Archival Items

The Daniel Burnap Clock

A fine tall case clock is on display in the new office of the Rockville Bank in the Meadowbrook Plaza in Coventry. The Coventry Historical Society has owned this clock since 1966 when it became available, thanks to prompt action by the Society's executive council. Robert Boyce was president of the Society in that year. He was also president of the old Manchester Savings and Loan Association, which donated the money to purchase the clock. Because the clock was 7 feet, 10.5 inches tall, it would not fit in any of the Society buildings. An alternate display location needed to be found, and for several years it was housed at the Coventry office of the Manchester savings institution. When that office was closed, the clock found a new home in the Tolland Bank. Recently it was moved to the Rockville Bank Office where it is under the watchful eye of Branch Manager, Pat Morganson.

The tall case clock is of particular interest to the town because it was made here in Coventry. The beautifully engraved dial has the inscription: Burnap - Coventry. The clock was made by Daniel Burnap (1759-1838), a clockmaker and silversmith. He was born in a section of Coventry that later became part of Andover. In 1772 he apprenticed to Thomas Harland of Norwich, CT, then began work as a silversmith in Coventry in 1781. He moved his shop to East Windsor, CT, and worked there as a silversmith from 1785 to 1796. He advertised in 1790 in East Windsor that at his shop, "clocks of various kinds may be had on short notice on most reasonable terms (warranted)", and ". . . takes this method to inform the public that although he works in many other branches common for those in the silversmith line as also surveyor's Compasses, watch repairing etc., yet notwithstanding clockmaking is intended as the governing business of his shop . . . " (Flynt, Henry and Fales, Martha Gandy). In 1797, Burnap began working as a silversmith in Andover, CT. He made gold beads, silver spoons and buckles, and repaired watches and jewelry. Known as an expert clockmaker and engraver of clock dials, his clocks are recognized to be as fine as any made in New England at that time.

Some interesting projects that Burnap worked on were tower clocks. P. R. Hoopes, in his book, The Shop Records of Daniel Burnap, notes that Burnap is known to have made at least one tower clock, most likely for South Hadley, Mass.

"George D. Seymour also wrote about this type of work, and mentions in his writings of seeing ‚ . . .the unbelievably big models for the hands of a steeple clock in Burnap's Andover attic work-room. Mr. Seymour also quotes the Burnap Papers concerning the meeting-house clock for South Hadley, and the steple clock therefor, of which Burnap wrote; I think it is a matter of uncertainty whether I shall be able to finish it so as to get it to you before sleighing." (Donn Haven Lathrop, 1996)

Another steeple clock attributed by some to Burnap is the clock that had graced the steeple of the Suffield Meeting House from about 1786 until 1836, when it was pulled down. The works and the weights are now said to be in the collection of the Connecticut Historical Society in Hartford.

If you haven't seen the tall case clock at the Rockville Bank, stop by and see it. If you're there near the top of the hour, you may even hear it chime!

Bill Wajda, Archivist

Coventry Historical Society

Flynt, Henry and Fales, Martha Gandy, The Heritage Foundation Collection of Silver. Retrieved 04 Jan. 2004, from http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~silversmiths/52/32551.htm

Lathrop, Donn Haven, Further studies on Clockmakers of the Northeast: Daniel Burnap, Thomas Harland, & the Suffield Tower Clock 1996. Retrieved 04 Jan. 2004, from http://members.aol.com/donnl/burnap.html

October 2005


The Daniel Burnap Clock
		A fine tall case clock is on display in the new office of the Rockville Bank in the Meadowbrook Plaza in Coventry. The Coventry Historical Society has owned this clock since 1966 when it became available, thanks to prompt action by the Society's executive council. Robert Boyce was president of the Society in that year. He was also president of the old Manchester Savings and Loan Association, which donated the money to purchase the clock. Because the clock was 7 feet, 10.5 inches tall, it would not fit in any of the Society buildings. An alternate display location needed to be found, and for several years it was housed at the Coventry office of the Manchester savings institution. When that office was closed, the clock found a new home in the Tolland Bank. Recently it was moved to the Rockville Bank Office where it is under the watchful eye of Branch Manager, Pat Morganson. The tall case clock is of particular interest to the town because it was made here in Coventry. The beautifully engraved dial has the inscription: Burnap - Coventry. The clock was made by Daniel Burnap (1759-1838), a clockmaker and silversmith. He was born in a section of Coventry that later became part of Andover. In 1772 he apprenticed to Thomas Harland of Norwich, CT, then began work as a silversmith in Coventry in 1781. He moved his shop to East Windsor, CT, and worked there as a silversmith from 1785 to 1796. He advertised in 1790 in East Windsor that at his shop, "clocks of various kinds may be had on short notice on most reasonable terms (warranted)", and ". . . takes this method to inform the public that although he works in many other branches common for those in the silversmith line as also surveyor's Compasses, watch repairing etc., yet notwithstanding clockmaking is intended as the governing business of his shop . . . " (Flynt, Henry and Fales, Martha Gandy). In 1797, Burnap began working as a silversmith in Andover, CT. He made gold beads, silver spoons and buckles, and repaired watches and jewelry. Known as an expert clockmaker and engraver of clock dials, his clocks are recognized to be as fine as any made in New England at that time. Some interesting projects that Burnap worked on were tower clocks. P. R. Hoopes, in his book, The Shop Records of Daniel Burnap, notes that Burnap is known to have made at least one tower clock, most likely for South Hadley, Mass. "George D. Seymour also wrote about this type of work, and mentions in his writings of seeing ‚ . . .the unbelievably big models for the hands of a steeple clock in Burnap's Andover attic work-room. Mr. Seymour also quotes the Burnap Papers concerning the meeting-house clock for South Hadley, and the steple clock therefor, of which Burnap wrote; I think it is a matter of uncertainty whether I shall be able to finish it so as to get it to you before sleighing." (Donn Haven Lathrop, 1996) Another steeple clock attributed by some to Burnap is the clock that had graced the steeple of the Suffield Meeting House from about 1786 until 1836, when it was pulled down. The works and the weights are now said to be in the collection of the Connecticut Historical Society in Hartford. If you haven't seen the tall case clock at the Rockville Bank, stop by and see it. If you're there near the top of the hour, you may even hear it chime! Bill Wajda, Archivist Coventry Historical Society Flynt, Henry and Fales, Martha Gandy, The Heritage Foundation Collection of Silver. Retrieved 04 Jan. 2004, from http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~silversmiths/52/32551.htm Lathrop, Donn Haven, Further studies on Clockmakers of the Northeast: Daniel Burnap, Thomas Harland, & the Suffield Tower Clock 1996. Retrieved 04 Jan. 2004, from http://members.aol.com/donnl/burnap.html