Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File W. 20,866, John Clapp, R. I.

SERVICE
NUMBER _____
R. J.
Clapp, John Anna
No. 20,866
CONTENTS

Rhode Island 886
Anna Clapp widow of John Clapp
Res who died on the 19 Sept 1817 of Kent Co in the State of R. Island who was a private in the Company command by Captain Waterman of the reg t command by Col. Waterman in the R. Island M t batt n for twenty months.
Inscribed on the Roll of Rhode Island at the rate of 66 Dollars 66 Cents per annum to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 19 day of May 1837 — and sent to Hon ble Council Esq s Providence
Arrears to the 4th of March 1837 $ 400. — Semi-ant. allowance ending 4 Sept 37 32.33
$ 433. 33
{ Revolutionary Claim, Act July 4, 1836, Section the 3 d
Recorded by H. H. Allison Clerk Book Vol. 1 Page 99

Anna Clapp
776. 3. sec.
admit to 66. \frac{66}{100}
20 notes,
B. Cornell Providence

State of Rhode Island
County of Kent Sc.
On this 20 day of September A.D. 1836 personally appeared before me John Wood associate justice of the court of common Pleas within & for said County. Anna Clapp of Warwick in said County aged 87 years who being first duly sworn according to law doth on her oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provision of the act of Congress passed July 4th. 1836. That she is the widow of John Clapp who was a private during the war of the revolution & served as such at different times & places beginning at the battle of Lexington & for five years afterwards that he was enrolled in Capt. William Watermans Company & Col. John Watermans Regiment of militia as a private & served as much as two months as a private in 1775 three in 1776 & four in each of the years of 1777, 1778 & 1779 & one in 1780. Among the places to which he went & at which he was stationed as she well remembers were Boston Warwick Bristol Tiverton & on Rhode Island he always went when he was called upon in alarm or was drafted & served out his time she refers to the evidence hereto annexed for proof of his service. And she further avers that she was married to said John August 31st. A.D. 1775 & that her husband the said John died Sept. 19th. 1817 at said Warwick & she has remained a widow ever since that period as will appear by the evidence hereto annexed wherefore she requests that the pension which her said husband might have drawn if living under the act of June 7th. 1832 may be extended to her.
Anna Clapp

Given at Warwick this 20 th day of Sept 1836 Sworn to & subscribed to before me & I further certify that the said Anne by age & infirmity is unable to attend Court.
Witness John Wood J.C.C., Sturminster Newton

Warwick August 31 1775
These are to certify that John Clapp of Warwick in the County of Kent Son of Silas Clapp Esq r and Anna Waterman daughter of John Waterman late deceased of Coventry were lawfully joined together in mar- riage in the presence of Sunday Witnesses
Test Charles Holden Elder
State of Rhode Island } Town Clerk's Office County of Kent } Warwick Sept 23 1836
I George A Brayton Town Clerk of the Town of War- wick aforesaid do hereby certify that the aforesaid certificate of marriage is a true copy duly compared as appears of record in this office.
Geo A Brayton Town Clerk
State of Rhode Island &c
Kent County
Se Warwick September 23 rd A D 1836.
Personally appeared before me the above named George A. Brayton known to me as Town Clerk of the Town of Warwick and made solemn Oath that the above certificate by him signed is Correct,
Wm Garrison Justice of the Peace

The State of Rhode Island & Providence Plantations Kent ss. Clerks Office Court of Common Pleas.
I Certify that John Wood is a Justice of said Court of Common Pleas and that W m Harrison is a Justice of the Peace in the Town of Warwick in said County of Kent, that the annexed is their proper signatures in their own hand written writing and that full faith & credence is & ought to be given to all their Official acts.
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & affixed the seal of said Court at East Greenwich this 27 th day of October in the Year A D 1836.
Thos. S. Hoxun C.W.

