Lt. Abel Belknap was born in 1739, the son of Samuel Belknap and Mary Wood Dickenson of Somers, Connecticut. Abel married Elizabeth Stevens, and moved to Stillwater, Saratoga Co., N.Y., alongside the Hudson River. He was a soldier of the French and Indian War, but afterwards, followed farming. A few years later, he signed up for the Continental Army to fend off the British hostilities. And less than 3 miles from his farm, American Patriot soldiers gathered in Bemis Heights to face off the ever-memorable battle between Gates and Burgoyne known as, "The Battle of Saratoga". Undoubtedly, Gates' 7,000 soldiers marching up the west side of the Hudson River crossed Abel's farmland to gather at Bemis Heights. As a Patriot soldier, Lt. Abel (first ranking as ensign, and at the close of the war as lieutenant of artillery) partook in the battle of Saratoga that was fought nearly in his back yard. He was present at and witnessed the surrender of Burgoyne.

The 1790 Census shows that after the war, he and his family had moved to Canajoharie, NY along the Mohawk River. And by 1800 we find him and his family had moved to Middlefield, NY (near Cherry Valley) where Abel lived out his life.

Source: [History of Steuben County, New York: with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, by Clayton, W. Woodford
(Philadelphia: Lewis, Peck& Co., 1879 (Philadelphia: Press of J.B. Lippincott)), pp. 323-336.]

Abel and Elizabeth (Stevens) Belknap at least 6 children:

1) Elizabeth Belknap
2) Abigail Belknap
3) Abel R. Belknap
4) Sarah Belknap
5) Mary Belknap
6) Ebenezer Belknap

Elizabeth died before 1784 (either Stillwater or Canajoharie, NY) and Abel married second, Elizabeth "Betsey" Anna White. Abel and Betsey White had at least 4 children:

1) Anna Belknap
2) Catherine Belknap
3) David Belknap
4) Erastus Belknap

It is unknown where Abel is interred - most likely in the Middlefield, or Middlefield Center cemetery without a marker.