Deacon John Capen, the son of Bernard and Joan (Purchase) Capen. He was born on 26 January 1612/13 in England. He became a freeman on 14 May 1634 in Dorchester, Massachusetts. On 9 October 1638 in Dorchester, Massachusetts, he was mentioned in the will of Bernard Capen. John wrote to Mary Bass, via her father. He was a member of the Artillary Company in 1646, became a deacon in 1656, and a Representative to the Massachusetts General Court in 1671 and 1673 to 1678. The following one of his cover letters and two letters:
To his Loueing and kind ffriend Goodman Bass, Deacon of the church at Brantrey, giue this I pray you.
Sir,
My kind love and erspoect to you w th yo r wife remembered, w th thanks for all yo r kindness showed vnto me, hoping for yo r health and prosperity as my one. The Cause of my writtinge to you at this time, is only this, to make bold w th you to be as a Cloake to cover this my inclosed letter directed to yo r daughter, because as yet I know not who may be the bearer heeof, I would intreate you to delieur it vnto her. Y e Contents of it I know she will not hide it from you. Therefore I doe forbeare it my selfe, because I shouse rather breauely but I would intreat her to keep it as private as she can fom others. Thus in hast I rest, desiring yo r earnest prayers to god for vs for direction in this greate vndertaking.
Yo rs to vse in any thing I may
ffrom Dor: this 15 of ye 2 d m o. 1647 John Capen
To his Deare and Loueing and much respected ffriend Mary Bass, at her father house in Brantrey, giue this I pray you.
Sweete-Harte,
My kind loue and affection to you remembered; haueinge not as convenient opertunety to see and speake w th you soe oft as I could desier, I therfore make bold to take opertunety as occasione offers it selfe to visset you w th my letter, desiering y t it may find acceptance w th you, as a token of my loue to you; as I can assuer you y t yours haue found from me; for as I came home from you ye other day, by ye way I reseaued your letter from your faithfull messenge, w ch was welcom vnto me, and for w ch I kindly thank you, and do desier y t as it is ye first; so y t it may not be ye last, but it may be as a seed wch will bing forth more frute: and fo your good counsell and aduise in your letter specefied, I doe accept, and do desier y t we may still commend ye casse to god, for direction and cleering vp of our way as I hope wee haue hethertoo done; and y t our long considerations may at ye next time bring forth firme conclussions, I meane verbally thought not fomally. Sweet-harte I haue given you a large ensample of patience, I hope you will leane this instruction from ye same, namely, to show ye like toward me if euer occassion be offered for futuer time, and for ye present, condesendency vnto my request; thus w th my kind loue remembered to yo r father and mother and Brothers and sisters w th thanks for all ther kindnes w th haue been vndeserueing in my I rest, leaueing both them and vs vnto ye protection and wise direction of ye almighty.
My mother remembes her loue vnto yo r father and mother; as also vnto your slefe thought as it vnknown.
Yo rs to command in anything I pleas.
ffrom Dor. ye 5 th of ye 3 mo. 1647 John Capen
To his Deare and Loueing and Much respoected ffriend Mary Bass, at her fathers house in Brantrey, giue this I pray speed.
Sweet-Hart,
My kind Loue and intiere affections to you remembered w th my respet vnto yo r father and mother and loue to yo r Brothers and sisters, hopeing of yo r health as I am at this time blessed by god. Ye cause of my writting to you at this time is to give you to vnderstand y t Sister Weld send me word ye lst night y t she had some stufs come to her hand, and this day I went thether of purpose to see them, y t soe I may send you word; now she have 3 peeces of stuff, but I think y t ther is but one of them y t you would like for yo self. It is pretty sad stuf, but it have a thred of whit in it: it is 3 quarters broad and ye priz is 5 s 6 d ye yard. I was hopeing to speake w th father hear to day, but he was gon a little before I came home: alsoe whill I was w th you at Brantrey Sister Swift being at Boston w th Sister Vpsall they boath being at ye hatters shop did thinke vppon you for a hat and chose out ye comlyest fashon hatt y t they could find: (avoiding fantastick fashons) and caused ye man to set it by vntell this first day thinking we should speake w th some of you this day. ye hat was a demecaster, the priz was 24 s; ye shop was ye corner shop over against M r Coggings on ye right hand as on goe up to M r Cottens house. It was set by w th my name vpon it written on a paper: these things I thought good to aquaint you w th. You may consider of it and doe as you shall thinke good. I cannot be long, because I would faine send this letter to you this night if ther come by any messenger. I am now in good health againe, thanks be to god, and able if opetunety did serue to ride or goe w th you either to Waymouth or Boston to yo r wedding. Thus in hast I rest, leaueing ou to ye protection of ye almighty. I could be glad to hear a few lines from you if opertunety of a messenger did serue.
Yo r Loueing husband till death.
Dor. this 1 of ye 5 mo. 1647 John Capen.
After Radigon's death, on 20 September 1647 in Dorchester, Massachusetts, John married (2) Mary Bass, daughter of Deacon Samuel and Anne (Savil) Bass. He deposed on 19 November 1652 He affirmed that his father's will was made in the year 1638. He was John witnessed Indian deed of Dorchester in 1671. He left a will on 11 September 1690 in Dorchester, Massachusetts. He died on Sunday 6 April 1692 in Dorchester, Massachusetts. John's gravestone inscription reads:
Here Lyes Buried ye
Body of Captn John
Capen he was Deacon
Of ye Church of Christ
In Dorchester He Decd
April ye 6th 1692
In ye 80th Year of Age
Issue:
1. Joanna Capen (1638-1638)
2. John Capen (1639-1681)
3. Samuel Capen (1648-1733)
4. Bernard Capen (1650-1691)
5. Mary Capen (1652-1678)
6. baby Capen (1654-1654)
7. James Capen (1654-1717)
8. Preserved Capen (1657-1708)
9. Joseph Capen (1658-1725)
10. Hannah Capen (1662-____)
11. Elizabeth Capen (1666-c1679)
12. Samuel Capen (1667-____) |
| | 1. daughter Clap | | | 2. daughter Clap | | | 3. Richard Clap | | | 4. Prudence Clap | | | 5. Jane Clap | | | 6. Thomas Clap, b. Abt 1609, Sidbury, Devonshire, England  d. 20 Apr 1684, Scituate, Plymouth County, Massachusetts, U.S.A. (Age 75 years) | | + | 7. Deacon Nicholas Clap, b. 1612, Dorchester, Dorsetshire, England d. 24 Nov 1679, Dorchester, Suffolk County, Massachusetts, U.S.A. (Age 67 years)
▻ Sarah Clap; Anna, m. Before 15 Apr 1667 | | | 8. Barbara Clap | | | 9. Radigon Clap d. 10 Dec 1645, Dorchester, Suffolk County, Massachusetts, U.S.A. | | | 10. John Clap, b. Dorset, England d. 24 Jul 1655, Dorchester, Suffolk County, Massachusetts, U.S.A. | | | 11. Ambrose Clap |
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- 1645
Married
: Address
: Location
: City/Town
: County/Shire
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