Due to interest in both the Abel(l) and Gifford families of early Lebanon and Norwich, Conn., at p. 59 of the 1940 pub. "Robert Abell of Rehoboth, Mass...." is found the descendant family of Capt. John Abell (Dec. 1678-aft. Oct. 1769) of Lebanon, Conn. Following the death of known wife Rebecca Sluman in 1738 at Lebanon, the sketch includes the following statement:
• He [Capt. John Abell] prob. married 2nd, September 20, 1744 [Norwich VRs], Hannah, dau. of Samuel and Experience (Hyde) Gifford.
While two children b. in 1746 and 1748 are attributed to this 2nd marriage, this marriage makes no practical sense. Hannah Gifford, dau. of Samuel and Experience (Hyde) was b. of record at Norwich on Sept. 20, 1724, suggesting that on Hannah's 20th birthday she willingly m. a 65 year old widower, whose purported youngest child by her was b. when he was short of 70 years of age. All manner of family associations have been erected trying to validate this 2nd marriage claim.
What the authors of the Abell genealogy did not investigate was that a John Abel was bapt. at the Lebanon, Conn. church in 1719, but his birth does not appear in printed Lebanon vital records. Nor is this John associated with another Abel surnamed family then residing at Lebanon.
Following is the more likely marriage association and John "Abel" family of Norwich, Conn.
------
Capt. John Abel, Jr. (q.v. Abell), the unrecorded 7th child and 2nd oldest surviving son of Capt John Abell and Rebecca Sluman, bapt. of record May 17, 1719 at Lebanon, Conn. [Lebanon Ch. Rec.] Unlike his siblings, his birth is not of printed record at Lebanon, but he was baptized in both chronological and ascending page order in the Lebanon church records with three other recorded children of Capt. Abel and Rebecca Sluman whose births are recorded in the printed Lebanon vital records.
Capt. John Abel and Rebecca Sluman's first born child was son John, b. of record Mar 10, 1703/4 who d. the same day. The second s. named John is verified by his father's own will written at Lebanon, Conn. on Apr. 10, 1759 (Windham Probate District, Vol. 7, folios 43-44; probated May 7, 1765) in which he is the first child named in the will:
• In the Name of God Amen, I John Abel of Lebanon in the County of Windham & Colony of Connecticut in New England being this 10th day of April in the year of our Lord 1759 under some indisposition of body...
• Imprimis. I give & bequeath to my loving & well beloved son John Abel Ten Pounds to be paid within one year after my decease.
• Item. I give & bequeath to my loving & well beloved son David Abel the one half of my right in the Commons and undivided land in the Five Mile Square of land in Lebanon and one half of my outdoor moveable estate.
• And I give to my loving & well beloved Daughters Sarah Metcalfe, Rebecca West, & Bethiah Randall to each of them Five pounds paid to each of them within two years of my decease, and also all my indoor moveable estate except my bed & bed furniture to be equally divided between them.
• Item. I give to my loving & well beloved Grand Daughters Betty & Sarah Hackley the daughters of my daughter Hannah Hackley dec'd all my beds & bed furniture to be equally divided between them.
• Item. I give to my loving & well beloved Grand Sons Samuel & Peter Hackley the sons of my daughter Hannah Hackley dec'd to each of them ten shillings to each of them to be paid within one year after my decease or within one year after they reach the age of Twenty One years.
• Item. I give & bequeath to my loving & well beloved son Solomon Abel all my estate both Real & Personal which I have not already given & disposed of in this my Last will & Testament.
• And the sd. John Abel do hereby constitute my Son Solomon Abel to be executor...
In the cited will, no wife is mentioned and no provision is made for a wife. All of the children of Capt. John Abel and Rebecca Sluman, who are of recorded birth and/or baptism record are included in the will along with the four recorded children of deceased daughter Hannah (Abel) Hackley.
At age 25 on Sept. 20, 1744 at Norwich, Conn. (by Rev. Benj. Lord), John Abel, Jr. m. Hannah Gifford on her 20th birthday, dau. of Samuel Gifford, Jr. and Experience Hyde (q.v. Hide), b. of record Sept. 20, 1724 at Norwich. In the Sept. 28, 1753 will of Samuel Gifford, Jr. of Norwich, dau. Hannah is called "the wife of John Abell."
