Daily Kennebec journal., 1884-05-24

J. h. claPp Esq-s th,s city, has in hi.
possession quits museum of relics of old
colonial and revolstionaiy d.vs. which ars
ofan unusually rare character, and we'll
worthy Of examination. These memorials
owned by Mr. Clapp. were handed down to
him though succeeding generations of his
family. and BY his kindness We we're allowed
to examine them one day this week
First We were shown an ancient Chinese
punch bowl, fairly hoary With age. 1t had
once been broken and showed evidences OF
having been repaired 1t is solid now, how
ever, and has the true ring. Its sides are
fantastically ornamented with Chinese char
scters. 1t came from the mother country in
1885 and was brought over in the ship
"Jsmes," Capt. Graves commander
We next examined Bible over 200 years
old 1t resembles an ordinary pocket-bible
in shape, although Of rather greater thick
ness, and Of less width and length. Its
leaves are yellow and musty with age. Itjs
bound in leather and is in a very good state
of preservation. The volume was printed in
London in 1879 BY John Bill and Christopher
Barker, printers to the King. The margins
of the pages. and the spaces between the
columns are ruled in red ink. This. practi.
cal printers say, was all done by hand and
must have been an almost interminable Job.
plain wooden cane is among the collec-
ton. The material is white oak, and was
taken from the window sill of the first house
ever finished in Boston. the wood growing on
the site of the building. This house was
erected contemporary with the old Province
house, was designed for the occupancy of the
first lieutenant governor of the Colony OF
Massachsetts Bay, and stood on Washington
street at the head of Milk street on what wa,
the estate Of Mr.. Clapp's grandfather Hewes
The historic Province house is still standing
surmounted by weather vane representing
an Indian in the act of stretching his bow pre-
paratory to discharging an arrow.
An interesting relic was a bill against Mrs
Frye. Mr.. Clapps great grandmother, fol
her daughters schooling, made July 9th
1853. What adds value to this is the fac
that the bill is written on the first piece O.
writing paper ever manufactured in thu
United States. 1t was made by James Frye,
great grand father of Mr.. Clapp, who bull
the first paper mill ever erected in the United
States, in Milton, Mass, on the Neponse
stream. Previous to this. however, a variety
of coarse brown paper had been made il
Pennsylvania.
One of Mr.. Clapp's most valuable curiosi
ties is a mahogony and white-oak chair, viii
circular back and three cornered in front
1t came over in the Pilgrim ship Lyon, ove
two and q half centuries ago. 1t has beer
described before in our columns.
We we're shown q strip of white satiI
on which was printed IN very legible charac
ters, President Madison's inaugural address
delivered in 1909.
Miss Julia Clapp. librarian at the Lithgov
Library and daughter of Mr.. J. H. Clapp
has in her possession a genuine Paul Revere
solid silver pitcher, made in 1755 for Mr.
Clapp's grandmother Hewes. 1t is about tht
size of a small sized milk pitcher and has OF
its handle the letters up. R." indented into tn,
metal. An antique pair of sugar spoons mad
after the fashion of tongs. to pick up lump
of sugar, goes with them.