ABBOTT, George

Other Events and Attributes:

• Emigration: 1642, Rowley, Essex, MA

Notes:

[Byrne.FTW]

Mr. Abbott came to New England with his father's family, probably about 1642, lived at Rowley, Essex Co., Mass., about 14 yrs., when, in 1655, he settled in that part of Andover afterwards North Andover but now Andover Centre. He was a husbandman and tailor, very thrifty and industrious, and for that day was financially well off, being, according to the tax list, one of the five wealthiest men in Andover. He was a member of Sergt. James Osgood's Militia Co. 1658-9, and according to the Essex Co. court record, had previously been a member of Sergt. Stevens's Co., the custom being for the citizens of Andover to petition the Court to confirm their choice of a Sergeant.(*) He was made a freeman, May 19, 1669, and was elected constable June 3, 1680, "for ye north end of ye town for ye year ensuing." (t. r.) He probably held other town offices but the records are not sufficiently explicit to tell, there being so many George Abbotts.

He was much respected, and for many years had charge of the North Meeting House, Andover: the pulpit was cushioned at an early day, and by a vote to give him the use of a part of the parsonage lands for his services in repairing the meeting-house, he agreed to "mend ye pulpit cushions, and to gett ye meeting-house lock mended;" in 1675 he was paid "for sweeping ye meeting-house and ringing ye bell, thirty shillings per annum;" June 1, 1676, he was sold 9 acres "of upland on ye north side of Joseph Marbles 'land,' provided it be not prejudicial to Richard Barker, and he is to pay for it nine pounds in sweeping ye meeting-house and ringing ye bell at thirty shillings per annum." (Andover Land Rec.)

"At a meeting of the selectmen of Andover ye 16, of ye 1. month 1679/80 [Mar. 16, 1679/80] we have agreed with George Abbott, drummer, to ring ye bell at nine of the clock at night, as also to give notice by ye towling of the bell every night of ye day of the month and his time of ringing to begin the time of ye instant March, which he is to doe, and to be payd for his labour thirty shillings by ye year, etc."

It was the custom at one time to beat the drum for the signal for service and daily labor, "and none but a sober and industrious man could be chosen for such duties."(+) Abbott probably had charge in all about 30 yrs., some of his sons temporarily taking his place about the time of his death.

The Town Committee's first assignment of land to him bears no date. According to its estimate it consisted of two parcels of about four and six acres each. The first included a dwelling house, orchard, etc., and was prob. the ground now (1900) partly occupied by the new house of John Bannon on the left of the road running northerly from the old cemetery, and extending through to the trolley-line of to-day, on which street his house probably fronted. Mr. Sutton's place was next north, George Abbott, Sr.'s place next, the minister's next, etc. The second was bounded north by the cemetery and "Meeting-house greene," east by the road passing by the Kittredge house of to-day, south by John Aslebe's land, and west by land of Mr. Bradstreet and John Frye, Sr. The first record of Abbott's land in Andover in the registrat's office at Salem, Mass., is on June 10, 1662, when he paid Job Tyler ú29: 15s., for the foregoing property, which was inherited by his son, John, who sold it to Lt. John Aslebe,(*) June 17, 1696, when Abbott moved to Sudbury, Mass.

The second piece of land assigned him was virtually identical with that now lying south of the old cemetery and in front of the Kittredge house, excepting the little triangular piece east of the cemetery, which would be formed by its eastern wall, the road, and the prolongation of the south wall of the cemetery to said road about in front of the Kittredge House; this triangle was without doubt the "Meeting-house green" in 1662. The church was probably just inside the open space where there are no trees, in the southeasterly corner of the cemetery as it now (1900) is; it probably fronted easterly, and was approached from the "Meeting-house green" by a walk or quite wide passage-way entering the cemetery just north of the grave of John Stevens and others now obscure. The slightly excavated site and its approach are plainly visible to the eye of an expert, the custom of the period being to make interments in close proximity to the church and on either side of its approach. The earliest tablets extant are found in this part of the cemetery, but nearly all have been destroyed by time and climatic influences, only a few having been renewed. Abbott's grave is doubtless among the unmarked ones near the old site.