John Abel and Hannah Gifford had the following two known children of record at Norwich under the surname Abel, both bapt. at the Norwich Cong. Ch. also under the surname Abel:
• i. Hannah Abel, b. Mar. 7 (bp. Mar. 9), 1745/46; d. in her youth Jan. 7, 1755.
• ii. Jerusha Abel, b. Mar. 11 (bp. Mar. 13), 1747/48; m. Dec. 6, 1767 as Jerusha "Abel" at Norwich, Thomas Williams, s. of Ebenezer and Hannah (Bacon) Williams of New London, Conn., b. at New London Feb. 6, 1734/5.
According to Hale's Connecticut Newspaper Notices, 1629-1934:
• Mrs. Hannah Abel, wife of Capt. John Abel, d. at Norwich, Conn., age 62, as reported by a newspaper pub. on Aug. 24, 1786.
• Capt. John Abel, age 73, place not stated, died per a newspaper pub. Feb. 19, 1793.
In both cases, the reported age at death is a virtual match to John Abel and wife Hannah Gifford. Although no additional primary or secondary documentation can be readily found that adds further confirmation to the writer's basis of the above Abel family, the records and resulting construction make substantially more sense than as published in 1940.
Revised 4/28/2017
• He [Capt. John Abell] prob. married 2nd, September 20, 1744 [Norwich VRs], Hannah, dau. of Samuel and Experience (Hyde) Gifford.
While two children b. in 1746 and 1748 are attributed to this 2nd marriage, this marriage makes no practical sense. Hannah Gifford, dau. of Samuel and Experience (Hyde) was b. of record at Norwich on Sept. 20, 1724, suggesting that on Hannah's 20th birthday she willingly m. a 65 year old widower, whose purported youngest child by her was b. when he was short of 70 years of age. All manner of family associations have been erected trying to validate this 2nd marriage claim.
What the authors of the Abell genealogy did not investigate was that a John Abel was bapt. at the Lebanon, Conn. church in 1719, but his birth does not appear in printed Lebanon vital records. Nor is this John associated with another Abel surnamed family then residing at Lebanon.
Following is the more likely marriage association and John "Abel" family of Norwich, Conn.
------
Capt. John Abel, Jr. (q.v. Abell), the unrecorded 7th child and 2nd oldest surviving son of Capt John Abell and Rebecca Sluman, bapt. of record May 17, 1719 at Lebanon, Conn. [Lebanon Ch. Rec.] Unlike his siblings, his birth is not of printed record at Lebanon, but he was baptized in both chronological and ascending page order in the Lebanon church records with three other recorded children of Capt. Abel and Rebecca Sluman whose births are recorded in the printed Lebanon vital records.
Capt. John Abel and Rebecca Sluman's first born child was son John, b. of record Mar 10, 1703/4 who d. the same day. The second s. named John is verified by his father's own will written at Lebanon, Conn. on Apr. 10, 1759 (Windham Probate District, Vol. 7, folios 43-44; probated May 7, 1765) in which he is the first child named in the will:
• In the Name of God Amen, I John Abel of Lebanon in the County of Windham & Colony of Connecticut in New England being this 10th day of April in the year of our Lord 1759 under some indisposition of body...
• Imprimis. I give & bequeath to my loving & well beloved son John Abel Ten Pounds to be paid within one year after my decease.
• Item. I give & bequeath to my loving & well beloved son David Abel the one half of my right in the Commons and undivided land in the Five Mile Square of land in Lebanon and one half of my outdoor moveable estate.
• And I give to my loving & well beloved Daughters Sarah Metcalfe, Rebecca West, & Bethiah Randall to each of them Five pounds paid to each of them within two years of my decease, and also all my indoor moveable estate except my bed & bed furniture to be equally divided between them.
• Item. I give to my loving & well beloved Grand Daughters Betty & Sarah Hackley the daughters of my daughter Hannah Hackley dec'd all my beds & bed furniture to be equally divided between them.
• Item. I give to my loving & well beloved Grand Sons Samuel & Peter Hackley the sons of my daughter Hannah Hackley dec'd to each of them ten shillings to each of them to be paid within one year after my decease or within one year after they reach the age of Twenty One years.
