Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File W. 1561, Abel Clarke, Conn.
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(3-1176)
SERVICE
Conn
Clarke, Abel
NUMBER
W. 1561.
or Clark,
Lois
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CONTENTS
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9041 -
Connecticut
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Abel Clark
of Farmington in the State of Connt
who was a Priv in the corn commanded
Liew Baldwin of the P- commanded
in the Connt Guard 2 years-
Inscribed on the Roll of Connt
the rate of 80 Dollars 00 Cents per annum,
commence on the 4th day of March, 1831
Certificate of Pension issued the 20th day of March
1833.
and Sent.  G C. Woodruff. Litchfield
-
Arrears to the 4th of March 33 $160.00
Semi-ant. allowance ending Sep 4.33 40.00
$20000
{Revolutionary Claim,
Act June 7, 1832}

Recorded by E. D. Bullock Clerk,
Book [illegible]
Vol. 3 Page 7
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88.
Connecticut.
Lois
Clark
widow of Abel Clark
Conn
who served in the Revolutionary war
, as a private
Inscribed on the Roll at the rate of
80 Dollars - Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1848.
Certificate of Pension issued the 9th day of March [illegible] and sent Hon J. Smith
N.Y. [illegible}
29 July
Recorded on Roll of Pensioners under act 29 July 1845 page 79 Vol 1
Book D
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Declaration of Abel Clark, in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7th 1832
State of Connecticut
County of Litchfield
ss Court of Probate within & for the 
District of Litchfield 
On this 8th day of Aug. 1832 personally appeared Abel Clark in open Court, before the Hon Frederick Wolcott Judge of the Court of
Probate in & for sd District, now sitting Abel Clark of Torrington a resident of sd Torrington in sd County aged 67 years, who being first duly sworn according to Law, doth on his oath, make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7th 1832
That he entered the service of the United States served under the following named officers, & as herein stated
viz
I was born in Decr 1764 at Milford Conn. There was a [illegible] of my age in my father's family Bible which was lost many years since when my father moved his family to Woodbridge, Court,
know of no existing record of my age but then may be are on the Records of the town of Milford, On the first of March 1780
or about that time I enlisted as a soldier in the service of the United States at sd Milford & under Joseph Davidson Lieut. Commandant of the Fort at S Milford, A Garrison was established in that fort to protect the town of Milford & the property therein & the shipping in the harbour & also to prevent any illicit trade with the British in the Sound or
on Long Island, I enlisted for one year & served as a [illegible] of such Garrison for one year for the whole or most of the time
under said Davidson, in March 1781 I again enlisted as a soldier in said Garrison, & served for the purpose aforesaid for another year under the command of Lieut Command.
at Nathan Baldwin, I served through this second year in the same Fort, said Davidson said Baldwin enlisted soldiers by the authority of the Governor of Connecticut for sd
purpose. There was no other company stationed in sd Fort with ours. And no continental officers were there. We were in
engaged in no battles & the most important event which occurred in which I was engaged was the retaking of a shall prize
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from the British which lay off Milford harbor. After my last above mentioned year of service expired I again enlisted viz in
in March 1782 I was soon after taken by surprise by a party of the British in a Fort & was carried a prisoner to Loyds Neck & thence to New York when I was confined in the
Sugar House so called for some time, then I was reconveyed to Loyds Neck, where after some time I was [illegible] on parole, but of this I have no proof, I never received a written discharge, nor have I any documentary
evidence to prove my first two years of service; but to prior said two years service rely on the testimony of Ezra Camp hereto annexed, who served with me the whole of sd two years & till March 1782 as a soldier in sd Fort, I continued to reside in sd Milford till about 16 years since, when I removed to Litchfield Conn & then
resided 11 years, I then removed to Torrington where I now reside. I am known to Simeon Harrison, James Pierpoint & Morris Woodruff of said Litchfield to Gen. Russell C. Abernethy, Lyman Wetmore Esq. George D. [illegible]
and John Hungerford in my present neighborhood, who can testify as to my services as a Soldier of the Revolution.  And, I annex the certificate of Lyman Wetmore Esq & Gen Russell C. Abernethy to my
Declaration instead of the certificate of a Clergyman, because no Clergyman resides in my immediate vicinity, at this time
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present, & declares that his name is not on
the pension roll of the agency of any State Abel Clark
Sworn to & subscribed the day & year aforesaid before me Frederick Wolcott Justice of Probate, Litchfield District
Connt
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the
We Lyman Wetmore & Russell C. Abernethy resident in sd Torrington hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with Abel Clark who has subscribed & sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be 67 years of age; that he is reputed believed in the neighborhood where he resides, to have been a soldier of the Revolution, & that we concur in that opinion, and we further certify that said Clarke's character for veracity is good & his statement entitled to credit
Lyman Witmore
Russell C Abernathy
Sworn to & subscribed the day & year aforesaid before me Frederick Wolcott, Judge of Probate Litchfield District, Connt
and the said Court does hereby declare its opinion, after the investigation of the matter, after putting the interrogatories prescribed
by the war department, that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier & served as he states. And the Court further certifies, that it appears to them that Lyman Wetmore
who has signed the preceding certificate & Russell C. Abernethy who has signed the same are residents in sd Torrington & are
credible persons, & that their statement is entitled to credit and that there is no clergyman residing at this time in the
"immediate vicinity" of said applicant
Frederick Wolcott Judge of Probate
District of Litchfield, Connt
I Phineas Miner Clerk of the Court of Probate for the District of Litchfield, Conn, do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original
proceedings of the sd Court in the matter of the application of Abel Clarke for a pension. In testimony whereof I have hereunto
set my hand & seal of office this 8th day of Aug 1832
Phineas Miner Clerk
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August 9, 1929

Mrs. Herbert H. Smith
278 Exchange Street
New Haven, Connecticut

Dear Madam:
I advise you from the papers in the Revolutionary War pension claim, W.5561, it appears that Abel Clark was born in December, 1764, at Milford, Connecticut.
His father's family later lived in Woodbridge, Connecticut, no names are given.
While residing in Milford, Connecticut, Abel Clark enlisted about March 1, 1780, served one year as a private, and was stationed at the fort in Milford under Lieutenant Commandant Joseph Davidson. At the expiration of his service, he re-enlisted for one year, served at the same place under Lieutenant Commandant Nathan Baldwin and assisted in retaking a small prize from the British in
Milford Harbor. At the expiration of that service, he again enlisted in March, 1782, soon afterward was taken prisoner and confined in the Sugar House in New York until
released on parole in the summer of 1783.
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Rev. and 1
Wars Section
MEe/eel
He left Milford, Connecticut, about 1816, and lived in Litchfield, Connecticut, about eleven years, then moved to Torrington, Litchfield County, in the same state, where he resided when he was allowed pension on his application executed August 8, 1832.
He died March 25, 1842, at Litchfield, Connecticut.
The soldier married July 17, 1794, in Milford, Connecticut, Lois Smith, both were then of said Milford.
She was allowed pension on her application executed November 18, 1843, while a resident of Litchfield, Connecticut, then aged seventy-seven years,
There are no further family data.
Due to the very large number of requests similar to yours and the lack of a clerical force available for the purpose, the bureau is unable to make immediate reply to each request pertaining to soldiers of the Revolution.
Letters are being answered as rapidly as possible in order of receipt.
Very truly yours,
EARL D. CHURCH
Commissioner.
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Abel Clark, Pri $80 per annum
Died 25th Mar 1842
Paid to his death
BDB
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W2106
Abel C
amount
2 years [illegible]
$80
G C Woody
Litchfield
[illegible]