When the first assignment of land was made him by the committee, there was probably no road leading northerly from the centre of the cemetery back of his land, on which his house stood, for had there been, it would doubtless have been given as an eastern boundary to his "house-lott" instead of by the "common" but in 1696 a road had been established, for it is given as the eastern boundary when the lot was sold by his son John, and the next road west (on which the street cars now run), passing between the Phillips and Bradstreet houses, is given as the western boundary, as in the first instances.

A condition in deeding this property was that "ye said George Abbott is to pay unto ye minister fower shillings by ye year so long as this waie of rating remayne." The deed is witnessed by Edmund Faulkner and Thomas Abbott, Jr., which shows that the latter was probably living in Andover early in 1662.(*) There were many other assignments of land to Abbott by the Andover Committee, and a record of many real estate transactions by him in the Salem deeds, but the property was so scattered in small pieces, according to custom, that its location would not be understood now by any but an expert. He was very thrifty, seemingly grasping every opportunity to turn an honest penny, until, at his death, he was affluent for his day. He d. intestate, in Andover, Mar. 22, 1688/9, ae. about 58 yrs.(+) His widow, Sarah, was m. by Rev. Francis Dane, Aug. 1, 1689, to Sergt. Henry Ingalls, b. in England about 1627, son of Edward and Anna, probably of Lincolnshire, Eng., who settled in Lynn, Mass., 1629, progenitors of the late Hon. J. J. Ingalls, U. S. Senator for Kansas. They both d. in Andover,--he Feb. 8, 1718/19, ae. 92, and she in 1728, ae. 90 yrs. There were no chil. by this m.

Sergt. Henry Ingalls moved to Andover, Mass., 1653, and was m. there by "Mr. Bradstreet," July 6, 1653, to Mary Osgood, b. in Eng., prob. 1633. She d. at Andover, Dec. 16, 1686, ae. about 53 yrs. He was a tanner. His will is dated July 5, 1714, and was proved Feb. 16, 1718/19. Over 100 acres of land were divided among his 12 chil. His son James who m. Hannah, dau. of George and Sarah (Farnum) Abbott, was given the homestead and charged with the care of the wid. (Osgood, Gen. Reg., etc.) He was juror, 1690-1; constable, 1669, 1675, and highway surveyor, 1672. (t. r.)

The original duplicate agreements of the settlement of Abbott's estate between his heirs are on file among the Salem, Mass., court papers. After stating that the Government of the country was in an unsettled "posture," the widow and children who were of age, acknowledged their adherence to the following division of the estate:

The widow accepted ú25, which she had already received, and an interest in one end of the house, if she should have cause to make use of it at any time during her life. The eldest son, George, accepted 16 acres of upland, on which he had built a house, given him by his father during his lifetime, although there was no legal conveyance of the same; also a "parcel of meadow commonly called 'Woodchuck Meadow,'" ú5 worth of live-stock which he already had, ú6 worth of household effects which he also had, and half of the meadow on the further side of "Woodchuck Meadow" valued at ú5. John, the 2d son, accepted the homestead, orchard and house, except that part reserved for his mother and part of the orchard given his bro. George, a "parcel of meadow" on Shawsheen River, lying on the west of Mr. Bradstreet's meadow, the other half of the meadow back of Woodchuck Meadow, 2 acres of land in the "Newfield," three-quarters of an acre in the "Cochichawiche field," ú14 worth of live-stock, and ú3: 13s. worth of "moveables" which he already had. Nehemiah, the 3d son, accepted "four score acres" of upland, and all the meadow remaining undisposed of, ú6: 2s. worth of live-stock, and ú1: 4s. worth of household effects. John and Nehemiah agreed to pay their sisters, Sarah, Mary, Hannah, and Lydia, 20s., apiece, it being sufficient in addition to what they had already received to make their shares equal with the others, excepting Hannah, who was to have ú18 more when she was of age. She chose Nehemiah as her guardian. The youngest two children, Samuel and Mehitable, minors, were given such portions as the Court should appoint, which was ú70 to the former, and ú18 to the latter when each was of age. John and Nehemiah agreed to pay all debts of the estate and to collect all due it. The agreement was signed by all concerned and witnessed by Dudley Bradstreet and John Ingalls. It was dated Jan. 20, 1689/90, and acknowledged at Haverhill, Mass., Mar. 21, 1689/90, before "Nath: Saltonstall, Assist." Henry Ingalls, Sr., and his wife sent in their consent in writing, and the husbands of Sarah and Mary made acknowledgment for them.

