Robert ABELL

                   B-Of Stapenhill, Derby, Eng. and Lockington, Leic ,Eng.
Bur-Adm. Granted 29 Feb 1663/4 to estate by his widow
Sources:A7e26 Ancestors of Jonathan Abell p. 12
Will of George Abell
Slg-Par. also 17 Jan 1946 IFall


       ROBERT ABELL, born in England, died 20 Jun 1663 at Rehoboth, Mass., son of George and Francis Abell of Hemington, Leicestershire, Eng., married Joanna ______. probably in England.  Joanna died in America after 1682, buried probably in Norwich First Burying Ground.
       Robert was mentioned in his father's will 1630 as then living in New England.   He came to America probably in the fleet with Gov. Winthrop, which arrived at Charleston, Mass.  June 1630.
       The first record of Robert in America is at Weymouth, Mass. included in a list as desirous to be made a Freeman 19 Oct 1630.  He took the oath of Freeman 18 May 1631.
       Robert removed from Weymouth in 1643 probably following Rev. Samuel Newman, the real founder of Rehoboth.  Rev. Newman was minister at Weymouth for four and a half or five years, then with a majority of his congregation in 1642 removed to a place called by the Indians Seekonk to which he gave the name of Rehoboth.
       At a meeting of the town 18 Feb 1646 it was agreed to draw lots for the new meadow,  to be divided according to person and estate, only those that were under 150 pounds estate to be made up to 150 pounds.  Robert is the 41 named on a list of 46 who drew for lots.
       Robert was at the Court of Elections at Plymouth, 3 June 1657 and on jury at the General Court at Plymouth 4 Jun 1657 and the oath of fidelity in 1657.
       On 22 Jun 1658 at a town meeting lawfully warned lots were drawn for the meadow that lie on the north side of the town in order that followeth, according to person and estate.  Of that 29 names on the list, Robert was the third on the list who drew for lots.  It appears that this division was a land afterwards included in the North Purchase, near Attleborough and Cumberland.
       At a town meeting on 26 May 1668 lots were drawn for the meadow lands in the North Purchase and there were 79 names on the list who drew for lots.  Samuel Luther is the 2nd name on the list, Goody Hyde the 5th, Children's lands the 6th and Preserved Abell the 8th.  Samuel Luther married Mary, daughter of Robert Abell.  Goody Hyde was Robert Abell's widow (Joanna) who married William Hyde in 1667.  Preserved was the eldest son of Robert Abell.  Children's Lands next to Goody Hyde on the list were probably Robert Abell's other children, Caleb, Joshua, Benjamen and Experience.
       An inventory of ______ estate of Robert Abell of Rehoboth, deceased taken 9 Aug 1663 mentions house and land taken out as the oldest son's 130 pounds: a bed and furniture to the widow 7 pounds; to Mary Abell given by her father as her full pte in a cow and feather bed 8 pounds  Rest due to the widow as her thirds 66 pounds 19s 6d and to the other five children, each of them 26 pounds 16s.  Division of estate approved by the court held at Plymouth 3 Mar 1663/4.  Administration granted unto the widow Joanna Abell to administer on the estate of Robert Abell deceased 29 Feb 1663/4.

ROBERT ABELL OF REHOBOTH, MASSACHUSETTS, p. 39:
       His ancestry and his descendants early Abells in the County of Derby, England.  Several branches of the Abell family lived in the County of Derby, England in the sixteenth century.  One branch lived in the Creighton and Uttoxeter.  The brothers John and Richard Abell were progenitors of this branch.  Richard died before 1536.  Henry Abell who died in 1540 was the earliest known of another branch living in Sommersall.  A third branch of the Abell family lived in Norbury.  The earliest found of this branch was Nicholas Abell who died about 1557.  Most of the American Abells are descendants of Robert Abell who lived in Stapenhill, also in the county of Derby.  There is a probability that all the branches of the Abell family in the county of Derby were descendants of a common ancestor.