• Item. I give & bequeath to my loving & well beloved son Solomon Abel all my estate both Real & Personal which I have not already given & disposed of in this my Last will & Testament.
• And the sd. John Abel do hereby constitute my Son Solomon Abel to be executor...
In the cited will, no wife is mentioned and no provision is made for a wife. All of the children of Capt. John Abel and Rebecca Sluman, who are of recorded birth and/or baptism record are included in the will along with the four recorded children of deceased daughter Hannah (Abel) Hackley.
At age 25 on Sept. 20, 1744 at Norwich, Conn. (by Rev. Benj. Lord), John Abel, Jr. m. Hannah Gifford on her 20th birthday, dau. of Samuel Gifford, Jr. and Experience Hyde (q.v. Hide), b. of record Sept. 20, 1724 at Norwich. In the Sept. 28, 1753 will of Samuel Gifford, Jr. of Norwich, dau. Hannah is called "the wife of John Abell."
John Abel and Hannah Gifford had the following two known children of record at Norwich under the surname Abel, both bapt. at the Norwich Cong. Ch. also under the surname Abel:
• i. Hannah Abel, b. Mar. 7 (bp. Mar. 9), 1745/46; d. in her youth Jan. 7, 1755.
• ii. Jerusha Abel, b. Mar. 11 (bp. Mar. 13), 1747/48; m. Dec. 6, 1767 as Jerusha "Abel" at Norwich, Thomas Williams, s. of Ebenezer and Hannah (Bacon) Williams of New London, Conn., b. at New London Feb. 6, 1734/5.
According to Hale's Connecticut Newspaper Notices, 1629-1934:
• Mrs. Hannah Abel, wife of Capt. John Abel, d. at Norwich, Conn., age 62, as reported by a newspaper pub. on Aug. 24, 1786.
• Capt. John Abel, age 73, place not stated, died per a newspaper pub. Feb. 19, 1793.
In both cases, the reported age at death is a virtual match to John Abel and wife Hannah Gifford. Although no additional primary or secondary documentation can be readily found that adds further confirmation to the writer's basis of the above Abel family, the records and resulting construction make substantially more sense than as published in 1940.
Revised 4/28/2017
Due to interest in both the Abel(l) and Gifford families of early Lebanon and Norwich, Conn., at p. 59 of the 1940 pub. "Robert Abell of Rehoboth, Mass...." is found the descendant family of Capt. John Abell (Dec. 1678-aft. Oct. 1769) of Lebanon, Conn. Following the death of known wife Rebecca Sluman in 1738 at Lebanon, the sketch includes the following statement:
• He [Capt. John Abell] prob. married 2nd, September 20, 1744 [Norwich VRs], Hannah, dau. of Samuel and Experience (Hyde) Gifford.
While two children b. in 1746 and 1748 are attributed to this 2nd marriage, this marriage makes no practical sense. Hannah Gifford, dau. of Samuel and Experience (Hyde) was b. of record at Norwich on Sept. 20, 1724, suggesting that on Hannah's 20th birthday she willingly m. a 65 year old widower, whose purported youngest child by her was b. when he was short of 70 years of age. All manner of family associations have been erected trying to validate this 2nd marriage claim.
What the authors of the Abell genealogy did not investigate was that a John Abel was bapt. at the Lebanon, Conn. church in 1719, but his birth does not appear in printed Lebanon vital records. Nor is this John associated with another Abel surnamed family then residing at Lebanon.
Following is the more likely marriage association and John "Abel" family of Norwich, Conn.
------
Capt. John Abel, Jr. (q.v. Abell), the unrecorded 7th child and 2nd oldest surviving son of Capt John Abell and Rebecca Sluman, bapt. of record May 17, 1719 at Lebanon, Conn. [Lebanon Ch. Rec.] Unlike his siblings, his birth is not of printed record at Lebanon, but he was baptized in both chronological and ascending page order in the Lebanon church records with three other recorded children of Capt. Abel and Rebecca Sluman whose births are recorded in the printed Lebanon vital records.
Capt. John Abel and Rebecca Sluman's first born child was son John, b. of record Mar 10, 1703/4 who d. the same day. The second s. named John is verified by his father's own will written at Lebanon, Conn. on Apr. 10, 1759 (Windham Probate District, Vol. 7, folios 43-44; probated May 7, 1765) in which he is the first child named in the will:
• In the Name of God Amen, I John Abel of Lebanon in the County of Windham & Colony of Connecticut in New England being this 10th day of April in the year of our Lord 1759 under some indisposition of body...
