Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1878-04-16
Abingdon In the Days AgOne.
Wolf creek so Years Ago.
Number 3. ]

Crossing the creek, next In order
We come to DR.. Earl B Clapp, who
cane 10 this county from MsssachU-
se:ts in 1902. He settled in Abingdon
and commenced the practice OF medi-
cine. Two or three years afterward
he married Mrs. Watkins, a daughter
of Capt. Robert Craig. He was ron
sidered one OF the eminent physicians
of his day, and enjoyed a fine repu-
tation as a surgeon, performing many
operations that were, at that time.
considered to be formidable, and at
tempted by few physicians outside of
large cities. Had ne confined himself
10 his practice he would have acquired
Z large property, but. like many north
eTn men, he had a passion for manu-
factories, and established first, on
quite an extensive scale, a wooden fac
tory for rpinning carding and fulling
WOODEN goods. In this business he
employed q large number Of persons
TO carry on the different details of his
business, bringing most of his 10
ployees from the northern States. /
believe one of our best citizens, Mr..
L. l.. Waterman. was brought here
by DIR. Clapp, aud died here about a
year since at al advanced age. DR..
CIapp had quite n passion for building
and pulling down houses for the mere
pleasure OF seeing and hearing the bus
tie and confusion attending such
Scenes. II | recollect Alright he built
the old Male Academy on the HILL
This was the first masonic procession
that l recolleut Of ever seeing. The
corner stone was laid by that fraterni-
", l.. l.. Waterman acting as master
OF ceremonies. He also built the
house now called Temperance Hall,
the contractor of the building being
the Rev. Samuel Wills. DIR. Clspp
had q mind we'll stored with facts, and
vas assessed of fine conversational
powers. Many anecdotes might be
related of him. one of which ] will
relate. Capt. Francis Smiths health
had become quite feeble, 20 much so
rs 10 alarm him. He went TO Rich
m0nd aud Baltimore 10 seek medical
advice. Meeting with but little en-
cOursgemOHt, he returned home and
consulted DIR. Clapp, who undertook
the treatment of his ca~C, in which
he WAS successful. After his recovery
the Captain called on DIR. Clapp, and
asked the price of his medical bill
The Doctor, expecting TO receive a big
fee, threw himself on the Captains
generosity, aud told him he would be
satisfied with whatever amount he
considered his life worth, Captain
Smith handed him twenty dollars
lie accepted the fee, saying nothing.
Afterwards the Captains negro car
Rage driver was sent TO him for treat
ment. Again he perfected a cure
The Captain again called to know the
smOunt of his bill. The Doctor, with
his blapdest smile. informed him that
1t was 500. The Captain began to ex-
p~Ostulate on the exOrhitaucy of the
hill, when the Doctor replied, Capt.
Smiths life was worth Just twenty
dollars, but his Carriage-driveT'E life is
worth hundred dollars. At one
time u young man, with his sister
who had gotten a twenty-five cent
piece in her throat. came to the Doc
tor to have il extracted. They found
him on the top of q house putting on
shingles. When told their business,
bs replied That he could not come
down until he had finished mailing on
x certain humber OF shingles. He
then got off the roof, told her TO sit
down, poked his thumb aud finger
down her throat. pulled out the guar
ter, put it in his pocket. and said TO
her thai he would put il where she
would not get 1t in her throat again.
The Doctor lived To quite an advanced
age. In this connection l will state
That several years afterward he was
succeeded by his son, Il. p. Clamp, and
Rev. n. e. ShprmGn. who carried on
the cotton spinning business in the
came house occupied by DIR. Clapp n
wooden factory. This business, not
proving a success, was Abandoned
On the creek lower down he erected a
large building, known as the lower
into which he removed his
wooden machinery. but never operated
at this point to @ great extent. On
the farm of DR.. Clapp is a high hill
that has always been known as thun-
der hill, from the fact that the larger
portions Of the timber OH this hill had
been destroyed 10y lightning. This
hill, so long as any timber stood on
II, seem 10 have a peculiar 8ttrnc-
ton for that fluid, caused, per-
by the iron ore, which is found
tn considerable quantities OR the farm
belonging to Mr.. Yates
On the farm Of Mr. Yates a barn was
and burned up many years ago,
and another barn, nearly on the same
site, WIS afteTward struck and serious
damaged.
Next we come 10 the farm of an Old
man named Jack Craig, who attend
ed to no ones business and not very
To his own. lie was succeeded
10y his son in-law, Lee McChesuey,
about the time OF which we write,-
McChesney was q shrewd trader
aud good farmer. He died early in
life, leaving a widow and several
ali OF whom sire dead but
Upe, G.. G.. r.