I William Waterman of Warwick in the County of Kent being now in my 98 th year on oath do testify & say that during all the revolutionary war I was Captain of a company of Artillaria in said Warwick, John Clapp the husband of Anne Clapp who is now present before me, was enrolled as a private in my Company & always did duty as such, from the beginning to the end of the war whenever it came to his turn - My company was on Providence Island, when it was laid waste in the winter of 1775 & said John was with us he served as much two months at least in said year & in 1776, - he was with us a number of months, before the Enemy took possession of Newport. - At that time we were all obliged to go, I went at the head of my company & John Clapp went with us & from that time until the end of the year 1779, we served as much as four months each year at different stations, but principally

at Warwick neck & Wapawket. Said John always went, when it came to his turn & always served his monthly term, himself. He never to my knowledge, hired a substitute - The Company was divided into Companies & one third of the Company was on duty pretty much all the time - This lasted as long as the British held possession of Rhode Island In August 1780. I also know said John served a month in my Company on Rhode Island - all these services of his, were as a private I cannot remember with certainty but I have not the least hes- itation he served as much as twenty months if not more. I am also acquainted with Anne Clopp , she has re- mained a widow ever since the death of her husband which death took place about nineteen years ago
W. W. Brown

Situate at Warwick the 20 day of Sept 1836
The foregoing deposition was sworn to & subscribed before me
& I hereby Certify that the said William Waterman is of good character as to credibility as a Witness
John Wood J. C. C. Pleas
And I further said William Waterman do further testify & say that at the distant Period of time I cannot specify all the months by name in each year that said John Clapp served in my Company nor have I the means of so doing, my papers being lost, But I aver that in 1775, according to my best recollection the said John served three months in my Company & I think the time was made out in the months of April June, Sept & December for which he recd Pay & rations & was stationed on the shores of Warwick Neck. And in 1776 I remember the said John served in my Company four months one month in April one in July one in Oct. & one in December, when the Army landed in Newport, (we were then stationed at said Warwick) and were all called out, & served a month at said station for which we received Pay and rations. And I further testify that in 1777 the Militia were divided into three Colonels and I know said John served every third month (viz) one in January one in March one in July, & one in October, stationed at said Warwick Neck. And in 1778, said John served in my Company four months one in January one in April one in July & one in October, stationed at said Warwick and on Rhode Island for which he recd Pay & rations and in 1779 I aver that the said John served in my Com- pany four months one in March one in June one in August and one in December, for which he received the like Pay and rations and was stationed at the same Place Warwick is a Shore town and the Militia were called

Called upon and were obliged from necessity to do much actual service, I believe that the said John served as much or more than I have stated. In August, 1780 as I have before stated he served a month in my company on Rhode Island.
William Waterman State of Rhode Island Kent County ss, } In Warwick 25 November 1836
Sworn to & subscribed before me and I certify that the above said William Waterman is entitled to
credibility as a witness
John Wood J.C.C. P.H.S.

I. Anna Clapp of Warwick widow of John Clapp being called upon to specify more particularly my husband's ser- vices than what I have done in my declaration do declare that according to the best of my knowledge & belief said John served as much as two months in 1775 four months in 1776 & four months in each of the years of 1777, 1778, 1779 & one in 1780 but I don't know that I can name the months but the two months in 1775. were late in the fall about the time Prudence was burnt in 1776 I should say one was in the Spring one in the Summer one in the fall & one when the British landed at Newport In each of the following years he served every third month being obliged to do so In 1780 he served one month in Newport The above is according to the best of my knowledge & belief but I must refer to the evidence of them who served with him as more competent to specify the times & the stations when he served he was I think all the time in Capt Waterman's Company of Militia
State of Rhode Island Kent County ss
ANNA CLAPP
at Warwick 3rd day of April 1837. Sworn to & subscribed before me & I certify that I am Will

Well acquainted with the said Ann Clapp & believe her to be a person of Good Character for Smith & Bisput
John Wood J.C.C. Phas

Mar. 4, 1902 Howard V. Allen E. Greenwich R.D. Oct. 27-1902 Nathaniel H. Brown E. Greenwich R.D.
Rev
WIDOW, &c.
File No. 20866 Annie Klapp wid of John Klapp Pris Rev. war
Act July 4 th  1896 Index: Vol 12 , Page 138
[Arrangement of 1870.]

MANUFACTURERS TRUST COMPANY, EAST GREENWICH BRANCH.
EAST GREENWICH, R. I., Feb. 20, 1902.
To the Commissioner of Pensions, Department of the Interior, Washington, D.C.
Sir:-
I would request that you send me what information you have on file in your "Bureau" of John Clapp, who served as a private in the War of the Revolution.
He was born in Warwick, R.I., May 18th., 1754 and died in Warwick, September 19th., 1817.
I understand that his wife Annie Clapp drew a pension of $ 66.66 per annum, and that it is recorded in Volume 1 at Page 99 of the records in the Pension Office.
Thanking you in advance for your trouble in the matter,
I am,
Yours respectfully,
Howard Vernon Allen

