Abigail (Beers) Bennett (abt. 1751 - 1839)

Born about 1751 in Danbury, Fairfield, Connecticut

Wife of Phillip Weeks — married 1773 in Luzerne, Pennsylvania

Descendants

Died 28 Jul 1839 at about age 88 in Ohio, USA

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Biography

Abigail Beers was born about 1751 and died 28 Jul 1839. She married (1) Philip Weeks and (2) Ishmael Bennett.

The Beers were a large family in colonial New England with a penchant for naming their daughters Abigail. This makes it difficult to identify the parents of Abigail Beers who married Philip Weeks and then, after her first husband's death 3 Jul 1778 during the Battle of Wyoming, married a survivor of that battle, Ishmael Bennett.

Philip was among the earliest settlers of European descent in the Wyoming Valley, arriving as a boy in 1762 or 1763, but the family fled after local Native Americans attacked in 1763. He was then among the 200 settlers from Connecticut to reestablish a settlement there in 1769. It is not known when he and Abigail married. Their first known child wasn't born until 1773, however, and in The History of Hanover Plumb seems to suggest they married in the Wyoming Valley.^[1]

There is a record of a Jabez Beers (another frequent name in this family) leaving the house of Abigail's father-in-law, Jonathan Weeks, on the way to the battle (Jabez died there). Many reasonably believe this was her brother or father. ^[2] Some argue that Abigail was born in 1751 to Jabez Beers in Danbury, Connecticut. but without providing sources. It is worth noting that Phillip Weeks came from Litchfield, Connecticut and there was a large family of Beers in that area.

Abigail was allowed to leave, along with her children and her in-laws, Jonathan and Abigail Weeks. "The father and mother, with the grandchildren, were spared, and were allowed to select a wagon and oxen, with which they returned to Connecticut."^[3]

In the genealogical tables listed in The History of Hanover,, Plumb describes Ishmael Bennett as having returned to Connecticut with survivors of the Battle of Wyoming, but then moving back where "he married a second time to Abigail BEERS, widow of Philip WEEKS who was killed in the Wyoming Massacre in 1778 at the river's edge; removed to Hanover about 1788; lived on the Black Road about a half mile below the Sugar Notch Mines; removed to Ohio about 1816; died there, very old."^[4]

The marriage date for Ishmael and Abigail is often reported as 1783.^[5] This may, however, be based on the 10 Dec 1783 birth of Daniel, Abigail's oldest son by her second marriage and 1782 would be an equally valid estimate.

Both an Ishmael Bennet and an Ishmael Bennett Junior appeared in the 1790 census for Luzerne County.^[6][7] The elder Ishmael's house included himself, four males under 16 and two women. The children of his first marriage all appeared in their own households. The women would have been Abigail and daughter Polly. The boys would have been Daniel, Josiah, possibly Nathan (see Children section below) and one unknown. The 1790 census for Luzerne was not broken down by township but it is likely the father would have been in Hanover and the son would have been in Pittston.

Ishmael Bennett appeared in Hanover in the 1800 census.^[8] At home were the head of the household (Ishmael) and his inferred wife (Abigail), both over 45, a female under 10 (Sarah, about 9), a female 10-15 (Polly, about 11), a male under 10 (unknown), a male 10-15 (Josiah, about 14) and one male 16-25 (Daniel, about 16). If Nathan was part of this household there would have been two males 12-14.

He appeared in Hanover again in 1810 as Ishmael Bennet.^[9] He and his inferred wife are both over 45. At home were also a female 10-15 (unknown) and a male 16-25 (possibly Josiah, 24, or the male under 10 in 1800).

At some point (about 1816, according to Plumb), Abigail removed to Delaware County, Ohio, with her husband.

An Ishmael Bennett appeared in the 1820 census for Harlem, which was enumerated 07 Aug 1820.^[10] There were two people, a man and a woman over 45, in the household. This record is confusing because according to his headstone, Ishmael died in January of that year.

Abigail's whereabouts during the enumeration of the 1830 census is uncertain.

Abigail passed away on 1839. Her headstone in Harlem Cemetery, situated in Harlem, Delaware, Ohio, reads ABIGAIL WIFE OF ISHMAEL BENNETT, died July 28, 1839 in the 88th year of her life."^[11][12] Because of this, Abigail's estimated year of birth is 1751 although she might have been born in late 1750.

Children

Children of Abigail and Philip Weeks

Plumb lists 4 children:

1. Hulda Weeks, b. Mar 1773, d. 1838, m. Comfort Carey.
2. Philip Weeks, b. 1774, d. 11 Dec 1849, m. 1st, Amelia Durkee, m. 2d, --- Campbell.
3. Luther Weeks, b. 21 Dec 1776, d. 23 Feb 1828
4. Lydia Weeks, b. 6 Oct 1778, d. 28 May 1867, m. Conrad Wickizer^[13]

Children of Abigail and Ishmael Bennett They had four children according to Plumb.

