Abel Keyes (1743 - bef. 1828)

Born 29 Apr 1743 in Chelmsford, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts Bay, New England

Ancestors

Husband of Olive (Durant) Keyes — married 3 Aug 1768 in Chelmsford, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Husband of Rebecca (Ball) Weston — married 17 Apr 1823 (to Nov 1829) in Townsend, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA

Died before Feb 1828 before age 84 in Townsend, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Chet Snow [send private message]

Biography

Abel Keyes was born on April 29, 1743 in Chelmsford, Middlesex County, Province of Massachusetts Bay, New England. He was the son of Zachariah Keyes and Dinah Butterfield. ^[1]

Rebecca (Ball) Weston and Abel Keyes had each lost at least one spouse before their marriage on April 17, 1823. Abel had had two earlier wives: Olive Durant, b: 29 Aug. 1739 in Billerica; m: 1768 and Sarah (Sally) Sartell, b: 1744, widow of Nathaniel Bowers. Sally died on Nov. 18, 1821 in Townsend, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA.^[2] Abel Keyes married widow Sarah Bowers on Christmas Day, 1805 in Townsend, Massachusetts. ^{[3] [4]}

Abel Keyes married Olive Durant in Chelmsford, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay, on August 3, 1768. ^[5] Chelmsford's Vital Records list six children as born to the couple: ^[6]

1. Sarah, b. Oct. 4, 1768; d. Oct. 18, 1769
2. Abel, s. Abel and Olive, baptized Nov. 25,1770.
3. Aaron, s. Abel and Olive, baptized Feb. 28,1773
4. Zebulon, s. Abel and Olive, baptized July 2,1775
5. Levi, s. Abel and Olive, baptized June 29,1777
6. Elizabeth "Betty," d. Abel and Olive, baptized Oct. 10, 1779.

Olive (Durant) Keyes died between 1798 and 1805. Widower Abel Keyes married widow Sarah (Sartell) Bowers on December 25, 1805 in Townsend, Middlesex, Massachusetts. Sally died on November 18, 1821 and Abel Keyes married his 3rd wife, widow Rebecca (Ball) Weston, on April 17, 1823 in Townsend, Middlesex, Massachusetts. ^[7]

Abel Keyes and Rebecca (Ball) Weston had no children together during their brief marriage (m: Apr 1823 - Feb. 1828). On 20 Feb 1827, Abel Keyes signed a Last Will and Testament, that gave wife Rebecca the assets with which she entered their marriage, then divided the remainder of his estate equally between his three surviving children, namely Abel, Jr., Aaron and Betsy.^[8]

Abel Keyes died shortly before 12 Feb. 1828, at which time his Will was presented to the Probate Court.^[9] On 23 Feb. 1828, the administrator of his estate, William Jones of Lunenburg, sold his Townsend, MA real estate for $312 in order to pay debts and legacies.^[10]

Widow Rebecca Keyes remarried former-husband William I. Weston's younger brother on April 27, 1830.

Sources

1. ↑ Massachusetts Vital Records Middlesex, Chelmsford Births: B087: Keyes
2. ↑ MA Vital Records, Middlesex, Townsend, Deaths: Keys
3. ↑ MA Vital Records: Middlesex, Townsend, Marriages: Keyes
4. ↑ "History of the town of Townsend, Middlesex County, Massachusetts : from the grant of Hathorn's farm, 1676-1878," pg. 28and see: Old Burying Ground: Townsend MA - her Headstone is No. 186 (Index by Headstone Nos.).
5. ↑ MA Vital Records, Middlesex, Chelmsford, Marriages: Keyes
6. ↑ MA Vital Records, Middlesex, Chelmsford Births: Keyes
7. ↑ MA Vital Records: Middlesex, Townsend, Marriages: Keyes
8. ↑ Middlesex County, MA, Film Nbr. 416784, Probate # 13187 (1827)| Last Will & Testament
9. ↑ Middlesex County, MA, Probate Court, Film Nbr. 416784, Probate #13187| Presentation of Will to Probate Court
10. ↑ Middlesex County, MA, Deeds, v. 281| pages 155-7

• Fiske-Bigelow on RootsWeb: Abel Keyes. Wrongly states he died in 1805.

• "History of the town of Townsend, Middlesex County, Massachusetts : from the grant of Hathorn's farm, 1676-1878," pg. 28

• "The genealogy of the Ball and Weston families : with a poem by Rev. J.E.B. Jewett"

• http://www.amitycomputer.com/Old%20Burying%20Ground%20Patriots.pdf - see references under William Weston and Nathaniel Bowers.

• Findlay Tree on RootsWeb: Olive Durant. Lists 2 additional children for Olive & Abel Keyes.

Acknowledgments

• Thanks to Greg Rose for starting a profile for Abel Keyes. Click the Changes tab for the details of contributions by Greg and others.