Selah Clapp
Selah Clapp, a pioneer of Portage County, Ohio, was born June 7, 1775, in the town of South Hampton, Hampshire Co., Mass.. and was a son of Selah Clapp, a lineal descendant of Sir Roger Clapp, who came from England, his native country, to America in 1630, and settled in the colony of Massachusetts. June 28, 1820, the subject of this sketch, being then married, started from his native town with his wife and family of six children for Ohio. Their means of conveyance was by horse team, which he drove the entire distance, arriving at Franklin Township, Portage Co., Ohio, August 8, 1820. In this township on Lot 23 he bought a farm of 163 acres, and moved with his family into a log house then standing on the land, 16x18 feet in size, which stood about 100 rods southwest of his son's, S. S. Clapp's, present residence. About the same time he purchased 250 acres of land in Avon Township, Lorain Co., Ohio. Mr. Clapp was a man of sterling worth, and soon began taking an active and prominent part in the affairs of the community where he had established his new home. He was a Whig in politics, and served his township in various public capacities, being Trustee for several terms. He was a member of the Presbyterian Church, and a liberal supporter of the religious and educational interests of the township. He was married in Montgomery Township, Hampden Co., Mass., March 1, 1804, to Diana Sheldon, who bore him eight children, all in Massachusetts except the youngest, as follows: Silas W., born December 24, 1804; Susan, born October 13, 1807, now deceased; Spencer, born December 21, 1809; Selah S., born January 9, 1812; Samuel, born November 1, 1814, now deceased; Achsah, born March 16, 1817, now deceased; Diana, born January 5, 1820; Delana, born November 13, 1822, now deceased. The father of this family died June 4, 1810, and the mother August 29, 1850. Their remains rest in the cemetery at Kent.
From History of Portage County, Ohio, Warner, Beers & Co., Chicago, 1885