Abial (Adams) Chauncey (1685 - 1758)

Born 15 Dec 1685 in Dedham, Suffolk, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Ancestors

Wife of Joseph Metcalf — married after 3 Sep 1707 in Falmouth, Barnstable, Massachusetts Bay

Descendants

Died 30 Jul 1758 at age 72 in North Mansfield, Connecticut

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Biography

Abiel Adams was born December 15, 1685 in Dedham, (then) Suffolk County, Massachusetts Bay Colony, the daughter of William^[1] and Alice (Bradford) Adams, and died 1758 in Hadley, Hampshire, MA.

She married Joseph Metcalfe, son of Deacon Jonathan Metcalf and Hannah Kendrick, after intentions were published in Falmouth on 03 September 1707.^[2]

Children of Abiel Adams and Joseph Metcalfe:

1. Abigail Metcalf, b. June 13, 1708, Falmouth, Barnstable, MA, d. date unknown.
2. Abial Metcalf, b. November 15, 1709, Falmouth, Barnstable, MA, d. February 02, 1778, Greenbush, NY.
3. Abijah Metcalf,* b. 1711, Falmouth, Barnstable, MA, d. date unknown.
4. Hannah Metcalf (twin), b. May 02, 1712, Falmouth, Barnstable, MA, d. date unknown.
5. Alice ("Eals") Metcalf (twin), b. May 02, 1712, Falmouth, Barnstable, MA, d. October 22, 1740, Lebanon, New London, CT.
6. Mary Metcalf, b. December 17, 1715, d. date unknown.
7. Elizabeth Metcalf, b. March 06, 1716/17, Falmouth, Barnstable, MA, d. date unknown.
8. Delight Metcalf, b. May 01, 1719, Falmouth, Barnstable, MA, d. date unknown.
9. Sarah Metcalf, b. 10 Feb 1720/21, Falmouth
10. Sybil Metcalf, b. 10 Nov 1722, Falmouth, Barnstable, MA, d. December 26, 1722.
11. Azubah Metcalf,* b. Abt. 1723, Falmouth, Barnstable, MA, d. date unknown.

• Note: Abijah and Azubah are not listed in the Falmouth VRs.

Abiel was the maternal great granddaughter. of Gov. William Bradford of the 1620 Mayflower passage and Plymouth Colony. The name "Abiel" is masculine and Hebrew in origin, meaning "my father is the Lord." It was a name used in early New England, but rarely seen today. In genealogy many have adopted the spelling of "Abial" for a female, which is the spelling found in the record of the birth of her children at Falmouth, Mass. and at her death in the Manfield, Conn. vital records. However, "my father" does not denote a specific gender in the user of the name, and for consistency with the prepondence of the records in which she appears, including her gravestone, the spelling of "Abiel" is used in this bio.

Rev. Joseph Metcalf and Abiel Adams had seven children recorded at Falmouth, who are outlined in their father's memorial. The Metcalf Genealogy claims they had eleven children, two not recorded in the published Falmouth vital records. This includes the purported youngest child of the family, a dau. named Azuba, supposedly b. Nov. 28, 1723 at Falmouth.

Following Rev. Metcalf's death, at an unknown place after 1723, Abiel m. 2) Rev. Isaac Chauncey. Many writer's claim they married at Dedham, Mass., which is unlikely. By the late 1720s most of Abiel's children were residing at Lebanon, Conn. where they would marry. According to Robert S. Wakefield (Desc. of William Bradford, NEHGS, 1991), Isaac was the son of Israel Chauncey and Mary Nichols, b. Oct. 5, 1670 at Stratford, Conn., was a 1693 graduate of Harvard, and d. May 2, 1745 at Hadley, Mass. Chauncey's first wife, Sarah Blackleach, d. at Hadley June 29, 1720.

Abial passed away July 30, 1758, at age 73, in North Mansfield, Connecticut, and was buried in the Pink Cemetery in Mansfield.^[3][4]

Research notes

This statement was previously part of the biography, without source, and conflicts with the sourced marriage intentions with Joseph Metcalf:

"By an intention to marry pub. Sept. 3, 1707 at Falmouth, Mass., Abiel m. 1) 'Rev. Joseph Fowler, s. of Dea. Jonathan Fowler and Hannah Kenrick, b. Apr. 11, 1682 at Dedham, Mass. No corresponding record of the marriage appears in the Dedham, Mass. vital records, but that an intention was pub. at Falmouth indicates her intended husband was already residing at Falmouth as pastor of the newly constituted Falmouth Congregational Church. He d. at Falmouth Dec. 24, 1723. "

It appears to be a mistake of surname of Fowler vs. Metcalf, and has been moved here for verification. Madison-125 14:22, 14 April 2022 (UTC)

Sources

1. ↑ Hill, Don Gleason, The Record of Births, Marriages and Deaths... town of Dedham 1635-1845 (Dedham, Mass: Dedham Transcript, 1886), p. 21. (Available on Archive.org)

   "[1685] Abiell, ye daughter of Mr. Wm. Adams, borne Decemb. 15."

2. ↑ "Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001," database with images, FamilySearch (30 October 2019), Barnstable > Falmouth > Births, marriages, deaths 1668-1753 > image 16 of 99; citing Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Boston.

   "Mr Joseph Metcalfe and abiel adams Intentions of marriage published 3d September the 3d 1707."

3. ↑ "Inscriptions on Gravestones in North Mansfield, Connecticut" The New England Historical and Genealogical Register. Boston, MA: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1847-. (Online database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2001-2013.) Reference Volume 22, page 387
4. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (accessed 14 April 2022), memorial page for Abiel Adams Chauncey (15 Dec 1685–30 Jul 1758), Find A Grave: Memorial #22104781, citing Pink Cemetery, Mansfield City, Tolland County, Connecticut, USA ; Maintained by Don Blauvelt (contributor 46932939) .

• For biographical and family data, see attached source for "Mayflower Families Through Five Generations," Vol. 22, William Bradford Family, compiled by Ann Smith Lainhart & Robert S. Wakefield (General Society of Mayflower Descendants: Plymouth, MA; 2004).

• "Family Tree," database, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org : modified 10 May 2017, 01:25), entry for Abiel Adams(PID https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/4:1:L6NV-VPL); contributed by various users.
• The Signers of the Mayflower Compact and Their Descendants, by Henry Whittemore
• Mayflower Society, Mayflower Families Through Five Generations

• "Connecticut Deaths and Burials, 1772-1934," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F7KJ-H38 : 3 December 2014), Abial Chauncy, 30 Jul 1758; citing , reference item 1 p 193; FHL microfilm 1,376,017.

• "Connecticut Deaths and Burials, 1772-1934," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F72G-P4G : 3 December 2014), Abiel Chauncey, 30 Jul 1758; citing , reference 00667; FHL microfilm 3,343.

• Massachusetts, Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988

Abiel Adams

Marriage Date 3 Sep 1707

Marriage Place Falmouth, Massachusetts

Spouse Name Joseph Metcalfe

• Connecticut, Deaths and Burials Index, 1650-1934

Adiel Chauncey

Birth Date abt 1686 Age at Death 72

Death Date 30 Jul 1758 Death Place Connecticut

FHL Film Number3104

• Connecticut, Hale Collection of Cemetery Inscriptions and Newspaper Notices, 1629-1934

Abiel Chauncey

Age 72 Birth Date abt 1686

Death Date 30 Jul 1758

Burial Place Mansfield, Connecticut, Gurley Cemetery