The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1921-04-04
PRESIDENT OF TRUST co. DIES.
o Continued from Page II

was clerk in II. f. Houghton's
dIysoods store, the present +. w.
huech store, and later became
travelling salesman for Cheney
Clapp, stationers, his brother being a
member OF the firm. Ibis firm, winch
wholesale and retail business, and when
IT sold out last year George ii. Clapp
mad been III business longer than any
other Brattleboro merchant.
Seeing an opportunity that promised
well in the Wholesale iewelry business,
Mr.. tlapp with characteristic good iudg-
ment engaged in that business for him
sell, travelling as before much OF the
time and laying the foundation Tor his
financial success
Following the failure of the Waite
bank, next door south of the town hal
building, Mr.. Clapp leased those quar-
tiers and moved his jewelry business
there, establishing retail store. Know
ing Oyando T.. Randall of Woodstock
and being on the road so much Mr.
Clapn induced Mr.. Randall to come here
and 90 into business with him, and they
formed the Randall & Clapp partner
ship. 81 years ago, which has continued
ever since, although in recent years the
active management has been in the
hands of Mr.. Randall because of MIR
Clapps various other interests. The
old bank vault is still doing service in
In 1905 Mr.. Clapp formed partner
ship with his nephew, Bentley {. Starr
IN. Springfield, Mass, in the Starr Eiec
trlcal Co., for dealing in electric and ga:
fixtures and doing electrical contract
work, and that partnership has contin
ued ever since. lie also became mem
Der of the Wilson Brick Co. of Hart
ford. Conn. which has continued unit
now.
When the Brattleboro Trust Co. wa.
organized late in 1906 through the efforts
of Charles a. Boyden and John r. Ry
der, Mr., Clapp was elected president
and lie has been reelected each year
In March. 1907, he bought of DR.. anC
Mrs. {. III. Shalcs of Boston the four
story Milestone building, now the Parl
building, on Main street, which he has
continued to own and which is used fol
mercantile, Office and apartment pur
poses.
Mr.. Clapp, with other influential res
idents, organized the S, \. Smith Mfg
Co. in December. 1912, with paid-ir
capital Of sos, GOO. and Mr.. Clapp has
been president from that date. The
concern succeeded the :. y. Smith Co.
which was the successor to Smith q
Hunt. For number of years before
reorganization the business led an un
certain existence. ut its large factory on
Flat street, but since then il has beer
one of the towns prosperous wood
working industries.
In April, 1913, Mr.. Clapp bought OF
). Il. Emerson the four-story Emerson
building on Main street, next north OF
Milestone brook. and named it thu
Wilder building. The interior was re
modelled at large expense and fitted M
in thoroughly modern fashion for stores
offices and apartments.
Two v0@rS after ACQUIRING the Emer
son building Mr.. Clapp bought the
Stewart tenement property at the cor
ner of Main and South Main streets
clearing the lot and erecting thereon the
handsome Holstein- Friesian building, OF
Dutch architecture. which is the head
quarters of the Holstein- Friesian As
ISOLATION OF America and is leased by
the association.
Besides the above named pieces of
real estate Mr., Capn owned several
houses, including some in the rear of the
ABBOTT on Canal street, also the ex.
tensive Wilder farm property tive