• Imprimis. I give & bequeath to my loving & well beloved son John Abel Ten Pounds to be paid within one year after my decease.
• Item. I give & bequeath to my loving & well beloved son David Abel the one half of my right in the Commons and undivided land in the Five Mile Square of land in Lebanon and one half of my outdoor moveable estate.
• And I give to my loving & well beloved Daughters Sarah Metcalfe, Rebecca West, & Bethiah Randall to each of them Five pounds paid to each of them within two years of my decease, and also all my indoor moveable estate except my bed & bed furniture to be equally divided between them.
• Item. I give to my loving & well beloved Grand Daughters Betty & Sarah Hackley the daughters of my daughter Hannah Hackley dec'd all my beds & bed furniture to be equally divided between them.
• Item. I give to my loving & well beloved Grand Sons Samuel & Peter Hackley the sons of my daughter Hannah Hackley dec'd to each of them ten shillings to each of them to be paid within one year after my decease or within one year after they reach the age of Twenty One years.
• Item. I give & bequeath to my loving & well beloved son Solomon Abel all my estate both Real & Personal which I have not already given & disposed of in this my Last will & Testament.
• And the sd. John Abel do hereby constitute my Son Solomon Abel to be executor...
In the cited will, no wife is mentioned and no provision is made for a wife. All of the children of Capt. John Abel and Rebecca Sluman, who are of recorded birth and/or baptism record are included in the will along with the four recorded children of deceased daughter Hannah (Abel) Hackley.
At age 25 on Sept. 20, 1744 at Norwich, Conn. (by Rev. Benj. Lord), John Abel, Jr. m. Hannah Gifford on her 20th birthday, dau. of Samuel Gifford, Jr. and Experience Hyde (q.v. Hide), b. of record Sept. 20, 1724 at Norwich. In the Sept. 28, 1753 will of Samuel Gifford, Jr. of Norwich, dau. Hannah is called "the wife of John Abell."
John Abel and Hannah Gifford had the following two known children of record at Norwich under the surname Abel, both bapt. at the Norwich Cong. Ch. also under the surname Abel:
• i. Hannah Abel, b. Mar. 7 (bp. Mar. 9), 1745/46; d. in her youth Jan. 7, 1755.
• ii. Jerusha Abel, b. Mar. 11 (bp. Mar. 13), 1747/48; m. Dec. 6, 1767 as Jerusha "Abel" at Norwich, Thomas Williams, s. of Ebenezer and Hannah (Bacon) Williams of New London, Conn., b. at New London Feb. 6, 1734/5.
According to Hale's Connecticut Newspaper Notices, 1629-1934:
• Mrs. Hannah Abel, wife of Capt. John Abel, d. at Norwich, Conn., age 62, as reported by a newspaper pub. on Aug. 24, 1786.
• Capt. John Abel, age 73, place not stated, died per a newspaper pub. Feb. 19, 1793.
In both cases, the reported age at death is a virtual match to John Abel and wife Hannah Gifford. Although no additional primary or secondary documentation can be readily found that adds further confirmation to the writer's basis of the above Abel family, the records and resulting construction make substantially more sense than as published in 1940.
Revised 4/28/2017
• He [Capt. John Abell] prob. married 2nd, September 20, 1744 [Norwich VRs], Hannah, dau. of Samuel and Experience (Hyde) Gifford.
While two children b. in 1746 and 1748 are attributed to this 2nd marriage, this marriage makes no practical sense. Hannah Gifford, dau. of Samuel and Experience (Hyde) was b. of record at Norwich on Sept. 20, 1724, suggesting that on Hannah's 20th birthday she willingly m. a 65 year old widower, whose purported youngest child by her was b. when he was short of 70 years of age. All manner of family associations have been erected trying to validate this 2nd marriage claim.
What the authors of the Abell genealogy did not investigate was that a John Abel was bapt. at the Lebanon, Conn. church in 1719, but his birth does not appear in printed Lebanon vital records. Nor is this John associated with another Abel surnamed family then residing at Lebanon.
