Robert CORBETT
Birth:
21 Feb 1640
Moreton Corbet, Shrops, England
Death:
18 Sep 1695
Woodstock, Windham County, Connecticut
Marriage:
23 Feb 1682
Woodstock, Windham County, Connecticut
Father:
Mother:
Notes:
In the original town records of Woodstock, Vol I, 1689-1700, under the date of November 24, 1690 is recorded: "The same day Robbert Corbitt was admitted to be an unhabitant in the Town.
It is not known what year Robert Corbett immigrated to the American Colonies from England but per the writing of below records show that he was in Weymouth, MA in the years 1678-79. We do not know his birth date or his parentage.
"In the year 1678-79, Robert Corbet was one of 128 men in Weymouth, MA who took the oath of allegiance to His Majesty, Charles II of England, before the Worshipful Joseph Dudley, Assistant." (The History of Weymouth, MA, Vol. I, p. 327)
As far as anyone knows, Robert Corbett first settled in Weymouth, MA sometime before the King Philip's War in 1675 and 1676. The History of Weymouth, on p. 327, has the following (which comes from the Archives of Massachusetts, Vol. 68, p. 179):
In March 1676, the following petition was sent to the Governor and Council assembled at Boston: "The humble request of the committee of the Militia of Weymouth, humbly sheweth, that for as much as the numbers of Brantry and whereas we understand that both Hingham and Brantry have all, or very near all their men set at liberty from the country service to attend the defense of their town and furthermore considering that our town by reason of the disadvantageous situation of it is more hardly defended than either of theirs, they being more plane and compact, therefore our humble request to your Honors is, that we having ten able men upon the Country's service at those towns upon the Connecticut River, may have them set at liberty and sent home by your Honors' order, because of the great want of men for our defense, both embolden us into this request, which if you shall see meet in your pleasure to grant, it will be a great encouragement to us, but if otherwise we shall humbly acquiesce in your pleasure concerning it and pray as in duty we are bound over. William Torrey; In the name of the Committee of Militia of Weymouth. March 8th, 1676"
The names of the men are: John Arnold, John Ashdowne, Isaac Cakebread, Jeremiah Clothier, Robert Corbet, John Ludden, Abram Shaw, Joshua Phillips, Benjamin Poole, John Record.
The above information was taken from 13 Generations of Corbett History written and compiled by Gordon L. Corbett, 5940 Encina Road #1, Goleta, CA 93117-2242 and James Corbett.
Robert Corbett fought in King Phillip's War as part of a troop from Weymouth, MA a coastal town just south of Boston, MA. In 1682 Robert had moved to Mendon where he married John Rockwood's daughter, Priscilla. Robert and Priscilla had two sons, John and Joseph. Robert stayed in Mendon, MA till possibly 1690, which may have been till the time of Priscilla's death (for which there is no record).
In the Annals of Mendon, 1685, the following: "A Rate made this 11 Jan. 1685 to defray Mr. Rawson's salary for half the year beginning at the 25 Oct. March 1686L (various names) Robert Corbett: 00L 13s 02 p." This is 13 shillings and 02 pense, the currency at the time. This shows Robert Corbett in 1688 and 1689 still listed as a resident of Mendon and taxed in the latter year. He is not listed in the rate 25 Oct. 1691-92, as by that time he had removed to Woodstock.
According to Ballou's History of Milford, "John Rockwood provided John Corbett with a liberal education that qualified him to become a doctor, and a leading citizen of that area. When he died at age 43, his estate was valued at 1873 pounds."
So it is believed that when Priscilla died and Robert Corbett left the Mendon area, he left his children with his father-in-law, John Rockwood, who raised them and saw to their education. Sometime after Robert's wife, Priscilla died, Robert Corbett joined a new group of pioneers from Braintree and Mendon who moved 20 or 30 miles south, and established a new community known as Roxbury, MA, now known as Woodstock, CT. Robert purchased a homestead from one of the original proprietors.
The first white settlers of Woodstock were pioneers from Roxbury, MA now part of Boston. Clarence Winthrop Bowen in History of Woodstock, CT, printed privately by the Plimpton Press of Norwood, MA in 1926, wrote on p. 15, "What in 1686 became New Roxbury, and in 1690, Woodstock, was a fraction of the territory granted in 1635 by the Council of Plymouth." On page 35, Bowen says, "Nathaniel Aspinwall, Edmund Chamberlain, John Carpenter and Robert Corbett, purchased right or homesteads
from the original proprietors."
It is here Robert Corbett married Abiel Twitchell and their children Damourous and Daniel were born.
We know that Robert Corbett died in what is now Woodstock, CT on September 18th, 1695 per the original Vital Records of Woodstock, Vol I, pg. 74, which were available for viewing and copying in the Office of the Town Clerk in 1993.
