Boundary County IDGenWeb Project

Frank Clapp, 80, former prominent land owner and legislator of this district, passed away Friday at his home in Spokane, after an illness of several months duration.

Funeral services were held Monday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock from the Alwin Chapel at the Hazen and Jueger Funeral home, Spokane. Dr. H. L. Caldwell officiating. Interment was in Greenwood cemetery, Spokane.

Mr. Clapp was born January 27, 1858, in Battle Creek, Mich. His early boyhood was spent on a Michigan farm, where he had little opportunity for an education, but being eager to learn, he educated himself by home study, and later in life took up architecture, a line he followed successfully for many years.

In 1880 he was married to Caroline E. Morris and the couple moved to Pullman, Ill., where Mr. Clapp was employed by the Pullman Palace Car company.

In 1887 the couple moved west, locating in Spokane, Wash., where Mr. Clapp was employed as mill superintendent for E. J. Brickell, pioneer mill owner and financier. On the death of Mr. Brickell, Mr. Clapp started construction work, opening architectural offices in Spokane. He designed many buildings in Spokane and at other points in the Inland Empire.

He also purchased land in the valley and was instrumental in reclaiming the first drainage district known as No. 1.

He served three terms as state senator from Boundary county. In 1932 he disposed of his holdings here and moved to Spokane, where he had since made his home.

During his terms in the Idaho legislature he fought for the preservation of the natural resources of the state and was instrumental in preventing the diversion of the Pen Oreille river at Albany Falls for use in private developments in the state of Washington.

He is survived by two sons, Lewis A. Clapp, an architect residing in New Orleans, La, and Ralph E. Clapp, Spokane; by three brothers, E. W. Clapp, Sandpoint, Idaho, Fred Clapp, Nampa, Idaho, and Lewis Clapp, Battle Creek, Mich. and one sister, Mrs. Verah Williams, Battle Creek. Mrs. Clapp passed away in 1914.

Those from here attending the services Monday were Simon McDonald, T. E. Lavin and J. W. Jeffries, the latter being one of the pallbearers.

During his years of residence in and near Bonners Ferry Mr. Clapp made many friends. Honorable conscientious, strong in his convictions and always ready to go the limit for what he thought was right, gained and held the confidence of all who knew him.

The Herald joins with the people of the entire county in mourning his death and in extending heartfelt condolence to the bereaved relatives.