Letters written by Clapp, a native of Binghamton, New York, to his parents which describe his experiences in western Iowa, his trip across the nearly unmarked prairie from Fort Dodge to Council Bluffs and then on to Sioux City, his experiences with land speculation and laying out the town of Iron Bluff, and his business partnership with Marshall F. Moore, later governor of the territory of Washington. He and Moore set up a land company and started a bank.Clapp was born April 17, 1830 in Norwich, New York to John Clapp and Lydia Strong Clapp. He was educateed at the Academy at Binghamton and attended Hamilton College and Union College. After his adventures in Iowa he returned to Binghamton where he became one of the leading businessmen of the town, dealing in real estate and with interest in several manufacturing concerns. He was also Director of the First National Bank. He married Harriet Evans October 15, 1862. The couple had two children that survived. Clapp died May 20, 1900. The collection also contains business correspondence, maps and ephemeral items. 5 folders