The second, also signed by all parties, is only a revision of the original, more clearly and grammatically arranged, excepting that an agreement to pay the amounts determined by the Court in the cases of the youngest two children when of age is added, signed by John and Nehemiah Abbott, approved by the Court, and attested by "Benjm Gerrech, clk," but bears no date.(*) They had 10 children.

George married FARNUM, Sarah on 26 Apr 1658 in Ipswich, Essex, MA. Sarah (daughter of FARNUM, Ralph and ALICE) was born in 1638 in Massachusetts. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Residence: 1924

Notes:

[Byrne.FTW]

He was the progenitor of a
distinguished descent through Lt. Col. Jonas Abbott, Surge
the service of Her Majesty, Queen Victoria, in Canada, son of Timothy
Abbott, an original "Green Mountain Boy," who won fa
one of a party from Bennington, Vt., which rescued Remember Bake
also of John Owen Stearns, of Concord, N. H., Supt. N. J. Cen
R. R., and son, Hon. Onslow Stearns, R. R. magnate, Supt. of t
Vt. Cent. R. R., pres. and director of several other R. Rs., mem. and
pres. of N. H. Senate, Gov. of N. H.; Obed Stearns, M. D
Hampton, N. H.; Isaac Stearns, M. D., of Dunbarton, N. H.; Ge
Solomon Stearns; Rev. Jesse G. Stearns, of Brentwood, N. J
and his son Rev. Charles Stearns, Missionary to Turkey; Pro
John Stearns, of Wash., D. C.; Rev. Timothy Stearns, of la.; Re
L. A. Abbott, of Ill.; Col. Chauncey Abbott, etc. The Bedfor
Beverly and Brookfield, Mass., Abbotts are from this line, their descent
being good, but sometimes hard to follow, and genealogical
unenterprising

Notes:

[Byrne.FTW]

He was the gr.-father of Cols. John
and Samuel Abbott of the Rev. War, of Pawlet, Vt., and Norwic
Ct., respectively; has a distinguished descent in N. Y., and t
West; also in the South which cannot be established becau
loss of recs. in No. and So. Carolina; descent widely scattered; progenitor
of Capt. John, Rev. Orrin, Col. George, M. D., Hon. Chaunc
Prof. Lyman, Capt. Abram Abbott and others of N. Y.; Ho
M. Barnes and sons of Mich.; Rev. John Waldo; Capt. Dav
Waldo of the Mex. War; Hon. Jedediah Goff, Hon. W. P. Gof
Hon. David Goff, bros., mems. repeatedly of the W. Va. Legis
Gen. Nathan Goff of the Civ. War, U. S. Senator from W. Va
Sec. of the Navy R. B. Hayes' adm., the latter also being descended
from Lydia Abbott, sister of John.

Mary married BARKER, Stephen on 13 May 1687 in Andover, MA. Stephen (son of BARKER, Richard and JOANNA) was born on 6 Jul 1659 in Andover, Essex, MA; died on 21 May 1741 in Andover, Essex, MA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Zebadiah married LOVEJOY, ElizabethAndover, MA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Occupation: Weaver

Zebadiah married MERRILL, Phebe on 15 Dec 1743 in Metheun, Mass. Phebe was born in 1723; died on 24 Apr 1749 in Metheun, Mass. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Zebadiah married MERRILL, Deborah on 8 Mar 1749/50 in Metheun, Mass. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]