1. Daniel Bennett, b. 10 Dec 1783, d. 17 Jun 1861, m. Sally Adams
2. Josiah Bennett, b. 5 Oct 1786, d. 25 May 1857, m. Sally Taylor
3. Mary "Polly" Bennett, b. 23 Apr 1789, d. 11 Apr 1832, m. Lorenzo Ruggles
4. Sarah E. Bennett, b. 8 Mar 1796, d. 22 Jan 1881, m. Henry Blackmun^[14]
5. Son Bennett, appears as under 10 in 1800 and 10-15 in 1810.

Another child is sometimes attributed to Abigail and Ishmael is Nathan Bennett, b. 1789, d. 1 Dec 1872, m. Ann Hoover^[15] He was reportedly born the same year as Polly, however, and is not mentioned by Plumb. According to Dave Bennett, Josiah's grandson, the family had only the four children.^[16] Additional documentation would be needed to attach Nathan to this family.

If his birthdate were wrong, however, Nathan may have been the inferred son born 1805-1880. More likely this is a child who did not survive.

The census record in 1790 suggests that there also may have been an older son or two.

Sources

1. ↑ Plumb, Henry Blackmon. The History of Hanover Township. Wilkes-Barre, PA: R. Baur, 1885. Page 484.
2. ↑ Plumb, Henry Blackman. The History of Hanover Township. Wilkes-Barre, PA: R. Baur, 1885. Page 484. Cite: "Jabez Beers (probably the father of Philip's wife)."
3. ↑ Weeks, Robert D. Geo. Weekes: Genealogy of the Family of George Weekes, of Dorchester, Mass., 1635-1650; with Some Information in Regard to Other Families of the Same Name, Especially, Thomas, of Huntington, L.I., and Nathaniel, of Falmouth and Hardwick, Mass. Higginson Book Company, 1885. Page 369.
4. ↑ Plumb, Henry Blackmon. The History of Hanover Township. Wilkes-Barre, PA: R. Baur, 1885. Page 392.
5. ↑ U.S., Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications, 1889-1970. Volume 213. Accessed April 13, 2021 at https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/2204/32596_242229-00401/518357?backurl=https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/165821047/person/312152376666/facts/citation/922390535585/edit/record
6. ↑ "United States Census, 1790," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHKJ-8P9 : accessed 8 October 2021), Ishmael Bennet, Luzerne, Pennsylvania, United States; citing p. 144, NARA microfilm publication M637, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 8; FHL microfilm 568,148.
7. ↑ "United States Census, 1790," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHKJ-8PS : accessed 8 October 2021), Ishmael Bennet Jr, Luzerne, Pennsylvania, United States; citing p. 144, NARA microfilm publication M637, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 8; FHL microfilm 568,148.
8. ↑ Ancestry.com. Pennsylvania, U.S., Septennial Census, 1779-1863 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012. Original data: Septennial Census Returns, 1779–1863. Box 1026, microfilm, 14 rolls. Records of the House of Representatives. Records of the General Assembly, Record Group 7. Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, Harrisburg, PA.
9. ↑ "United States Census, 1810," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XH2B-K7N : accessed 8 October 2021), Ishmael Bennet, Hanover, Luzerne, Pennsylvania, United States; citing p. 668, NARA microfilm publication M252 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 49; FHL microfilm 193,675.
10. ↑ "United States Census, 1820," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHL9-5MR : accessed 8 October 2021), Ishmael Bennet, Harlem, Delaware, Ohio, United States; citing p. 193, NARA microfilm publication M33, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 89; FHL microfilm 181,395.
11. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 13 April 2021), memorial page for Abigail Beers Weeks Bennet (1751–28 Jul 1839), 35780831, citing Harlem Cemetery, Sunbury, Delaware County, Ohio, USA ; Maintained by Jean (contributor 46944240).
12. ↑ Web: Delaware County, Ohio, U.S., Burial Index, 1784-2011. Provo, UT: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2013. Accessed on April 13, 2021 at https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=9248&h=78839&ssrc=pt&tid=165821047&pid=312152376666&usePUB=true,
13. ↑ Plumb, Henry Blackmon. The History of Hanover Township. Wilkes-Barre, PA: R. Baur, 1885. Page 485.
14. ↑ Plumb, Henry Blackmon. The History of Hanover Township. Wilkes-Barre, PA: R. Baur, 1885. Page 485.
15. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 14 April 2021), memorial page for Nathan Bennett (1789–1 Dec 1872), Find A Grave: Memorial #8521121, citing Hanover Cemetery, Hanover, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, USA ; Maintained by Beth (contributor 48660466).
16. ↑ Posting to Beers Genealogy Forum, Genealogy.com, March 21, 2003. Accessed at http://genforum.genealogy.com/beers/messages/860.html.

• Find a Grave, database and images (Beers-870 : accessed 11 October 2021), memorial page for Abigail Beers Weeks Bennet (1751–28 Jul 1839), Find A Grave: Memorial #35780831, citing Harlem Cemetery, Harlem Township, Delaware County, Ohio, USA ; Maintained by Jean (contributor 46944240) .

Acknowledgements

Narrative biography originally contributed by Craig McLaughlin on April 14, 2021.