Rev. 11 Jan. 1995, Gen. 345

According to Dr. Jack T. Spencer (R-1), "Abigail Graves had a most interesting family history in Hartford, CT. She was first married to a William Andrews who died at Hartford in 1659."

"After the death of her first husband, Abigail Graves Andrews married Nathaniel Barding (Bearding, Berden) of Hartford. A daughter, Sarah Barding (Berden), was born to this second marriage. Sarah married Thomas¹ Spencer, one of the founding fathers of Hartford. A son of Thomas¹ Spencer, Thomas² Spencer, married Esther Andrews. In short, we have a case where Thomas² Spencer married the daughter of his grandmother from an earlier marriage (to William Andrews)."

The inventory of the estate of William Andrews was taken by Edward Stebbing, George Grave, and John Barnard. The will, dated 1 April 1659, was witnessed by Edward Stebbing and George Grave, and stated, "I doe make Abigail, my wife, Executrix, and I doe Intreat my friend Edward Stebbinge and my Brother George Grave to assist and to see this my Will performed."

The inventory of the estate of Nathaniel Berding was taken by Paul Peck, George Grave, and Caleb Stanly. The will, dated 7 Jan. 1673, was witnessed by George Grave and Thomas Olcott.

There is obviously a close relationship between George Grave(s) and Abigail Graves, almost certainly Abigail is either his sister or his daughter. Since George was born about 1600 and Abigail may not have been born until as late as 1620 (based on the date of her first marriage), she could be his daughter. However, based on the fact that Abigail is not mentioned in the will or estate settlement of George Graves and that the will of William Andrews calls him "brother" (probably meaning brother-in-law), it is almost certain that Abigail and George were sister and brother.

As we search for the English ancestry of Deacon George Graves, we now know that he may be the person recorded as George Grave, freeholder in the Borough of Hertford, England, in 1621 (or he may have been from Braintree, Essex, England); that he had a sister-in-law, Anna Graves, b.c. 1583, who lived in London and probably died in 1676; that he probably had a sister, Sarah Graves, who married Richard Lord of New London, CT; and that he probably had a sister, Abigail Graves, discussed above.

Since many of the earliest settlers of Hartford, CT were from Newe Towne (Cambridge), MA, including William Andrews, both George Grave(s) and Abigail Graves may also have followed that route.

An article by Donald Lines Jacobus in The American Genealogist, vol. 35, pp. 55-59 (R-100), is considered to be the definitive work on Abigail Graves and William Andrews. Jacobus states: "It is certain that William was in Hartford before 1640 when he became schoolmaster, and in fact he had a child born there in 1638. Although many of the Hartford settlers came from Cambridge, I think he was a different man from the William Andrews of Cambridge whose wife Mary died there 19 Jan. 1639/40. One reason for this conclusion is that William's wife Abigail is the proven mother of William's three sons - proven by William's will which called the children "our" children, as well as by the fact that Abigail's second husband gave them legacies, and finally by a deed of Abigail Barding which calls John, Thomas and Samuel Andrews her sons..." William Andrews "certainly married Abigail, most probably a sister of George Grave (later called Graves), Sr., of Hartford, but possibly sister of Grave's unknown first wife."

A summary of some of the descendants of William Andrews and Abigail Graves (mainly from the article by Jacobus) follows.

Abigail Graves (1) married William Andrews. He died in 1659 at Hartford, CT. She then married Nathaniel Barding of Hartford. (R-1, R-100)

Children - Andrews

+2. John Andrews, b.c. 1632, m. Mary ------, d. 6 June 1690.

3. Abigail Andrews, b.c. 1634, d. possibly in Fairfield, CT, bur. May 1653.

4. Elizabeth Andrews, b.c. 1636, m. Edward Grannis, 3 May 1655.

+5. Thomas Andrews, b. 4 May 1638, m. Hannah Kirby, d. 1690/1.

+6. Esther Andrews, b. Sept. 1641, m. Thomas Spencer, by 1665, d. 6 March 1697/8.

+7. Samuel Andrews, b. 20 Oct. 1645.

Children - Barding

8. Sarah Barding, m. Thomas Spencer.

CHILDREN OF ABIGAIL GRAVES (1) AND WILLIAM ANDREWS

John Andrews (2) was born about 1632 or a little later, evidently the eldest son, and died 6 June 1690 in Hartford, CT. He married Mary, possibly as a second wife. The inventory of John's estate was taken 24 June 1690 by George Grave and Joseph Mygatt. (R-100)

Children - Andrews, by 1st wife

9. Samuel Andrews, b. Jan. 1669/70.

Children - Andrews, by 2nd wife, Mary ------

10. Mary Andrews, b. Feb. 1681/2.

Thomas Andrews (5) was born 4 May 1638 at Hartford, CT, and died early in 1690/1 at Middletown, CT. He married Hannah Kirby, daughter of John and Elizabeth Kirby. She was born 2 March 1649 at Wethersfield, CT, and died in Oct. 1717 in Guilford, CT. After Thomas's death, she secondly married Alexander Rollo of East Haddam, CT. She thirdly married William Stone of Guilford, CT. (R-100)

