
Media: Book
Page: 60

Source: (Name)
Title: The Great Migration Begins
Author: Robert Charles Anderson
Media: Book

Note: genealogylibrary.com

Christening: 6 APR 1609 St. Peter & St. Mary, Salcombe Regis, Devon, England

Immigration: Date: 30 MAY 1630
Place: Nantasket, MA

Death: 2 FEB 1690/91 Boston, Suffolk, MA

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Lamb, Mary (b. 7 MAR 1680/81, d. 3 MAR 1734/35)

Source: (Death)
Title: VR-Ipswich, Essex, MA
Media: Book

Death: 3 MAR 1734/35 Ipswich, Essex, MA

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Low, John (b. 2 MAR 1633/34, d. 28 JAN 1704/05)

Source: (Name)
Title: Hammatt Papers
Author: Abraham Hammatt
Publication: 1880 Ipswich, Essex, MA
Media: Book
Page: pg 216

Death: 28 JAN 1704/05 Ipswich, Essex, MA

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Boardman, Thomas (b. ABT 1601, d. MAY 1673)

Note: An entry in the Register of St. Helen's, Bishopgate, London, 1575-1873, p. 132:
1630 Aug. 17 - Thomas Bourman, batcheler and cordwayner of Lond, and Margarett Offing, maiden, married by bond.

The Committee on English Research determined that this is probably the same Thomas Boreman of Ipswich, Mass.

First Families of America - p. 60, says Thomas Boreman/Boardman was from Claydon, England.
Freeman on 4 March 1635; Representative in 1636.

Source: (Name)
Title: Hammatt Papers
Author: Abraham Hammatt
Publication: 1880 Ipswich, Essex, MA
Media: Book

Baptism: 18 OCT 1601 Claydon, England

Death: MAY 1673 Ipswich, Chebacco Parish, MA

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Low, Thomas Capt. (b. ABT 1605, d. 8 SEP 1677)

Note: Thomas Low was one of Denison's subscribers of 1648. He had a share and a half in Plum Island. His will dated 30 April 1677 mentions his wife, Susannah, his children; John, Thomas, Abigail and Sarah; his grandchildren; Thomas Low, Sarah Low, Margaret Davison and Sarah Safford.