Robert Abell
Encyclopedia
Robert Abell was born in about 1605 in Stapenhill
, Derbyshire
, England
and died at Rehoboth
, Massachusetts
on 20 June 1663. He was among the early settlers of the Massachusetts Bay Colony
and the first person with his surname
to emigrate from England to the American colonies. He traveled from his home to New England
in 1630 as part of the first wave of a mass exodus of Puritans called the Great Migration
.
This initial expedition was known as the Winthrop Fleet
, which consisted of 11 ships carrying around 700 immigrants. Robert Abell was “related to the Cotton family and probably emigrated under influence of Rev. John Cotton [1585–1652] or Rev. Arthur Hildersham
[1563-1632] of Ashby-de-la-Zouch
, who lived a few miles from the home of Abell. Derby
, the home of the Cotton family, was only five miles distant.”
According to Charles Henry Pope, author of Pioneers of Massachusetts, “all who came after 1650 found Massachusetts a reality, a single state, practically, although under two fraternal governments; all who came before that date helped essentially to make it.”
and French aristocrats and royalty.
His maternal grandfather, “Rt. Hon. Sir George Cotton,” was “Vice-Chamberlain of the Household
to the Prince of Wales
, (later King Edward VI) . . . a Privy Counsellor
. . . [and] Esquire of the Body to King Henry VIII
.” Henry knighted him before or in 1542.
Robert’s father, George Abell, at the age of 17 enrolled in Oxford University’s Brasenose College (8 December 1578). By November of 1580, he had become a barrister
and a member of the Inner Temple
. Before June 1630, he arranged an apprenticeship in London
for his son, but Robert decided to try his luck in the New World
, instead. This was a move that his father disapproved of, but, nevertheless, financed.
In his will, dated 8 September 1630, George Abell states (original spelling retained), “I bequeath unto my second sonne Robert Abell onelie a Twentie shilling
peece for his childs parte in regard of ye charges I have beene at in placeing him in a good trade in London wch hee hath made noe use of and since in furnishing him for newe England where I hope he now is.”
in the recently founded village of Weymouth
. On 18 May 1631, he took the freeman’s oath
. “This act endowed him with full privileges and responsibilities of citizenship in the new colony, including ownership of lands, in the exercise of which he continued to acquire holdings.”
Most of the early settlers of Massachusetts Bay Colony had at least two major preoccupations: (1) helping build Winthrop’s “City upon a Hill
,” a model Christian society, and (2) surviving and prospering in the New World. It is not known exactly how committed Abell was to the first objective, but municipal and court records show him participating in the life of his community, slowly building up his land holdings and eventual establishing a business.
During his time as a resident of Weymouth (1630–1643), his civic duties included serving on various types of juries (grand, petit and coroner’s), and records indicate that he accumulated a small amount of land (about 7 acres). Like many immigrants, Robert Abell did not stay indefinitely in the first place he landed. In 1643, when the opportunity to join a newly founded town presented itself, he followed Reverend Samuel Newman
(and the majority of his congregation) to a place the local Wampanoag tribe called Seekonk
(a portion of which was later renamed “Rehoboth
”). Some of Abell’s activities while living there can be found in the following extracts from the minutes of various Rehoboth town meetings and Plymouth
colonial records:
At the time of his death, Abell’s estate “amounted to £354 17s. 9d. of which ‘an house and land’ accounted for £130.”
All of the Abell brothers had sizable families (seven to ten children each), helping to perpetuate the family name in New England. Writing in 1940, genealogist Horace Abell claimed that “probably all the present day Abells of New England stock are descended from Robert’s three sons, Preserved, Caleb and Benjamin Abell. His fourth son, Joshua, did not leave any male descendants.”
Stapenhill
Stapenhill is an area and civil parish in Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire in the UK. Stapenhill was a small village owned by Nigel of Stafford in 1086.The village of Stapenhill has long since been surrounded by new housing developments....
, Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and died at Rehoboth
Rehoboth, Massachusetts
Rehoboth is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 10,172 at the 2000 census.-History:It was incorporated in 1643 making it one of the earliest Massachusetts towns to be incorporated. The Rehoboth Carpenter Family is among the founding families...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
on 20 June 1663. He was among the early settlers of the Massachusetts Bay Colony
Massachusetts Bay Colony
The Massachusetts Bay Colony was an English settlement on the east coast of North America in the 17th century, in New England, situated around the present-day cities of Salem and Boston. The territory administered by the colony included much of present-day central New England, including portions...
and the first person with his surname
Surname
A surname is a name added to a given name and is part of a personal name. In many cases, a surname is a family name. Many dictionaries define "surname" as a synonym of "family name"...
to emigrate from England to the American colonies. He traveled from his home to New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
in 1630 as part of the first wave of a mass exodus of Puritans called the Great Migration
Great Migration (Puritan)
The Puritan migration to New England was marked in its effects in the two decades from 1620 to 1640, after which it declined sharply for a while. The term Great Migration usually refers to the migration in this period of English settlers, primarily Puritans to Massachusetts and the warm islands of...
