Abiah (Hunnewell-Birdsey) Tryon (abt. 1683 - 1756)

Born about 1683 in Middletown, Hartford, Connecticut

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 30 Nov 1756 at about age 73 in Middletown, Hartford, Connecticut

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Biography

Abiah was born about 1683, the daughter of Elizabeth Harris and an Unknown father. She passed away about 1756.

Children of Abiah and Abel:

Sarah Tryon Clark b. 10 Jul 1704

Eunice Tryon Barnes b. 10 Feb 1705/6

Thomas Tryon Sr. b. 7 May 1708, d. 24 Jul 1804

Abel Tryon Jr. b. 3 Oct 1710, d. b 1762

William Tryon b. 2 Nov 1712, d. 1751

Elizabeth Tryon b. 25 Oct 1714

Mary Tryon Powers b. 24 Feb 1716/17, d. Nov 1776

Charles Tryon b. 31 May 1719, d. b 1762

Rachel Tryon Lewis Wilcox b. 1722

Elizabeth Tryon Greene b. 7 Feb 1724/25

Prudence Tryon b. 20 Oct 1728

Research Notes

The last name at birth of "Birdsey" as well as the adoptive name "Hunnewell" given in The Tryon Family in America are undocumented. Evidence points to her last name at birth being Harris, her mother's maiden name.

From "Tryon Family in America" by Wes Tryon:

[Abel] "became a merchant in Middletown, Conn., in 1702, and married Abiah Birdsey Hunnewell in 1703. We find her first name spelled Abial, Abiall, Abiel, and Biall. She was born in Middletown in 1683, a daughter of John Birdsey and Elizabeth (Harris) Birdsey, and a grand daughter of Capt. Daniel Harris and his wife Mary (Welds) Harris. The name of Abiah's father was Birdsey, but after the death of her first husband, her mother married John Hunnewell, and he evidently adopted Abiah and her name became Hunnewell. Abel and Abiah were baptized as "Abel Tryal and his wife Abiel" into the Middletown First Church, Aug. 6, 1704. Abel died in Middletown, Jan. 29, 1760, aged 78 years, and Abiah died at the same place, Nov. 30, 1756, aged 73 years. They are both buried at Farm Hill Yard Cemetery, near Middletown. Eleven children are found in the record."

From Gale Ion Harris:

[Abel] "married ABIEL HARRIS, born about 1683, died at Middletown on 30 November 1756, aged 73, daughter of Elizabeth Harris of Middletown; her father is unknown. Both are buried in Old Farm Hill 'Cemetery at Middletown."

"I have not verified an undocumented claim that Abiel's father was a man named Birdsey. Daniel Harris's will, dated Middletown, 13 March 1698/9, gave property to "my daughter Elizabeth" and "my grandchild Abiell," but in case Abiel d. before age 18 her portion was to go to "her mother (my daughter Elizabeth)." In addition, he committed Abiel "unto the care and custody of my son John Harris until she attain the age of 18 years or the time of her marriage" (Manwaring, Conn. Probate Records, 2:73). Elizabeth had married John Hunnewell, with whom she had three children born from about 1687 to 1691. Elizabeth's own estate was distributed in 1713 to her three Hunnewell children, but no portion was set to her daughter Abiel (Manwaring, Conn. Probate Records, 2:237), apparently in accordance with prevailing law that an illegitimate child was not entitled to an intestate share."

Sources

• Wesley Tryon, The Tryon Family In America, second edition, 1980. [1]

• Gale Ion Harris, "William Tryon of Hartford and Wethersfield, Connecticut," The American Genealogist, July/October 2008.

• Harris, Gale Ion. The Brothers William² and Daniel² Harris of Middletown, Connecticut, The New England Historical & Genealogical Register (NEHGS, Boston, Mass., 2010) Vol. 164, WN 656, Page 284.

• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/19828679/abiah-tryon), memorial page for Abiah Birdsey Tryon (1684–30 Nov 1756), Find a Grave Memorial no. 19828679, citing Old Farm Hill Cemetery, Middletown, Middlesex County, Connecticut, USA ; Maintained by Mildred Thomas (contributor 46579614).