Elijah Clapp in front of his blacksmith shop. From Elijah Clapp's obituary in the Battle Creek Enquirer, January 12, 1908: "Well Known Pioneer is Called Beyond - Elijah Clapp dies Saturday afternoon following paralytic stroke. - Resident of Battle Creek since 1848 Life Long Blacksmith and Wagon Maker. - Elijah Clapp, one orf [sic] the pioneers of Battle Creek and Calhoun County died Saturday afternoon, death resulting from a stroke of paralysis which he suffered several days ago. For the past four days Mr. Clapp had ben in an unconscious condition. His wife and two daughters were at the bedside when the end came. Had he lived until Thursday he would have been 82 years of age. Mr. Clapp was born at Syracuse, New York, January 16, 1826. Until he had passed his fourteenth year he resided there, when with his parents he moved to Ithaca. In the fall of 1845 the family started west for Michigan, Grand Rapids being their destination. They were however met on the way by Lewis Clapp who had preceded them west and upon his advice settled on Gull Prairie, where the town of Richmond is now located. A little later in the year he went to Kalamazoo, where he engaged in the blacksmith trade but in the year 1846 came to Battle Creek where he went to work in the blacksmith of Dodge brothers. It was in the year 1848 that Mr. Clapp engaged in business himself, renting a building at the end of the bridge on South Jefferson street. Here he remained until his shop burned in 1862. Ten years later he engaged 50 men and commenced the manufacture of wagons in California. This undertaking did not prove profitable and later returned to Battle Creek where he had since lived. Until his last illness he was engaged in his trade. All during his life Mr. Clapp had been an active church worker and was one of the early members of the First Baptist church of the city. He held several offices in the church and at the time of his death was a deacon this honor having been conferred up on him to last during his life. He leaves besides his wife, two daughters, Miss J. Vietta Clapp and Monroe F. Bartlett. The funeral announcement will be made later.