November 2, 2012, Friday, 306

David Abeel

From The Peopling of New York City

The Abeel Family Coat of Arms [1]
Amongst all my immigrants David Abeel was the least elusive of them all. To my great surprise David Abeel was a member of a prominent Albany family of Dutch descent. The Abeels were amongst the first to settle in what is now Albany, New York. The Abeel family was a very religious and patriotic family. Many members of this family served in the Continental Army and donated money to their places of worship. Unfortunately the Abeel family was also a slave-holding family.



The first member of the Abeel family was Christopher Janse Abeel. He was born in Amsterdam, Holland in 1621. His parents died in the bubonic plague that scorched Europe in 1633. Before his mother died she sent Christopher to an orphanage where he was taught the skills of a carpenter. She also placed all her money in the care of a trustworthy neighbor and asked that it be given to Christopher when he was of age. True to her promise the trustworthy neighbor gave Christopher the money that had been placed in her care. Christopher used this money to purchase hardware and immigrated to America. [2]

The will of Stoffel Jans Abeel[3]
Christopher Abeel settled in Beaverwick, New York in 1647, which is now Albany. He married Neiltje (Neeltje) Jans Croom (Kroom), also from Holland, on November 22 1660. [4] Together they had four children: Magdelena, Marie, Johannes, and Elizabeth.[5] Christopher put to good use his skills as a carpenter, in 1665 he was the master builder of the First Reformed Dutch Church. “Two years after this Abeel was elected deacon of the church.” [6] Also in 1665 it appears that he changed his name. When he made a trip to Holland that same year, the passport was made to Stoffel Jans Abeel. [7] This name change caused some frustration in my search because without realizing it I found the will of Stoffel Jans Abeel but could not figure out who he was. Christopher Janse Abeel died in 1684. [8]



The will of Johannes Abeel[9]
Johannes Abeel (son of Christopher Jans Abeel or Stoffel Jans Abeel) was born in Albany on March 23, 1667. He was also known as John Abeel. He was a prosperous merchant, and was elected second mayor of Albany in 1694-95 and again in 1709. [10] He married Catharine Schuyler (daughter of David Schuyler) on April 10, 1694. They had five children: Cataline, Neiltje, Christoffel, David and Jannette. Johannes Abeel died in January 28, 1711. [11]



David Abeel was born on April 27th 1705 in Albany. He was only 6 when his father died. Soon after his father’s death he was sent to New York City as an apprentice to David Schuyler in the dry goods business (flour and provision). David continued in the business thereby following his father’s footprints as a merchant. Apparently he was also very successful. David lived in the East Ward, had 50 pounds wealth, was part of the Country Party and owned a slave named Tom. [12] During the slave conspiracy trials his slave Tom was mentioned but not accused. David was a military man. He was a part of the Eleventh Regiment and captain of the “5th company of militia of foot of the city and county of New York” until 1772. [13]

David Abeel married Maria Duyckink on February 24, 1726 in New York City. Maria Duyckink was the daughter of Garret Duyckink and Marie (Mary) Abeel. This means that David and Maria were first cousins. Maria was born on October 4th 1702 in Albany and died on September 26th 1780 in New York City. [14] The exact number of children they had has been difficult to find. According to Whittemore’s The Abeel and allied Families they had four children: David Jr., James, Garret and Annetti. According to Duyckink’s Duyckink and allied families they had eight children: Johannes, Gerradus (died in infancy), David Jr., Cathalina, (died in infancy) Gerradus, Gerrit, Cathalina and James (or Jacobus). David Abeel Sr. died on October 20th 1777 in New York City.

Will of David Abeel Jr. [15]
David Abeel Jr. was born on August 13th 1727 in Albany. He married Neiltje(Neeltie) Van Bergen on July 2, 1752.[16] They had five children: Annatie (died in infancy), Anthony, Garret, Annatje and Catharine. [17]He settled in Catskill New York and in 1771 he purchased one thousand acres of land in Bak-Oven, near Catskill.[18] David Jr. was a strong patriot of the Revolution. Many of his neighbors were Tories, which led to many arguments and strong tension between the families. In 1780 a group of Indians led by Jacobus Rowe, one David’s angry neighbors, entered the Abeel home and held David and his son Anthony captive. David Abeel’s slaves had aided in the attack. They had been notified in advance and during the family’s absence they had stuffed ashes into the men’s guns so they would be useless. One slave named Lon even helped in tying up his masters! David Abeel Jr. died on February 5th 1813 in Bak-Oven, New York.



A David Abeel was mentioned in the will of Dirck Brinckerhoff, another merchant, but I still cannot find the connection between these two men. I think the David Abeel mentioned here was the Sr. because the documents mention him being the son of John Abeel that is short for Johannes.

References

  1. ↑ Henry Whittemore, compiler, The Abeel and Allied Families (New York 1899), 13, Wisconsin Historical Society Archives.
  2. ↑ Henry Whittemore, compiler, The Abeel and Allied Families (New York 1899), 13, Wisconsin Historical Society Archives.
  3. ↑ Calender of Wills: on file and recorded in the offices of the clerk of the court of appeals, of the county clerk at Albany, and of the secretary of state 1626-1836
  4. ↑ Henry Whittemore, compiler, The Abeel and Allied Families (New York 1899), 13, Wisconsin Historical Society Archives.
  5. ↑ Calender of Wills: on file and recorded in the offices of the clerk of the court of appeals, of the county clerk at Albany, and of the secretary of state 1626-1836
  6. ↑ Henry Whittemore, compiler, The Abeel and Allied Families (New York 1899), 13, Wisconsin Historical Society Archives.
  7. ↑ Henry Whittemore, compiler, The Abeel and Allied Families (New York 1899), 13, Wisconsin Historical Society Archives.
  8. ↑ Henry Whittemore, compiler, The Abeel and Allied Families (New York 1899), 13, Wisconsin Historical Society Archives.
  9. ↑ Calender of Wills: on file and recorded in the offices of the clerk of the court of appeals, of the county clerk at Albany, and of the secretary of state 1626-1836
  10. ↑ Henry Whittemore, compiler, The Abeel and Allied Families (New York 1899), 14, Wisconsin Historical Society Archives.
  11. ↑ Calender of Wills: on file and recorded in the offices of the clerk of the court of appeals, of the county clerk at Albany, and of the secretary of state 1626-1836
  12. ↑ Jill Lepore, New York Burning 262-263
  13. ↑ Berthold Fernow , New York in the Revolution
  14. ↑ Duyckinck, Whitehead Cornell, and John Cornell, The Duyckinck and Allied Families: Being a Record of the Descendants of Evert Duyckink Who Settled in New Amsterdam, Now New York, in 1638
  15. ↑ Calender of Wills: on file and recorded in the offices of the clerk of the court of appeals, of the county clerk at Albany, and of the secretary of state 1626-1836
  16. ↑ Dutch Church (Albany, N.Y.). Records of the Reformed Dutch Church of Albany, New York, 1683-1809: Marriages, Baptisms, Members, Etc. Baltimore: Genealogical Pub. Co, 1978.
  17. ↑ Henry Whittemore, compiler, The Abeel and Allied Families (New York 1899), 22, Wisconsin Historical Society Archives.
  18. ↑ Henry Whittemore, compiler, The Abeel and Allied Families (New York 1899), 22, Wisconsin Historical Society Archives.

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