San Felipe in Austin County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)

Clopper Store

Lot 17

Photographed By James Hulse, July 20, 2022

1. Clopper Store Marker

Inscription.

Clopper Store. Lot 17. , Stocked With Goods From Cincinnati, Nicholas Clopper's store in San Felipe opened in 1826. Clopper faced the challenges of all merchants on the frontier. The town was "in a state of infancy" and home to only nine families of resident customers. Most settlers also had little ready cash, forcing Clopper to barter or provide credit., Still, Clopper had grand plans for more stores in Harrisburg and on Galveston Bay, and a bigger shop at Commerce Square on lot 17. Though the venture failed to take root, his enterprise was among the first to test the waters of the town's marketplace., For Sale in San Felipe , In 1827, Clopper went home to Ohio and returned with 10,000 pounds of goods, three sons to run stores in Harrisburg and San Felipe and a family business called the "Texas Trading Company." In San Felipe, they moved into their custom-built store building on lot 17. Just months later, Nicholas' son Edward took ill, died and was buried in the town cemetery, Campo Santo., Clopper's business faltered and dissolved. Nicholas sold his San Felipe property and returned to Cincinnati by 1835. When the Texas Revolution broke out, Clopper helped raise funds to purchase the "Twin Sisters" cannons as a gift to Texas from his hometown. The cannons were used at the Battle of San Jacinto., Clopper's 10,000-pound Shipment of Imports to Texas Included: , Toothbrushes . Hair Combs . Rifle Powder and Bullet Molds . Nutmeg and Cinnamon . Tea and Tobacco . History, Music and Spelling Books . Velvet and Silk Ribbon . Lace, Gingham and Flannel Cloth . Whiskey, Cider and Brandy . Cow Bells, In his agreement to build the Clopper store for $100, carpenter Zadock Woods promised to "furnish good sound materials at his own Expense, and build a good substantial store house of the size of Eighteen feet square... built of good sound strait Logs hewed... with good flooring and strong sleepers and sills and good strong Gallery all well floored and covered...., The said Wood will put in good rafters, Laths and Rails on said store house so as to make a tight Roof and finish the whole." , Contract Between Zadock Woods and Nicholas Clopper, Signed 1827, Captions , Center (1): Nicholas Clopper, father , Center (2): Edward N. Clopper, son , Center (3): Andrew M. Clopper, son , Lower Right: Above Left: View of Cargo Ships and Waterfront, Cincinnati, Ohio , Images Courtesy: Cincinnati Museum Center; Woodson Research Center, Rice University; Austin County Clerk; Rugley-Moore Collection

Stocked With Goods From Cincinnati, Nicholas Clopper's store in San Felipe opened in 1826. Clopper faced the challenges of all merchants on the frontier. The town was "in a state of infancy" and home to only nine families of resident customers. Most settlers also had little ready cash, forcing Clopper to barter or provide credit.

Still, Clopper had grand plans for more stores in Harrisburg and on Galveston Bay, and a bigger shop at Commerce Square on lot 17. Though the venture failed to take root, his enterprise was among the first to test the waters of the town's marketplace.

For Sale in San Felipe
In 1827, Clopper went home to Ohio and returned with 10,000 pounds of goods, three sons to run stores in Harrisburg and San Felipe and a family business called the "Texas Trading Company." In San Felipe, they moved into their custom-built store building on lot 17. Just months later, Nicholas' son Edward took ill, died and was buried in the town cemetery, Campo Santo.

Clopper's business faltered and dissolved. Nicholas sold his San Felipe property and returned to Cincinnati by 1835. When the Texas Revolution broke out, Clopper helped raise funds to purchase the "Twin Sisters" cannons as a gift to Texas from his hometown. The cannons were used at the Battle of San Jacinto.

Clopper's
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10,000-pound Shipment of Imports to Texas Included:
Toothbrushes • Hair Combs • Rifle Powder and Bullet Molds • Nutmeg and Cinnamon • Tea and Tobacco • History, Music and Spelling Books • Velvet and Silk Ribbon • Lace, Gingham and Flannel Cloth • Whiskey, Cider and Brandy • Cow Bells

In his agreement to build the Clopper store for $100, carpenter Zadock Woods promised to "furnish good sound materials at his own Expense, and build a good substantial store house of the size of Eighteen feet square... built of good sound strait Logs hewed... with good flooring & strong sleepers & sills and good strong Gallery all well floored & covered....

The said Wood will put in good rafters, Laths & Rails on said store house so as to make a tight Roof and finish the whole."
Contract Between Zadock Woods and Nicholas Clopper, Signed 1827

Captions
Center (1): Nicholas Clopper, father
Center (2): Edward N. Clopper, son
Center (3): Andrew M. Clopper, son
Lower Right: Above Left: View of Cargo Ships and Waterfront, Cincinnati, Ohio

Images Courtesy: Cincinnati Museum Center; Woodson Research Center, Rice University; Austin County Clerk; Rugley-Moore Collection

Erected by

Photographed By James Hulse, July 20, 2022

2. Clopper Store Marker

San Felipe de Austin State Historic Site.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • War, Texas Independence. A significant historical year for this entry is 1826.

Location. 29° 48.394′ N, 96° 5.825′ W. Marker is in San Felipe, Texas, in Austin County. Marker can be reached from the intersection of 2nd Street and Farm to Market Road 1458. The marker is located in the northwestern section of the San Felipe de Austin State Historic Site along the pathway. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 220 2nd Street, San Felipe TX 77473, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Business District (within shouting distance of this marker); Rio Brazos (within shouting distance of this marker); Austin & Perry Stores (within shouting distance of this marker); Governing the Town (within shouting distance of this marker); Early Roads To San Felipe (within shouting distance of this marker); Welcome to San Felipe de Austin (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); San Felipe de Austin Town Site (about 300 feet away); San Felipe de Austin Colonial Well (about 300 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in San Felipe.

More about this marker. The marker is located on the grounds of the San Felipe de Austin Historic Site. There is a small fee to

The view of the Clopper Store Marker from the walkway image. Click for full size.

Photographed By James Hulse, July 20, 2022

3. The view of the Clopper Store Marker from the walkway

access the historic site and markers.

Also see . . .
1. San Felipe de Austin History. Texas Historical Commission website entry:

San Felipe de Austin was founded in 1824 by Stephen F. Austin as the unofficial capital of his colony. It became the first urban center in the Austin colony, which stretched northward from the Gulf of Mexico as far as the Old San Antonio Road and extended from the Lavaca River in the west to the San Jacinto River in the east. By October 1823, after briefly considering a location on the lower Colorado River, Austin decided to establish his capital on the Brazos River. The site chosen was on a high, easily defensible bluff overlooking broad, fertile bottomlands. The location offered a number of advantages, including a central location and sources of fresh water independent of the Brazos.

(Submitted on September 17, 2022, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.)

2. Clopper, Nicholas (1766–1841). Texas State Historical Association website entry:

Clopper was one of the first to see the potential of Buffalo Bayou as a trade route between the Brazos area and the sea. He organized the Texas Trading Association in 1827 to conduct trade over the route. In 1826 he purchased the peninsula between Galveston and San Jacinto bays, now known as Morgan's Point. The sand bar blocking the entrance to San Jacinto Bay still bears his name. In 1835 Clopper presided over a meeting in Cincinnati,
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Ohio, which opened a subscription to purchase two cannons, the famous Twin Sisters, for the Texas revolutionaries.

(Submitted on September 17, 2022, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.)

Credits. This page was last revised on March 5, 2024. It was originally submitted on September 17, 2022, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. This page has been viewed 113 times since then and 18 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on September 17, 2022, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.