Sarah Clemence 8th great grandma on RootsMagic tree

Sarah Clemence was born November 11, 1687 in Providence, Rhode Island. Her grandparents were part of a small group of migrant settlers in Providence, Colonial America. Sarah’s parents, Richard and Sarah Smith Clemence, were both the first generation born in America. Sarah married John Angell in Providence on January 2, 1702. They had 3 daughters and 3 sons.

Sarah was in her dad’s will on November 9, 1723, “To daughter Sarah Angell 20 Shillings.” Sarah was In her mom’s will, in court on October 11, 1725. Sarah’s mom left her 15 pounds of paper money, 20 pounds of silver money- divided among Sarah and her sisters. Sarah also received her mom’s feather bed, a barrel and a ‘Greene say Apron’.

Sarah’s brother Thomas Clemence Jr. inherited most of his mom and dad’s estates. Thomas was in Providence courts with several disputes including a disagreement with Sarah’s husband John Angell- over land, that stayed in court from 1745 to 1773, mostly on brother Thomas Clemence’s part.

Sarah’s death is unknown, she’s not mentioned in her husband’s will so died before him, before 1744.

Today in Johnston, Providence County, Rhode Island, is Sarah’s childhood home. Her dad Richard Clemence built the house in 1691 on 8 acres of meadow which grew to 300 acres in Sarah’s lifetime. “It is difficult to know for sure the original plan of the house, but the most popular theory, and the basis of the later restoration, was that it was built as a story-and-a-half structure with a rear lean-to, a large stone-end chimney, topped with a steep gable roof. Four small rooms (great room, kitchen, principal chamber, and smaller chamber) were located on the first floor, with a cellar below and a garret chamber above.” Major renovations were done in 1938, the house is a museum today with the stone chimney, floorboards, frame, hardware and artifacts from 1691.

Sources

• Clemence family in The genealogical dictionary of Rhode Island at Archive. org
• Clemence Irons house history at Historic New England. org and Rhode Island votes to keep preserving houses
• Thomas Clemence, House Historic American Buildings Survey at Library of Congress
• Clemence House on Google maps, surrounded by homes, one having a garage sale
• Sarah Smith Clemence’s will The early records of the town of Providence 21 volumes at HathiTrust
• In court Thomas Clemence and John Angell in The New England historical and genealogical register volume 155 at American Ancestors
• Thomas Clemence house, Rhode Island: a Guide to the Smallest State at HathiTrust, a WPA Project book