Caleb Abell (abt. 1647 - 1731)

Born about 1647 in Rehoboth, Bristol, Massachusetts Bay

Ancestors

Husband of Margaret (Post) Abell — married Jul 1669 in Norwich, New London, Connecticut

Husband of Mary (Miller) Abell — married 25 Jun 1701 in Norwich, New London, Connecticut

Descendants

Died 17 Aug 1731 at about age 84 in Norwichtown, New London, Connecticut

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Biography

Caleb Abell was born about 1646, probably in Rehoboth, Plymouth Colony. He is the son of Robert Abell and Joanna Unknown.^[1]

Caleb's father, Robert, died in Rehoboth 20 June 1663. His mother, Joanna, got remarried to William Hyde, in Rehoboth on 04 June 1667. Caleb appears to have went with his mother and siblings with Joanna to live with William in Norwich.

Caleb married Margaret Post, William's granddaughter, in July 1669, probably in Norwich.^[2] They had nine children.^[3]

Caleb and Margaret purchased the home lot of Robert Wade in Norwich, 6 acres, 16 rods in front, right across from William and his mother.^[4]

Margaret (Post) Abell died November 1700 in Norwich. She is buried in the Old Norwichtown Cemetery.^[5].

Caleb married Mary (Miller) Loomer, as his second wife, 25 June 1701. They had one child.^[6]

Caleb Abell died 07 August 1731, in Norwich.

(++) Hyde Genealogy Errors

Children of Caleb and Margaret^[7]:

1. Daughter b. March 1671 d. the same month
2. Samuel b. Oct 1672 at Norwich, m. Elizabeth Sluman
3. Experience b. Dec 1674 at Norwich, m. John Hyde
4. Caleb b. Apr 1677 at Norwich, m. Abigail Sluman
5. John b. Dec 1678 at Norwich, m. Rebecca Sluman
6. Theophilus b. Nov 1680 at Norwich, m. Anne Calkins
7. Joanna b. Nov 1683 at Norwich
8. Mary b. abt 1685 at Norwich m. Joseph Tracy ++
9. Benjamin b. about 1687, at Norwich, m. Lydia Hazen ++
10. Abigail b. 16 Mar 1689 at Norwich, m. Barnabus Lathrop, m2. Christopher Huntington
11. Hannah b. 12 Oct 1692 at Norwich

The above list (sorted but otherwise as given in Walworth) includes two children, Mary and Benjamin, attributed to Caleb and Margaret by Walworth but disputed by Abell. It also leaves out daughter Margaret named in Caleb's will.

Abell cites land records which show that Benjamin Abell m. Hannah left land to his son Benjamin Abell m. Lydia Hazen. This clearly shows that "m. Lydia Hazen" above is misplaced. Further, Caleb's will does not mention either Mary or Benjamin. Finally, neither one appears in the vital records of Norwich (as Caleb's children).

If Benjamin and Mary are the children of Benjamin Abell and Hannah, then their father died when they were 19 and 12, respectively (according to the estimated birth dates on page 55). Abell argues that the confusion likely arose because these two went to live with their uncle when their father died in 1699. Hannah, another sister, who was 20, went to live with their uncle Joshua and has ended up as his daughter in some genealogies.

Research Notes

• Are the land records mentioned by Abell viewable online?

• Is Caleb's will (Will-Abell-2) available online? Is Benjamin's will (Will-Abell-1) available online? Presumably, Will-Abell-2 does not mention Mary and Benjamin and Will-Abell-1 does.

• Abell states that the vital records of Norwich do not show Mary and Benjamin. Do they show up as children for Benjamin Abell-1?

Sources

1. ↑ Abell Page 49
2. ↑ U.S., New England Marriages Prior to 1700<
3. ↑ Abell Page 52 & 55-56
4. ↑ Abell Page 50
5. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #74623380
6. ↑ Abell Page 52
7. ↑ Walworth Page 12

See also:

• Memorial: "Find a Grave", database with images, Find A Grave: Memorial #40494109, Memorial page for SGT Caleb Abell Sr. (8 Apr 1646-17 Aug 1731), citing Old Norwichtown Cemetery, Norwich, New London County, Connecticut, USA; Maintained by FamilyTResearch (contributor 46876150).
• Walworth: Walworth, Reuben Hyde. Hyde genealogy, or, The descendants, in the female as well as in the male lines, from William Hyde, of Norwich, Volume 1, J. Munsell, Albany, 1864. On Archive.org
• Abell: Abell, Horace A.. The Abell family in America : Robert Abell of Rehoboth, Mass., his English ancestry and his descendants, other Abell families and immigrants, Abell families in England Rutland, Vt.: Tuttle Pub. Co., 1940
• Caulkins, Frances Manwaring. History of Norwich, Connecticut: From Its Possession by the Indians to the Year 1866 (Friends of the Author, New London, 1874) Page 209

FamilySearch Family Tree: MTSQ-NQK.

Footnotes