Following is the more likely marriage association and John "Abel" family of Norwich, Conn.
------
Capt. John Abel, Jr. (q.v. Abell), the unrecorded 7th child and 2nd oldest surviving son of Capt John Abell and Rebecca Sluman, bapt. of record May 17, 1719 at Lebanon, Conn. [Lebanon Ch. Rec.] Unlike his siblings, his birth is not of printed record at Lebanon, but he was baptized in both chronological and ascending page order in the Lebanon church records with three other recorded children of Capt. Abel and Rebecca Sluman whose births are recorded in the printed Lebanon vital records.
Capt. John Abel and Rebecca Sluman's first born child was son John, b. of record Mar 10, 1703/4 who d. the same day. The second s. named John is verified by his father's own will written at Lebanon, Conn. on Apr. 10, 1759 (Windham Probate District, Vol. 7, folios 43-44; probated May 7, 1765) in which he is the first child named in the will:
• In the Name of God Amen, I John Abel of Lebanon in the County of Windham & Colony of Connecticut in New England being this 10th day of April in the year of our Lord 1759 under some indisposition of body...
• Imprimis. I give & bequeath to my loving & well beloved son John Abel Ten Pounds to be paid within one year after my decease.
• Item. I give & bequeath to my loving & well beloved son David Abel the one half of my right in the Commons and undivided land in the Five Mile Square of land in Lebanon and one half of my outdoor moveable estate.
• And I give to my loving & well beloved Daughters Sarah Metcalfe, Rebecca West, & Bethiah Randall to each of them Five pounds paid to each of them within two years of my decease, and also all my indoor moveable estate except my bed & bed furniture to be equally divided between them.
• Item. I give to my loving & well beloved Grand Daughters Betty & Sarah Hackley the daughters of my daughter Hannah Hackley dec'd all my beds & bed furniture to be equally divided between them.
• Item. I give to my loving & well beloved Grand Sons Samuel & Peter Hackley the sons of my daughter Hannah Hackley dec'd to each of them ten shillings to each of them to be paid within one year after my decease or within one year after they reach the age of Twenty One years.
• Item. I give & bequeath to my loving & well beloved son Solomon Abel all my estate both Real & Personal which I have not already given & disposed of in this my Last will & Testament.
• And the sd. John Abel do hereby constitute my Son Solomon Abel to be executor...
In the cited will, no wife is mentioned and no provision is made for a wife. All of the children of Capt. John Abel and Rebecca Sluman, who are of recorded birth and/or baptism record are included in the will along with the four recorded children of deceased daughter Hannah (Abel) Hackley.
At age 25 on Sept. 20, 1744 at Norwich, Conn. (by Rev. Benj. Lord), John Abel, Jr. m. Hannah Gifford on her 20th birthday, dau. of Samuel Gifford, Jr. and Experience Hyde (q.v. Hide), b. of record Sept. 20, 1724 at Norwich. In the Sept. 28, 1753 will of Samuel Gifford, Jr. of Norwich, dau. Hannah is called "the wife of John Abell."
John Abel and Hannah Gifford had the following two known children of record at Norwich under the surname Abel, both bapt. at the Norwich Cong. Ch. also under the surname Abel:
• i. Hannah Abel, b. Mar. 7 (bp. Mar. 9), 1745/46; d. in her youth Jan. 7, 1755.
• ii. Jerusha Abel, b. Mar. 11 (bp. Mar. 13), 1747/48; m. Dec. 6, 1767 as Jerusha "Abel" at Norwich, Thomas Williams, s. of Ebenezer and Hannah (Bacon) Williams of New London, Conn., b. at New London Feb. 6, 1734/5.
According to Hale's Connecticut Newspaper Notices, 1629-1934:
• Mrs. Hannah Abel, wife of Capt. John Abel, d. at Norwich, Conn., age 62, as reported by a newspaper pub. on Aug. 24, 1786.
• Capt. John Abel, age 73, place not stated, died per a newspaper pub. Feb. 19, 1793.
In both cases, the reported age at death is a virtual match to John Abel and wife Hannah Gifford. Although no additional primary or secondary documentation can be readily found that adds further confirmation to the writer's basis of the above Abel family, the records and resulting construction make substantially more sense than as published in 1940.
Revised 4/28/2017
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