N. H. BROWN, POSTMASTER.
United States Post Office
East Greenwich, R. I.
September 16, 1902.
190
To the Commissioner of Pensions, Department of the Interior, Washington, D.C.
Sir :-
For the purpose of tracing more thoroughly the ancestry of a certain man named John Clapp, I would ask if you will be good enough to send what information you have on file in your bureau.
John Clapp was born in Warwick, R.I. May 18th., 1754 and died in Warwick, R.I. September 19th., 1817.
It is reported that his wife one Annie Clapp drew a pension of $66.66 a year, and that it is recorded in Volume 1 at page 99 of the records in the Pension Office.
Thanking you for any intelligence you may be able to give me,
I am,
Yours respectfully,
Nathaniel H. Brown

20 86 6
Jno. Clapp
Sept 20, 1836 - 87
Warwick R.D
75 - Warwick Rd
Capt. Wm Waterman
At Jno Waterman Sept 2 n
76 Capt. Wm Waterman At Jno Waterman
4 mos Each year
76 77, 78, 79 80 81 in 1880
Mrs Anna Waterman
Aug 31, 1775
Sep. 19, 1877 Warwick Rd.
Died Sept. 19, 1877 " "
with Wm Waterman R.D. "
Walter Miller " "
No Rat

4 Nathan Miller of Warwick in the County of Kent being now in my 85 year of age on oath do testify & say that I was well acquainted with John Clapp formerly of said Warwick & the husband of Anna Clapp now his widow. During the re- volutionary war said John was enrolled as a private in Captain William Water- mans Company & Col John Watermans regiment & lived only about three miles & half from the western shore of Nova- gensett Bay. During the year 1775 said Bay was much infested with the British Fleet or at least with several British Vessels of War commanded by Wallau. These Vessels kept the inhabitants in continued alarm & the militia were often alarmed & called down to the shores to repel invasions. It was in the winter of this year, I think December, that Providence was laid waste, when there was a skirmish between the Americans & the British, I cannot say with

with certainty how many months said John served during said year but he served at least to my knowledge, he was in the Skirmish on Providence in said company I was in same com- -pany - In 1776, before the British took Hudson I have not the least doubt we served three months at different stations on the shores, for which we received pay & rations. In December of said year the enemy took possession of Newport & all the militia in the State were called out the said John served as much as any there & he was then drafted for a month & he went & served out his time - In the three following years, viz, 1777 1778 & 1779 he served four months each year for which he was paid I was in the Kentish Guards during those years but I know he served for I frequently saw him on duty in East Greenwich or with sick Quarters & other places - he always went when it

came to his town & always did his duty & living as he did so near the thanes I have not the least hesitation in saying he served as much as I have stated & perhaps more -
In August 1780 I also know he served a month in some company on Rhode Island at the time the enemy were expected to attack us again I saw him there at the time all his services were in said William Watermans company & as a private
I am also well acquainted with Anna Clapp, she has always remained his widow since her husbands death which was according to my best recollection about nineteen years
ago. Nathan Miller
Subscribed before me Sept 20 1836 Nathan Miller I further certify that the said Nathan Miller's Credibility is good as a Witness John Wood J.C.C. Probate And I the said Nathan Miller do further testify & say that at this distant period of time I cannot exactly all the months by name in each year that the said John Clapp served in the war

of the Revolution But I aver that according to my best recollection in in 1775, he served three months which service was done in April, June September & December. And I testify that in 1776, the said John served four months, in April, July, October & December, Stationed at Warwick such for which he was Paid & Recd Rations the last of which was when Enemy landed in Newport, and all the Militia was called out. I served & I further testify that in 1777, the Militia were divided into three Companies & I know said John served every third Month one in January one in March one in July & one in October Stationed at Warwick, Swanton & Napaquet and I further aver, that in 1778 the said John served four months one in January one in April one in July & one in October Stationed at the same Places & on Rhode Island for which he was paid & Recd Rations In 1779 I aver he then said John served four Months I think in March, June, August, & December for which he Recd Pay and Rations and was Stationed at the same Places and in 1780 as I have before stated the said John served one Month on Rhode Island all the above service was in Captain William Watermans Company, and after a more deliberate consideration of the subject my mind has been more enlightened as to the particular times which are according to my best recollection Put down
Nathan Miller
State of Rhode Island Kent County } In Warwick November 25-1836 Sworn to and subscribed before me and I certify that the said Nathan Miller is entitled to Credibility as a Witness
John Wood J. C. C. Pleas