Abiel TWITCHELL
Birth:
1 Nov 1663
Medfield, Norfolk County, Massachusetts
Death:
15 Apr 1744
Woodstock, Windham County, Connecticut
Burial:
First Church of Woodstock, Connecticut
Father:
Mother:
Notes:
BACKGROUND HISTORY ON ABIEL TWITCHELL
Abiel Twitchell was born November 1, 1663 in Medfield, Norfolk County, MA, her parents were Benjamin and Marie Twitchell (Vital Records of Mendon, MA)
Abiels father, Benjamin Twitchell, was killed by Indians in 1675-1676, in Medfield, Norfolk County, MA.
Abiel gave birth to a son out of wedlock, his name was Benoni Twitchell born in the year 1682 in Medfield, Norfolk County, MA, he died sometime after 1749.
The "Twitchell Genealogy" states Abiel was the son of Benjamin Twitchell, but then on page 12 says that Mary's "sister Abiel, lived with them at Medfield."
This obviously indicated that Ralph Emerson knew Abiel was a female, but failed to state it that way for some reason or another.
Sometime after Abiel's son Benoni Twitchell was born in 1682 the Medfield Town records read:
"Abiel gave birth to a son out of wedlock, his name was Benoni Twitchell born in the year 1682 in Medfield, Norfolk County, MA, he died sometime after 1749."
"The Selectmen being informed that Josiah Rockett have entertained Abiel Twitchell and her child who continuing there may become chargeable to the town appointed Samuel Morse in the name of the Selectmen to forbid the said Josiah Rockett any longer to entertain the said Abiel and also to warn her out of the town."
Josiah Rockett (Rockwood) was married to Abiel's sister Mary, so he was her brother-in-law.
Josiah Rockett was later fined 20 shillings "For breach of Town order in entertaining Abiel Twitchell."
From what can best be determined apparently Abiel Twitchell refused to name the father of Benoni in court. At this time Abiels's sister Mary most likely did not want to leave Abiel homeless so her and husband, Josiah, defied the court order of Abiel leaving town, and let Abiel live with them. Since Josiah Rockett was the head of house, he was the one fined for disobeying the Town orders.
Still other people claim that Abiel Twitchell and her brother-in-law Josiah were having an affair and Abiel became pregnant with Benoni and gave birth to him in 1682.
Abiel Twitchell married Robert Corbett about 1690. The marriage most likely took place in Medfield, Norfolk County, MA or possibly Woodstock, Windham County, CN
Robert Corbett would have been Josiah Rockett's (Rockwood) brother-in-law. Josiah was the brother to Priscilla Rockwood, who was Robert Corbett's deceased first wife.
There is no record of the marriage but records from Mendon and Woodstock note that Robert and Abiel were man and wife.
Vital Records from Mendon, MA show:
"Abiel was born in 1663 to Benjamin and Marie Twitchell. She had two children with Robert Corbett: Damorous (f) b. 15 Feb. 1692 and Daniel (m) b. 29 Dec 1693."
Vital Records of Woodstock, CT are quoted , Vol 1, p.4:
"Daniel Corbit, son of Robert Corbit and Abiel his wife, born December 29, 1693."
Abiel's husband Robert Corbett died on September 18th, 1695, in Woodstock, Windham County, CN per the Vital Records of Woodstock, Vol. 1, p. 74
After the death of Robert Corbett, according to the Vital Records of Woodstock:
"John Bugbee married Abiah, widow of Robert Corbit" and had children with him. Per the Thirteen Generations of Descendants of Robert Corbett, It is reported that John Bugbee was a near neighbor.
This same book tells that a Bugbee genealogy gives April 15th, 1744 as Abiel's date of death, her age was 81 years old. Abiel was buried in the cemetery of the First Church of Woodstock, CT
Melvin C. Corbett, in his book, Descendants of Robert Corbett of Weymouth, MA, privately published in Darien, CT in 1957, said that the Bugbee's low grave stones, both dated 1744, could be seen and read by the building which was built in 1821. Abiel's stone read "Abiel Bugbee, wife of John Bugbee, died April 15, 1744, aged 81" Melvin reported this in 1957, but by 1990, the stones had been removed.
Letter dated, Purnam, November 30, 1896 from E. Holmes Bugbee, owned by Lucian W. Bugbee Jr.:
"E. Holmes Bugbee speaks of a family legend relating to this Abiel who having a legacy coming to her rode to Roxbury on horseback, collected the same in Spanish dollars, and in riding back to Woodstock, over the Connecticut Path was overtaken by a robber who demanded her money. She parleyed and maneuvered to get the robbers horse and her own headed in the right direction and then in handing her bag of money to the robber purposely dropped the same. When the robber got off his horse to pick up the money, Abiel whipped both horses and the robbers horse followed her own. When she finally came to a cabin by the roadside she found in the saddlebags on the robbers horse more dollars than she had lost, and with this money and the robbers horse, she returned safely to Woodstock."
