Elias Clapp (abt. 1630 - 1689)

Born about 1630 in England

Husband of Susan Gilson — married 1648 in Deptford,Kent,England

Descendants

Died 6 Jun 1689 at about age 59 in Deptford, Kent, England

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Biography

16.2 George and Mary Gilson

George Gilson was born in England. He may have been a mariner. There were several Gilsons of Stepney, including a George, who were mariners.

It is said that George “possessed an ardent thirst for knowledge, and visited most of the countries of Europe, extending his travels through Palestine and some parts of the Turkish Empire. He visited the Holy Sepulchre at Jerusalem in the character of a pilgrim, the only mode in which he could travel in safety. He acquired a knowledge of various languages and assumed many of the oriental customs, amongst others the habit of chewing opium which he became fond to excess. He crossed the Red, Black and Dead Seas, travelled in Egypt, and returned to his native country after having spent nearly twenty years in foreign nations. He expended the greater part of a large fortune, in course of his various travels”.

16.3 Capt. Elias Clapp and Susan Gilson

Susan Gilson was christened on 25 Nov 1630 at St. Dunstan, Stepney, London (located across the Thames River from Deptford). She was the daughter of George Gilson.

In 1648, Elias Clapp married Susan Gilson in St Nicholas, Deptford, Kent . On 1 April 1649, their son John, our ancestor was born.

St Nicholas Church, the original parish church, dates back to the 14th century but the current building is 17th century. The entrance to the churchyard features a set of skull-and-bones on top of the posts. A plaque on the north wall commemorates playwright Christopher Marlowe who was murdered in a nearby house, and buried in an unmarked grave in the churchyard on 1 June 1593.

Deptford is an area on the south bank of the River Thames in south-east London. From the mid- 16th century to the late 19th, it was home to Deptford Dockyard, the first of the Royal Dockyards. Deptford's history and population has been mainly associated with the docks established by Henry VIII. Deptford was important for trade. The Honourable East India Company had their own yard in Deptford from 1607 until late in the 17th century. Deptford was also connected with the slave trade, John Hawkins using it as a base for his operations. In 1642, Massachusetts became the first colony to legalize slavery.

Elias captained the ship Asia Merchant on its first voyage for the East India Company in 1684 -1685. He also had a one-eighth interest in the ship Robert and Margaret of London of which his son-in-law William Wild was master. In his will, he refers to himself as a “mariner” and mentions some damask “which I brought from the Straits”.

His brother Thomas may also have been a mariner. There was a Thomas Clapp commissioned in 1666 to be captain of the Little Lion fireship in the Royal Navy .

A sailor, mariner, or seaman is a person who navigates water-borne vessels or assists in their operation, maintenance, or service. Mariners spend extended periods at sea. The Captain (or Master or Shipmaster, sometimes skipper colloquially) of a merchant vessel is a licensed mariner in ultimate command of the vessel. The captain is responsible for its safe and efficient operation, including cargo operations, navigation, crew management and ensuring that the vessel complies with local and international laws, as well as company and flag state policies.

Elias Clapp’s will refers to his son John. “Whereas my sonne John Clapp is indebted unto me the sume of three hundred pounds sterling I do freely forgive him the said debt and over and above the same I give and bequeath unto him my said sonne John Clapp the sum of five pounds in full satisfaction of all demands.”

St. Nicholas Church in Deptford records indicate burial dates of 6 Jun 1689 for Elias Clapp and 14 May 1673 for Susan Clapp.

Name

Name: George Gilson /CLAPP/^[1]

Sources

• WikiTree profile Clapp-415 created through the import of PaulAncestry.ged on Jan 26, 2012 by Joyce Rosnel. See the Changes page for the details of edits by Joyce and others.

• Source: S00004 Title: NEGHS Reg. 1951, Vol. 105 NOTENEGHS Reg. 1951, Vol. 105.

1. ↑ Source: #S00004 Page: 252 Data: Text: Gives John CLAPP's father as also named John.