Abigail Pierson

ii.Abigail Mitchell, born before April 26, 1618 in Lincolns., England; died about 1680 in Newark, Essex County, New Jersey; married (1) Wheelwright before 1637; married (2) Abraham Pierson about 1638 in Massachusetts.

Abigail Mitchell, daughter of Matthew and Sarah (Wood) (SIC: Susan Butterfield) Mitchell was born in South Ouram, Yorkshire, England on 26 April 1618. She married Abraham Pierson about 1640.

They had the following children:

1. Abraham Pierson, Jr. was born about 1640/41 in Lynn, Essex County, Massachusetts. He was the first president of Yale College in New Haven, Connecticut, 1701-1707. New information indicates that he may have actually been born in 1646 in Southampton, New Haven Colony, Long Island (Suffolk County, New York).
2. Thomas Pierson was born about 1642 in Southampton.
3. John Pierson was born about 1643 in Southampton.
4. Abigail Pierson was born about 1644 in Southampton.
5. Grace Pierson was born 13 June 1650 in Branford, New Haven Colony (Connecticut).
6. Susannah Pierson was born 1652 in Branford.
7. Rebecca Pierson was born 1654 in Branford.
8. Theophilus Pierson was born 15 May 1659 in Branford.
9. Isaac Pierson was born in 1661 in Branford.
10. Mary Pierson was born about 1663 in Branford.

Mr. Pierson made his will at Newark, 10 August 1671. It contains the following clause: "That my Wife shall have the Thirds of my Whole Estate to Whose Love and faithfulness I Comit the bring Up of my Children, and doe appoint her my sole Executrix, and giue her my Great bible and What other English book she pleaseth to Choose."

The will was witnessed by Thomas Pierson, who swore to it in Court, 12 March 1678 (1678/9). The widow Abigail accepted the trust, and gave bond as Executrix with Abraham Pierson (the son) as surety. The terms in which Mr. Pierson referred to his wife, and his appointment of her as sole Executrix would be unusual for that period if she were a second wife and not the mother of the children. Abraham died on 9 August 1678 in Newark, Essex County, New Jersey.

from: geesey_fmly06(at)comcast.net found on ancestry.com

• http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~mitchell001/matth...
• http://miller-aanderson.blogspot.com/2011/06/abigail-mitchell.html

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• Reference: MyHeritage Family Trees - SmartCopy: Sep 28 2016, 13:24:41 UTC

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GEDCOM Note

Caution

According to Jacobus in his book "History and Genealogy of the Families of Old Fairfield," Vol. 1, p. 107: The wife of Rev. Abraham Pierson was Abigail Mitchell the daughter of Matthew Mitchell. "the oft-repeated claim that she was Abigail Wheelwright, never supported byevidence, can be dismissed as without foundation."link

It is often repeated that Abigail Mitchell died young since she is not named in her father's will; however it was only the two unmarried daughters (Hannah and Susannah) who were named. Sarah (who was married to Samuel Sherman) and Abigail, (married to Rev. Abraham Pierson) who is the subject of this biography, were not named, yet were daughters.<ref name=TAG9>The American Genealogist. New Haven, CT: D. L. Jacobus, 1937-. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2009 - .) "The Wife of Rev. Abraham Pierson" Donald Lines Jacobus. pp 37 - 40.</ref>
There is a question whether the wife of Rev. Abraham Pierson actuallywas Abigail and not her younger sister, Susannah. The conclusion drawn is that Susannah was not old enough to be the mother of Pierson's younger children, so the wife was Abigail.<ref name=TAG9/>

Biography

Abigail Mitchell was baptized 26 Apr. 1618<ref Name=Anderson/><ref Name=NYGBR/>at Halifax, Yorkshire, England<ref Name=Anderson/>the daughter of Matthew Mitchell and Susan (Wood) Butterfield Mitchell

Abigail married Rev.<ref Name=NYGBR/>Abraham Pierson<ref Name=Anderson/><ref Name=NYGBR/>about 1640.<ref Name=Anderson/>

Abigail died March 15, 1722 at New Haven, New Haven, Connecticut

Reverend Pierson made his will at Newark on August 10, 1671, making his wife sole Executrix. The widow Abigail accepted the trust and "gavebond as Executrix wit Abraham Pierson [the son] as surety." It wouldbe unusual for his wife to be sole Executrix if she were not the mother of all the children.

