David Clapp Biography >From "History of Davenport and Scott County" Vol. II by Harry E. Downer-S. J. Clarke Publishing Co. 1910 Chicago. Surnames: Clapp, Bond, Hartzel, Knouse, Stump, Guy, Marti, Drenter, Neil. The agricultural interests of Scott county find a worthy representative in David J. Clapp, who owns and operates a fine tract of two hundred acres of arable land in Sheridan township, near the village of Eldridge. He is well known in his locality, where he has spent his entire life and is a worthy son of one of the pioneers of this section of the state, for his father, Charles F. Clapp, came to Scott county in 1854. He was born in Fulton county, Illinois, February 28, 1838 , his parents being Spencer and Tilma (Bond) Clapp. The Clapp family came originally from Europe, being established on American soil many years ago by three brothers, from whom all of the name in this country are descended. In 1869 a reunion was held in Massachusetts and it was then discovered that there were more than twelve hundred members of the family here, many of whom left here eastern home and are now numbered among the early settlers of the middle west. Spencer Clapp, the grandfather of David J. Clapp, and his father, Selah Clapp, came west as far as Ohio in 1820, settling in Portage county, where the latter bought a farm, which is still in the possession of his descendants. There Spencer Clapp grew to manhood, learning the shoemaker's trade, and there he was married and lived until 1837, when he and his wife and his brother-in-law, Seldon Bond, went by wagon to Fulton county, Illinois. There he secured one hundred and sixty acres of government land and Mr. Bond three hundred and twenty, for which they paid one dollar and a quarter an acre. Upon it they built a house, made other improvements and lived until 1839, when Mr. Clapp was called to Ohio by the illness of his father. Upon the latter's death he sold his property in Fulton county, Illinois, and operated the old homestead in Portage county, Ohio, until 1854, when he came to Scott county, Iowa, taking up his residence in Davenport. There, on Locust street near Brady, ! he built a house, which by the way is still standing, and rented ten acres near where Central Park is now situated, which he planted in corn. The next year he rented forty acres more, agreeing to give Dr. Hall , the landlord, two-fifths of the crops. For the next three years he lived in Davenport, in which time he sold the house he had built first, put up another on a lot he had purchased on Main street, and then traded that for forty acres in Sheridan township. After moving his family to the farm, putting up a house and establishing his home there, it was discovered that the title to the land was defective, and they lost their property. They kept the house, however, for with thirty-tow yoke of cattle and the assistance of friends and neighbors Mr. Clapp moved it into the road. There he and his family lived for about a year. Charles F. Clapp, who had accompanied his father upon his several removals married about that time and his first home was that house standing in the middle of the road. He had been able to get two crops from the land before the mortgage was foreclosed. Later, in 1863, he bought forty acres from Mr. Hartzel, built thereon a house, and then as he was drafted into the army he sold his place for twelve hundred dollars. He was not called into service, however, and with his money he bought eighty acres of land in Sheridan township, which is now included in the farm of his son, D. J. Clapp. He engaged in other real-estate transactions, buying finally one hundred and sixty acres of land in Sheridan township, on which he lived until 1896, when he retired from active life. He is now living in Davenport but still retains his interest in agricultural pursuits, as he owns two hundred and forty acres in that township. On Christmas day, 1860, Mr. Clapp wedded Miss Elizabeth Knouse, who was born near Carlisle, Pennsylvania, January 28, 1842. Her parents were David and Mary (Stump) Knouse, who came to Scott county in 1850. Mr. and Mrs. Clapp have had nine children, namely: Samuel, who is living at Aredale, Iowa, and is the father of six children; Anna, who married L. B. Guy, of Davenport, and has three children; Emma, the deceased wife of George Marti; Bertha, the deceased wife of Milton Drenter; Seldon, who resides in St. Joseph, Missouri, and is the father of two sons; David J. and Charles S., who are twins, the former being mentioned below and the latter living upon the old home place in Sheridan township; Archie, who is a physician of Muscatine, Iowa; ad Nellie, who is living with her parents. Mr. Clapp served as road supervisor and as school director for about ten years, and fraternally is identified with the Ancient Order of United Workmen and with the Modern Woodmen of America. In 18! 54 he joined the Christian church of Davenport and is now the oldest member of the congregation. He was treasurer of the church for a number of years, and wherever he is known he is respected as a man of sterling integrity and noble life. David J. Clapp, whose name stands at the head of this review, was born upon the farm whose fields he now cultivates, June 11, 1874, and has spent his entire life in the vicinity of his birthplace. When of suitable age he was enrolled as a pupil of the public schools in Davenport. The following three winters he went to business college, while in the summer he devoted himself to agriculture, which has always been his vocation. He is a young man imbued with progressive ideas, one who knows the value of industry and perseverance, and through the aid of these qualities and a good business judgment he has been able to make his farming profitable. He also owns in conjunction with his brother, Charles S., twenty acres of timberland on the Wapsipinicon river, this county. Mr. Clapp wedded, December 1, 1896, Miss Jennie Neil, a daughter of James Neil and a relative of Chris Marti. The latter is one of the well known citizens of Scott county, and was for a long period identified with ! the agricultural interests of Winfield township. He was a native of Switzerland and was about seven years of age when in 1852 he accompanied his father upon the journey to the new world. At the age of twenty-two he started to make his own way in the world as a farmer, and to this end procured some unimproved land in Sheridan township. He was successful in his undertakings and having rented his farm to his sons, enjoys a well earned rest. He was also a conspicuous figure in the public affairs of this county, for in addition to filling several of the minor offices he was elected to the general assembly at Des Moines, sitting in the twenty-third, twenty-fourth and twenty-sixth sessions, and in the call session summoned by Governor Drake. He received the nomination on the democratic ticket in 1898 for state senator but was not elected. However, the fact he has held the office of secretary of the school board continuously since 1872, is an indication of the confidence the people ! place in him. He is a man of sterling integrity, one who has ever proved true to the trust of his constituents and has ever acted as he believed right. Mr. and Mrs. Clapp are the parents of one son, Neil, who was born September 12, 1900. Politically Mr. Clapp allies himself with the republican party and has severed the township for the past eight years as a member of the school board. Fraternally he is identified with several organizations. He belongs to the Long Grove lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and is serving as noble grand, while he is a member of and banker of the camp of the Woodmen of the World of Long Grove. He also belongs to the Modern Brotherhood of America, holding membership in the lodge at Eldridge. He gives his allegiance in religious matters to the Christian church of Long Grove, of which he is a deacon and in the work of which he is very active. Endowed by nature with a strong intellectual force, prompted by a laudable ambition to succeed in his occupation, and unafraid of hard, persevering work, he has already made substantial progress in his life work, and there is every reason for him t! o look forward to a bright and successful future. ~~~~~~*~~~~~~ Elaine Rathmann ACC Scott Co, IA USGenWeb Project List Adm: *IA-CIVIL-WAR *IA-DANES