Abigail Brooks (Smith)

Private User

2/24/2015 at 6:20 PM

Reverend Theresa Lanier Miller & Private User

I'm questioning if this Abigail Brooks, who married Thaddeus Brooks, is the daughter of Sgt. James Smith and Abigail Smith. I've been researching this for the last couple days and while I"m not sure who Abigail Brooks parents are yet, I'm feeling confident that the Abigail Smith that was the daughter of James and Abigail is Abigail Bennett, who married Aaron Bennett.

I'll describe the women by their last name moving forward to avoid confusion.

Online trees list both of them as children of James & Abigail (and we've had them listed as unlikely siblings for years), so I spent some time trying to figure it out. Both were from New London, CT and born around the same time. I found the FindAGrave for both women.

* Abigail Brooks: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=57911501
Birth: Jan. 23, 1757
Death: Jan. 7, 1813
Note: age 55; wife of Thaddeus

* Abigail Bennet: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=20848148
Birth: unknown
Death: Jun. 20, 1844
Note: age 86; wife of Aaron

The age of 86 for Abigail Bennet puts her birth between June 21, 1757 and June 20, 1758.

* Abigail Smith, daughter of James & Abigail - Birth Index: https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F7WG-2DM
Birth: 28 Jun 1757

This birth date is different then the one indicated for Abigail Brooks, and the date matches Abigail Bennet. The dates could not be reversed due to the age of Abigail Bennet at death. I'll also note there is not 9 months between the two birth dates, which would indicate they were not siblings using identical names.

The only source I've seen which indicates Abigail Brooks (born Jan. 23, 1757) as the child of James and Abigail is this DAR linage, but the page also states "This listing does not constitute proof of lineage." http://services.dar.org/Public/DAR_Research/search_descendants/?act...

I believe the DAR listing is incorrect, but I'm not that familiar with their research process. Erica Howton, any thoughts?

I'm still trying to find additional sourcing. I haven't yet found the birth index for an Abigail Smith born Jan. 23, 1757 in New London, CT.

Erica Howton C

2/24/2015 at 9:59 PM

I'm not an expert on Connecticut genealogy, but I do believe the Barbour Collection is considered of very good quality, based on primary records. DAR lineages are submitted pedigree reports and like any submitted pedigree, only as good as the informant, who is only as good as their resources at the time.

Private User

2/25/2015 at 8:15 AM

I found another Abigail Smith from New London that is claimed to be the daughter of James Smith and Abigail.

* Abigail Brockett: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=10568852
Birth: Jun. 28, 1757
Death: May 19, 1796
Notes: Note: age 39; wife of Zuar

Based on age though, her birth does not fit Jun. 28, 1757 as claimed. Her birth would have been between May 20, 1756 and May 19, 1757. So I still think Abigail Bennett is the likely daughter.

I haven't spent much time on this one, but I'll create a profile later (as another sibling) so that we can flush it out and source as best we can.

Some additional references for her:
* https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/2:1:MYQR-4WQ
* https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/2:2:3QNS-JBG
* https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F7C2-W2D
* https://familysearch.org/search/record/results?count=20&query=%...~

Private User

2/25/2015 at 3:07 PM

I created a profile for Abigail Brockett & Zuar Brockett, along with children.

Private User

2/25/2015 at 3:58 PM

I found this source, which lists Abigail Brockett's birth as Oct 18, 1757. https://books.google.com/books?id=5P0nAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA295&lpg...

It's outside the range based on age at death, but it may be that this date is her baptism or that the age is estimated for the death index. No gravestone image was available to verify age on FindAGrave. http://www.geni.com/documents/view?doc_id=6000000031762978173

Private User

2/25/2015 at 7:11 PM

If we accept Oct 18, 1757 for Abigail Brockett, then it appears her parents were Joseph Smith and Hannah.

Name: Abigail Smith
Gender: Female
Christening Date:
Christening Place:
Birth Date: 16 Oct 1757
Birthplace: DERBY TWP,NEW HAVEN,CONNETICUT
Death Date:
Name Note:
Race:
Father's Name: Joseph Smith
Father's Birthplace:
Father's Age:
Mother's Name: Hannah
Mother's Birthplace:
Mother's Age:
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: 7450366
System Origin: Connecticut-ODM
GS Film number: unknown
Reference ID:

Citing this Record:
"Connecticut, Births and Christenings, 1649-1906," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/F7WG-JRD : accessed 26 February 2015), Abigail Smith, 16 Oct 1757; citing ; FHL microfilm unknown.

Private User

2/26/2015 at 10:04 AM

Based on the information I've presented here and the sources I've attached to the profiles, I'm going to disconnect Abigail Brooks and Abigail Brockett from Sgt. James Smith and Abigail Smith. I'll add curator notes referencing this discussion. If we find any new information, please let me know and we can take whatever additional action is needed.

Abigail Brooks (Smith) - Parents

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