.
This initial expedition was known as the Winthrop Fleet
Winthrop Fleet
The Winthrop Fleet was a group of eleven sailing ships under the leadership of John Winthrop that carried approximately 700 Puritans plus livestock and provisions from England to New England over the summer of 1630.-Motivation:...
, which consisted of 11 ships carrying around 700 immigrants. Robert Abell was “related to the Cotton family and probably emigrated under influence of Rev. John Cotton [1585–1652] or Rev. Arthur Hildersham
Arthur Hildersham
Arthur Hildersham was an English clergyman, a Puritan and nonconforming preacher.-Life:Arthur Hildersham was born at Stetchworth, and brought up as a Roman Catholic. He was educated in Saffron Walden and at Christ's College, Cambridge. Through the patronage of Henry Hastings, 3rd Earl of...
[1563-1632] of Ashby-de-la-Zouch
Ashby-de-la-Zouch
Ashby-de-la-Zouch, — Zouch being pronounced "Zoosh" — often shortened to Ashby, is a small market town and civil parish in North West Leicestershire, England, within the National Forest. It is twinned with Pithiviers in north-central France....
, who lived a few miles from the home of Abell. Derby
Derby
Derby , is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407...
, the home of the Cotton family, was only five miles distant.”
According to Charles Henry Pope, author of Pioneers of Massachusetts, “all who came after 1650 found Massachusetts a reality, a single state, practically, although under two fraternal governments; all who came before that date helped essentially to make it.”
Family background
Robert was the second son of George Abell (1561–1630) and Frances Cotton (b. abt. 1573-d. by 1646). On his mother’s side, he was descended from a long line of English, NormanNormans
The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
and French aristocrats and royalty.
His maternal grandfather, “Rt. Hon. Sir George Cotton,” was “Vice-Chamberlain of the Household
Vice-Chamberlain of the Household
The Vice-Chamberlain of the Household is usually a junior government whip in the British House of Commons and is an officer of the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. He or she is the Deputy to the Lord Chamberlain of the Household. The Vice-Chamberlain's main role is to compile...
to the Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales is a title traditionally granted to the heir apparent to the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the 15 other independent Commonwealth realms...
, (later King Edward VI) . . . a Privy Counsellor
Privy council
A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a nation, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the monarch's closest advisors to give confidential advice on...
. . . [and] Esquire of the Body to King Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
.” Henry knighted him before or in 1542.
Robert’s father, George Abell, at the age of 17 enrolled in Oxford University’s Brasenose College (8 December 1578). By November of 1580, he had become a barrister
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
and a member of the Inner Temple
Inner Temple
The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
. Before June 1630, he arranged an apprenticeship in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
for his son, but Robert decided to try his luck in the New World
New World
The New World is one of the names used for the Western Hemisphere, specifically America and sometimes Oceania . The term originated in the late 15th century, when America had been recently discovered by European explorers, expanding the geographical horizon of the people of the European middle...
, instead. This was a move that his father disapproved of, but, nevertheless, financed.
In his will, dated 8 September 1630, George Abell states (original spelling retained), “I bequeath unto my second sonne Robert Abell onelie a Twentie shilling
Shilling
The shilling is a unit of currency used in some current and former British Commonwealth countries. The word shilling comes from scilling, an accounting term that dates back to Anglo-Saxon times where it was deemed to be the value of a cow in Kent or a sheep elsewhere. The word is thought to derive...
peece for his childs parte in regard of ye charges I have beene at in placeing him in a good trade in London wch hee hath made noe use of and since in furnishing him for newe England where I hope he now is.”
New Life in America
Robert Abell’s first recorded act in America (19 October 1630) was to apply to be a freemanFreeman (Colonial)
Freeman is a term which originated in 12th century Europe and is common as an English or American Colonial expression in Puritan times. In the Bay Colony, a man had to be a member of the Church to be a freeman. In Colonial Plymouth, a man did not need to be a member of the Church, but he had to be...
in the recently founded village of Weymouth
Weymouth, Massachusetts
The Town of Weymouth is a city in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. As of the 2010 census, Weymouth had a total population of 53,743. Despite its city status, it is formally known as the Town of Weymouth...