Abigail married John Bugbee after the death of Robert. Abigail and John must have continued to live in Woodstock as there low gravestones, both dated 1744, maybe seen in the churchyard of the First Church in Woodstock (1957), a beautiful building dating to 1821. Abigail's stone reads "Abiel Bugbee, wife of John Bugbee died April 15, 1744 aged 81" (Melvin C. Corbett)
Her maiden name may have been Twitchell or Lovet...
Children
Marriage
1
Damaris CORBETT
Birth:
15 Feb 1691/92
Woodstock, Windham County, Connecticut
Death:
Marr:
2
Birth:
29 Dec 1693
Woodstock, Windham County, Connecticut
Death:
21 Mar 1753
Mendon, Worcester, Massachusetts
Notes:
Daniel dwelt first in Bellingham, Massachusetts where he belonged to the Congregational Church until its dissolution. Then he and his wife joined the Milford, Massachusetts Congregational Church, 1744. In 1742-43, he and his brother-in-law, John Jones Jr., seem to have made an exchange of farms, in pursuance of which Jones moved to Bellingham, and he to North Purchase, which latter included the farms afterwards owned by the two Ebenezer Sumners, John Corbett's sons, and other adjacent tracts. He was elected elder of the Congregational Church, in Milford, in 1749, and was afterwards an influential member of both civil and religious society. Elder Daniel died in 1753, and his widow as administratrix inventoried; real estate L569 5s 4d; personal L256 10s 1d. Among the items of personal estate was mentioned one negro boy, his bed, bedding, axe and hoe, L40 4s 5d, showing that there was once a little pious slave holding on our soil. The widow subsequently married John Sawin of Watertown, Massachusetts, October 9, 1755. Elder Daniel Corbett and Deacon Daniel, his son, owned several hundred acres in North Purchase, of which Charles P. Corbett, great-great-grandson of Elder Daniel owned (1881) 38 acres (Ballou's "History of Milford). The village of Milford, Massachusetts was then known as the east parish of Mendon. The town of Milford was not set off and incorporated as an independent town until 1780. (Melvin C. Corbett)
It is through this line (Elder Daniel and Sarah Jones) that the Corbett family is related to Abraham Lincoln. Sarah's aunt, also named Sarah Jones, married Morecal Lincoln. They were the great, great, great, grandparents of Abraham Lincoln. (Source: "Burke's presidential Families of the United States of America")
Daniel Corbett was also known as Elder Daniel Corbett because of his church title to which he was elected to at the Milford Congregational Church.
Daniel Corbett was born in Woodstock, CT but when he grew up, he moved back to the Mendon/Bellingham area and developed a large farm.
Daniel lived first in Bellingham, MA. Daniel and his brother-in-law, John Jones exchanged farms. John
Jones moved to Bellingham and Daniel to the North Purchase or what is known today as Milford. This land included the farms afterwards owned by the two Ebenezer Sumners, John CorbettIs sons, and other adjacent tracts. His large colonial style house is still in use.
When Daniel died at age 60, his estate was valued at 825 pounds. His inventory showed 569 pounds in real and 256 pounds in personal property. The latter including a negro boy, bed, bedding, axe and hoe at 40 pounds, four shillings, five pence. The original inventory of the estate can be seen in the Probate Court for Worcester Co. in Worcester, MA.
Daniel Corbett first joined the Congregational Church in Bellingham. Upon the dissolution of the Bellingham church, Daniel and Sarah joined the Milford Congregational Church in 1744. In 1749, he was elected Elder of the of the Congregational Church in Milford, and afterwards he was an influential member of both civil and religious society. In the early years of the Congregational Churches in Massachusetts, the position of IElderI was established to provide a leader and spokesman for the congregation. The office of IElderI was dropped in the mid 1700Is and replaced by the IDeaconsI who meet as a Board with the minister. Daniel was one of the last IEldersI and his son Daniel was one of the first IDeaconsI to serve at the Milford Congregational Church.
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Robert Corbett - Abiel Twitchell
Robert Corbett
was born at Moreton Corbet, Shrops, England 21 Feb 1640.
His parents were John Corbett and Ann Mainwaring.
He married Abiel Twitchell 23 Feb 1682 at Woodstock, Windham County, Connecticut . Abiel Twitchell was born at Medfield, Norfolk County, Massachusetts 1 Nov 1663 daughter of Benjamin Twitchell and Mary Riggs .
They were the parents of 2
children:
Damaris Corbett
born 15 Feb 1691/92.
Daniel Corbett, Sr.
born 29 Dec 1693.
Robert Corbett died 18 Sep 1695 at Woodstock, Windham County, Connecticut .
Abiel Twitchell died 15 Apr 1744 at Woodstock, Windham County, Connecticut .