Benjamin TWITCHELL

                   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...