. On 18 May 1631, he took the freeman’s oath
Oath of a Freeman
Oath of a Freeman was a loyalty oath drawn up by the Pilgrims during the early 17th century. A freeman was an established member of a colony who was not under legal restraint. The Oath was a vow to defend the Commonwealth and not to conspire to overthrow the government.The oath was first written in...
. “This act endowed him with full privileges and responsibilities of citizenship in the new colony, including ownership of lands, in the exercise of which he continued to acquire holdings.”
Most of the early settlers of Massachusetts Bay Colony had at least two major preoccupations: (1) helping build Winthrop’s “City upon a Hill
City upon a Hill
A City Upon A Hill is a phrase from the parable of Salt and Light in Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. In Matthew 5:14, he tells his listeners, "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden."-American usage:...
,” a model Christian society, and (2) surviving and prospering in the New World. It is not known exactly how committed Abell was to the first objective, but municipal and court records show him participating in the life of his community, slowly building up his land holdings and eventual establishing a business.
During his time as a resident of Weymouth (1630–1643), his civic duties included serving on various types of juries (grand, petit and coroner’s), and records indicate that he accumulated a small amount of land (about 7 acres). Like many immigrants, Robert Abell did not stay indefinitely in the first place he landed. In 1643, when the opportunity to join a newly founded town presented itself, he followed Reverend Samuel Newman
Samuel Newman
Samuel Newman was a clergyman in colonial Massachusetts whose concordance of the Bible, published first in London in 1643, far surpassed any previous work of its kind....
(and the majority of his congregation) to a place the local Wampanoag tribe called Seekonk
Seekonk
Seekonk may refer to:* Seekonk, Massachusetts, a town in the United States* Seekonk River, a body of water in Rhode Island, United States* Seekonk , a rock band...
(a portion of which was later renamed “Rehoboth
Rehoboth
-Places:In the Christian Bible*Rehoboth , the name of three Biblical placesin Australia*Rehoboth Christian College, Perth, Western AustraliaIn Israel*Rehoboth, the conventional English name for Rehovot, IsraelIn Namibia*Rehoboth, Namibia...
”). Some of Abell’s activities while living there can be found in the following extracts from the minutes of various Rehoboth town meetings and Plymouth
Plymouth Colony
Plymouth Colony was an English colonial venture in North America from 1620 to 1691. The first settlement of the Plymouth Colony was at New Plymouth, a location previously surveyed and named by Captain John Smith. The settlement, which served as the capital of the colony, is today the modern town...
colonial records:
- 18 February 1646: “At a meeting of the towne it was agreed to draw lots for the new meadow, and to be divided according to person and estate, only those that were under £150 estate to be made up 150. They were drawn as followeth: [Robert Abell was number 41 on a list of 46 people].”
- 26 February 1651: “It was agreed that Robert Abell and Richard Bullock should burn the commonsCommon landCommon land is land owned collectively or by one person, but over which other people have certain traditional rights, such as to allow their livestock to graze upon it, to collect firewood, or to cut turf for fuel...
round about, from the Indian fence, all the neck, to the new meadow near, and so far about the fresh meadows as may be convenient; and they are to have 20s. for their pains.”
- 28 March 1653: “It was concluded and agreed upon, that Robert Abell should have three acres of meadow on the north side of the line, next the town, next the line that parteth the land of the purchasers and the town of Rehoboth. This meadow was given by Mr. Prince, Captain Standish and Mr. Winslow.”
- 1 February 1654: “Robert Abell was ordered to keep the OrdinaryTavernA tavern is a place of business where people gather to drink alcoholic beverages and be served food, and in some cases, where travelers receive lodging....
.” An "ordinary” is variously defined as a tavern or an inn. An establishment of this type was an important social institution in a small New England community and vital to the town’s economy.
- 3 July 1656 (Plymouth): “Robert Abell is allowed to keep an ordinary at Rehoboth.” [Bliss, Leonard.
- 1657: Abell’s name appears in a list of persons who “have taken oath of fidelities.”
- 22 February 1658: “At a town meeting lawfully warned, lots were drawn for the meadows that lie on the north side of the town, in order as followeth, according to person and estate: [Abell’s name is third on the list of 49 people]”
At the time of his death, Abell’s estate “amounted to £354 17s. 9d. of which ‘an house and land’ accounted for £130.”