The will also contains the following clause: : "That my Wife shall have the Thirds of my Whole Estate to Whose Loveand faithfulness I Comit the bring Up of my Children, and doe appointher my sole Executrix, and giue her my Great bible and What other English book she pleaseth to Choose."

The will was witnessed by Thomas Pierson, who swore to it in Court, 12Mar. 1678 (1678/9). The widow Abigail accepted the trust, and gave bond as Executrix with Abraham Pierson (the son) as surety. The terms inwhich Mr. Pierson referred to his wife, and his appointment of her assole Executrix would be unusual for that period if she were a second wife and not the mother of the children.

Abraham died on 9 Aug 1678 inNewark, Essex County, New Jersey.<ref>Wendy Jones copied from: geesey_fmly06(at)comcast.net. 2014-02-02; need scholarly accurate citation.</ref>

Family

The following Marriages may belong to this profile. Maybe not, too

: Husband: Abraham Pierson : Wife: Abigail Mitchell

Children

1. Abraham Pierson Jr. was born about 1640/41 in Lynn, Essex County, Massachusetts. He was the first president of Yale College in New Haven, Connecticut, 1701-1707. New information indicates that he may have actually been born in 1646 in Southampton, New Haven Colony, Long Island (Suffolk County, New York).
2. Thomas Pierson born about 1642 in Southampton.
3. John Pierson born about 1643 in Southampton.
4. Abigail Pierson born about 1644 in Southampton. # Grace Pierson born 13 June1650 in Branford, New Haven Colony (Connecticut).
5. Susannah Pierson born 1652 in Branford.
6. Rebecca Pierson born 1654 in Branford.
7. Theophilus Pierson born 15 May 1659 in Branford.
8. Isaac Pierson born in 1661 in Branford.
9. Mary Pierson born about 1663 in Branford.

Sources

• Anderson, Robert Charles. <u>The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England, 1620-1633</u>, Volumes 1-3; <u>The Great Migration: Immigrants to New England</u>, 1634-1635, Volumes 1-6. Boston: New England Historical and Genealogical Society, 1996-2011. pp. 125-131.link for subscribers
• Wood, Matthew. "The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record" (NYGBR). English Origins of the Mitchell, Wood, Lum and Halstead Families. Vol. 120, #1, pp 1 - 9, January 1989.(copy in the files of Cheryl (Aldrich-908) Skordahl.)
• The American Genealogist. New Haven, CT: D. L. Jacobus, 1937-. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2009 - .) "The Wife of Rev. Abraham Pierson" Donald Lines Jacobus. Vol. 9 (1932), pp 37 - 40.subscription site
• Torrey. "New England Marriages to 1700." (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2008.) Originally published as: New England Marriages Prior to 1700. Boston, Mass.: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2015.link for subscribers,
• Great Migration Newsletter, V.1-20.(Online Database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2015.) Vol. 5 Jan. -Mar., p. 6. "Early Southampton Church"subscription site
• Source: S242 Author: Ancestry.com Title: U.S., New England Marriages Prior to 1700 Publication: Name: Ancestry.com Operations Inc; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2012; Repository: #R1*Find A Grave Memorial# 69031511. Maintained by: Clifford Laureno. Originally Created by: P Fazzini. Record added Apr 28, 2011. *Source: S132 Author: Yates Publishing Title: U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900 Publication: Name: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004.Original data - This unique collection of records was extracted from a variety of sources including family group sheets and electronic databases. Originally, the information was derived; Repository: #R1
• Source: S137 Author: Edmund West, comp. Title: Family Data Collection - Births Publication: Name: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2001.; Repository: #R1 *Source: S219 Author: Heritage Consulting Title: Millennium File Publication: Name: Ancestry.com Operations Inc; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2003; Repository: #R1
• Source: S378 Author: Ancestry.com Title: West Yorkshire, England, Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1512-1812 Publication: Name: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2011; Repository: #R1