6992.
George Abell
Robert Abell came on the Winthrop Fleet, 1630. He settled in Rehoboth 1643. Tavern keeper. Requested 19 October 1630 and admitted Freeman 18 May 1631.
In the inventory of Weymouth landholding compiled about 1643, there is no entry for Robert Abell, but references to him in the entries for John Fussell, James Snook and John Staple indicate that he had earlier been granted "one acre of salt marsh at the Back River" and at least six acres "in the plain" [Weymouth Hist 188, 191, 195].
Three acres of meadow in the North Purchase were granted to Robert Abell on 28 March 1653 [Abell Gen 44]. On 3 June 1657, Plymouth court confirmed to Robert Abell an earlier grant of three acres of meadow made by Rehoboth purchasers, presumably the land granted in 1653. Robert Abell also drew for meadow lots on 18 February 1646 and 22 June 1658. On 26 May 1668, after Robert Abell's death and his widow's remarriage to William Hyde, lots were drawn for meadow in the North Purchase, with Lot 5 going to Goody Hide, Lot 6 the Children's Land (presumably the minor children of Robert Abell), and Lot 8 to Preserved Abell [Abell Gen 45].
The inventory of the estate of Robert Abell was taken 9 August 1663, and amounted to £354 17s. 9d., of which "an house and land" accounted for £130. Distribution of the estate was made on 3 March 1663/4; aside from some minor expenses, the major items were "the house and land taken out as the eldest son's," £130; "to Mary Abell given by her father as her full part in a cow and feather bed," £8; "due to the widow as her thirds," £66 19s. 6d.; and "to the other five children, each of them," £26 16s. [PCPR 2(2):14-15; MD 15:239]. Letters of administration were granted to the widow "Joannah Abell," 1 March 1663/4 [PCR 4:46, 54].
In a Plymouth Colony account of 6 June 1667, "Widow Abell" was owed £11 4s., for unstated reasons [PCR 8:120]; this account was dated two days after Joanna Abell's remarriage to William Hyde.
Born about 1605, probably at Stapenhill, Derbyshire, son of George and Frances (Cotton) Abell [TG 5:162]. In his will of 8 September 1630, George Abell of Hemington, Leicestershire, made a small bequest to his second son Robert Abell "in regard of the charges I have been at in placing him in a good trade in London which he hath made no use of and since in furnishing him for New England where I hope he now is" [Abell Gen 42, citing PCC 10 St. John].