Second Generation of Robert Abell’s Family
Robert Abell and his wife Joanna Hyde (d. aft. 1682) [Abell, Horace A. The Abell family in America, p. 43] had ten children: Abraham (d.1639), Mary (1642–1724), Preserved (b. ca. 1644), Caleb (b. ca. 1647), Joshua (b. ca. 1649), Benjamin (b. ca. 1651), Experience (b. ca. 1660), Samuel (1650-1698), James (1656-1724), and Mehitalbe (b. ca. 1655).- Circa 1662, their daughter Mary married Reverend Samuel LutherSamuel LutherSamuel Luther was a prominent early figure in the Massachusetts Colony. He served as the minister of the First Baptist Church of Swansea from 1685 until his death. He also served as a militia captain...
(1636–1716), son of an adventurous mariner named Captain John Luther (d.1645), “a focal figure in the colonies mentioned several times in Winthrop's Journal and other colonial accounts.” Robert Abell’s new son-in-law was already famous in New England for having survived a massacre and kidnapping by a small group of LenapeLenapeThe Lenape are an Algonquian group of Native Americans of the Northeastern Woodlands. They are also called Delaware Indians. As a result of the American Revolutionary War and later Indian removals from the eastern United States, today the main groups live in Canada, where they are enrolled in the...
tribesmen when he was only nine years old (1645) and went on to become (1685) the highly respected “settled pastor” of the First Baptist Church (still extant) of SwanseaSwansea, MassachusettsSwansea is a town in Bristol County in southeastern Massachusetts.It is located at the mouth of the Taunton River, just west of Fall River, 47 miles south of Boston; and 12 miles southeast of Providence, Rhode Island....
, Massachusetts for 31 years.
- Mary’s sister Experience married (1680) Deacon John Baldwin (1654–1705), an early settler of LebanonLebanon, ConnecticutLebanon is a town in New London County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 6,907 at the 2000 census. The town lies just to the northwest of Norwich, north of New London, and east of Hartford...
, ConnecticutConnecticutConnecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
, with whom she had five children.
- Robert’s son Lieutenant Preserved Abell (d. 1724) was among those soldiers listed as having not only “served under Major [William] BradfordWilliam Bradford (Plymouth soldier)Major William Bradford was the son of Governor William Bradford and his second wife, Alice Carpenter Southworth. Born four years after the Pilgrims arrival in 1620, William was his father's second child, but the first born in the new world, as his older half-brother John Bradford had been left...
(1624-1703)” in King Philip’s WarKing Philip's WarKing Philip's War, sometimes called Metacom's War, Metacomet's War, or Metacom's Rebellion, was an armed conflict between Native American inhabitants of present-day southern New England and English colonists and their Native American allies in 1675–76. The war is named after the main leader of the...
, but also “advanced money to sustain it.” (£7, 15s, 1d.)
- Sergeant Caleb Abell (d. 1731) moved to NorwichNorwich, ConnecticutRegular steamship service between New York and Boston helped Norwich to prosper as a shipping center through the early part of the 20th century. During the Civil War, Norwich once again rallied and saw the growth of its textile, armaments, and specialty item manufacturing...
, Connecticut in 1668 and was a selectman in 1682, constableConstableA constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in law enforcement. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions.-Etymology:...
in 1684 and 1706, townsman in 1689 and was Sergeant of the Norwich Train Band in 1701. “In the book of Grants in Norwich, there are 38 or more items to Caleb Abell.”
- Joshua Abell (d. 1725) “was constable in Dedham, MassachusettsDedham, MassachusettsDedham is a town in and the county seat of Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 24,729 at the 2010 census. It is located on Boston's southwest border. On the northwest it is bordered by Needham, on the southwest by Westwood and on the southeast by...
and frequently chosen townsman there. He moved to Norwich, Connecticut in 1667 and became a ‘considerable landowner,’ with 44 grants listed in his name.”
- Benjamin Abell (d.1699) also held substantial property adjacent to or near his older brothers in Norwich.
All of the Abell brothers had sizable families (seven to ten children each), helping to perpetuate the family name in New England. Writing in 1940, genealogist Horace Abell claimed that “probably all the present day Abells of New England stock are descended from Robert’s three sons, Preserved, Caleb and Benjamin Abell. His fourth son, Joshua, did not leave any male descendants.”
External links
- Great Migration Study Project http://www.greatmigration.org/
- Luther Family Association http://lutherfamily.org/default.aspx
- Winthrop Society http://www.winthropsociety.com/
- Order of the Crown of Charlemagne in the United States of America http://www.charlemagne.org/
- The National Society Magna Charta Dames and Barons http://www.magnacharta.org/