Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 21,921, for Bowen Peirce, Rhode Island
Page 1

(8-1776)

SERVICE                                            NUMBER

R.I.          Pierce, Bowen                    S.21.921



__________________________________________________
CONTENTS
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[two-page document, side by side with torn margins; left side as follows:]
[illegible - torn]
June 26, 1846

Died Aug. 9, 1853
A.B.

[right side of document:]
Bowen Peirce (R.I. 31153)
Providence Co. in the State of R. Island
[missing] was a Private in the [illegible] commanded
Captain Col.   of the R.I. commanded
Col. Dyer        in the R. Island
for 15 months

Inscribed on the Roll of R. Island
at the rate of 50 dollars ___ cents per annum,
to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.

Certificate of Pension issued the 5th day of July
1831 [1837?] and sent to Hon.
D.J. Pearce, Newport, R.I.

Arrears to the 4th of March '31[37?]              300.00
Semi-ani. allowance ending [illegible]           25.00
                                                                     _________  
                                                                    $325.00
                                          {Revolutionary Claim,}
                                          {Act June 7, 1832}
[Rec]orded by D. Brown,  Clerk,
[missing] E.2, Vol. 2,  Page 124


                                         July 5, 1833 [handwritten note]
Page 3

9 July
Hon. D.J. Pearce


         Bowen Pearce
         R.I. S[illegible]

        Bailey  N.Y. [illegible]

[Illegible stamp, also covering additional handwritten text]
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March 10, 1933
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Miss Alice b. Almy
11 Constitution Street
Bristol, Rhode Island
 
BOWEN PEIRCE
S. 21921
BA-J/MLB

Dear Madam:
Reference is made to your letter of February 16, in which 
you request the record of Bowen Pearce, a solider of the Revolutionary War. 
The data which follow were obtained from the papers on file
in pension claim S. 21921, based upon the Revolutionary War
service of Bowen Peirce (the spelling of surname under which
he was pensioned). He signed by mark "Peirce", also. 
Bowen Peirce, son of Langworthy Peirce, was born March 7, 
1762, In North Kingston, Washington County, Rhode Island; the 
name of his mother is not stated. 
While a resident of North Kingston, Rhode Island, he enlisted 
early in the fall of 1777, served at various time until sometime
in 1778, as a private in Captain John Cole's company, Colonel
Charles Dyer's Rhode Island regiment, and was engaged in 
guarding the shores of Narragansett Bay, and was in Spencer's 
Expedition; four months of this service was as substitute for 
his father. He enlisted in 1779, served one month as a private
in Captain Albro's company of Rhode Island troops; in May or June
of that year, the soldier's uncle Lawrence Pearce, was promoted
to captain and imediately appointed him 1" sergeant in his 
company in Colonel Dyer's Rhode Island regiment and in that rank 
he served until sometime in 1781. He stated that he also served
on sudden alarms amounting to more than a month in all, dates of 
services and names of officers not shown. The soldier's entire
service amounted to twelve months as private and eleven months 
as sergeant. 
In 1787 the soldier moved from North Kington to South Kingston, 
in Washington County, Rhode Island, where he resided for two 
years, then back to North Kingston where he lived for three 
years, then moved to Portsmouth, Newport County, on the Island
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of Prudence in Rhode Island and remained there seven years
when he moved to Bristol, Bristol County, Rhode Island, which
was his residence for eighteen months, then he moved to North
Kingston, Rhode Island, for two years, from there to South 
Kingston for one year; from thence to Hopkinton, Washington 
County, Rhode Island for three years; from then back to 
South Kingston, Rhode Island, where he resided for sixteen years;
from there back to North Kingston where he lived one year; thence
to Warwick, Kent County, Rhode Island where he resided for three
years; thence to Cranston, Providence County, Rhode Island, 
where he lived two years; from there to Providence, Providence County, Rhode Island for one year, then moved to North Providence, 
in the same county, which was his residence in 1834. 
Bowen Peirce was allowed pension on his application executed
June 3, 1836, at which time he was living in East Greenwich, 
Kent County, Rhode Island. 
In 1837 his address was Seituate, Rhode Island. 
He died August 9, 1853. 
The name of soldier's wife is not shown in the claim. 
In 1837 the soldier referred to a number of sons in the 
same connection referred to Daniel, of"Lonsdale in Smithfield"
but did not state that he was one of the sons referred to. 
In 1835, Honorable Dutie J. Pearce, of Newport,, Rhode Island
was a representative in Congress at Washington, D.C. and was 
still serving in that capacity in 1837. It was stated then by 
the soldier that he was "a connection", but the relationship 
was not designated. 
Very truly yours
A.D. Hiller
Assistant to Administrator 
-2-
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Application of Bowen Peirce
for a Pension. 
N. Whiting Agt
E. Greenwich 
32.075
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Kent ss. The State of Rhode Island & Providence Plantations 
Clerks Office Court of Common Pleas
I certify that Nathan Whiting is a Justice of the 
Peace for the Town of East Greenwich in our County 
of Kent. that the foregoing is his proper signature
& in his own hand writing  and that full faith 
& credit is sought to be given to all his 
official accts 
In testimony thereof I have
hereunto set my name & 
affixed the seal of said 
Court at East Greenwich 
this seventeenth day of Sep-
-tember in the year 1834. 
John Brown Clk