Children - Andrews

11. Thomas Andrews

12. John Andrews

13. Samuel Andrews

14. Hannah Andrews

15. Elizabeth Andrews

16. Rebecca Andrews, bapt. 9 May 1686 at Hartford, CT, as dau. of Thomas of Middletown, d. young.

17. Sarah Andrews

18. Abigail Andrews

Esther Andrews (6) was born in Sept. 1641 at Hartford, CT, and died 6 March 1697/8 at Suffield, CT. She married Thomas Spencer, probably by 1665. He was born about 1641, and died 23 July 1689 at Suffield, CT. Their children were born from about 1666 to 1680. (R-2, R-100)

Children - Spencer

19. Esther Spencer

20. Elizabeth Spencer

21. Thomas Spencer

+22. Samuel Spencer, b. 1674, m. Elizabeth Mascraft, 18 March 1700, d. 25 Nov. 1743.

+23. William Spencer, married.

24. Anna Spencer

Samuel Andrews (7) was born 20 Oct. 1645 at Hartford, CT, and died there between 1 Jan. 1711/12 (date of will) and 29 Jan. 1711/12 (date of inventory). He married Elizabeth Spencer, daughter of Thomas and Sarah (Bearding) Spencer, about 1668. She was baptized 26 March 1648 at Hartford, and survived her husband. (R-100)

Children - Andrews

25. Nathaniel Andrews

26. John Andrews

27. Abigail Andrews, m. John Stedman (of Farmington, CT).

28. Thomas Andrews

29. Elizabeth Andrews, m. William Day, 18 April 1717 (Hartford, CT).

30. Samuel Andrews, bapt. 14 Nov. 1686 (First Church, Hartford, CT).

CHILDREN OF ESTHER ANDREWS (6) AND THOMAS SPENCER

Samuel Spencer (22) was born in 1674, and died 25 Nov. 1743 in Suffield, CT. He married Elizabeth Mascraft, daughter of Daniel Mascraft and Mary Gordon, on 18 March 1700 in Suffield, CT. She was born 1 Feb. 1669. (R-2)

Children - Spencer

+31. Thomas Spencer, b. 23 Jan. 1701, m. Mary Trumble, 15 Dec. 1720.

William Spencer (23) married. (R-1)

Children - Spencer

+32. John Spencer, married.

CHILDREN OF SAMUEL SPENCER (22) AND ELIZABETH MASCRAFT

Thomas Spencer (31) was born 23 Jan. 1701 in Suffield, CT. He married Mary Trumble, daughter of John Trumble and Elizabeth Winchell, on 15 Dec. 1720 in Suffield, CT. She was born 2 Dec. 1701 and died about 1754, both in Suffield, CT. (R-2)

Children - Spencer

+33. Elizabeth Spencer, b. 3 Aug. 1721, m. John Kent, 5 July 1739.

CHILDREN OF WILLIAM SPENCER (23)

John Spencer (32) married. (R-1)

Children - Spencer

+34. John Spencer, married.

CHILDREN OF THOMAS SPENCER (31) AND MARY TRUMBLE

Elizabeth Spencer (33) was born 3 Aug. 1721 in Suffield, CT. She married John Kent, son of John Kent and Mary Smith, on 5 July 1739 in Suffield, CT. He was born 25 March 1719 and died after 1744. (R-2)

Children - Kent

+35. Elizabeth Kent, b. 30 Jan. 1741, m. Caleb Allen, 10 Dec. 1764.

CHILDREN OF JOHN SPENCER (32)

John Spencer (34) married. (R-1)

Children - Spencer

+36. Elam Spencer, married.

CHILDREN OF ELIZABETH SPENCER (33) AND JOHN KENT

Elizabeth Kent (35) was born 30 Jan. 1741. She married Caleb Allen, son of Ebenezer Allen and Mercy Allen, on 10 Dec. 1764. He was born 11 Jan. 1740. (R-2)

Children - Allen

+37. Anna Allen, b. 14 Feb. 1777, m. Robert Rathbun, c. 1793, d. 6 July 1840.

CHILDREN OF JOHN SPENCER (34)

Elam Spencer (36) married. (R-1)

Children - Spencer

+38. Willis Spencer, married.

CHILDREN OF ELIZABETH KENT (35) AND CALEB ALLEN

Anna Allen (37) was born 14 Feb. 1777 in Suffield, Hartford Co., CT, and died 6 July 1840 in Chester Twp., Wayne Co., OH. She married Robert Rathbun, son of Jeremiah Rathbun and Mary Phillips, about 1793 in NY (?). He was born 17 Aug. 1771 in RI, and died 4 April 1822 in Chester Twp., Wayne Co., OH. (R-2)

Children - Rathbun

+39. Elizabeth Rathbone, b. 1796, m. Benjamin Edmonds, d. after 1839.

CHILDREN OF ELAM SPENCER (36)

Willis Spencer (38) married. (R-1)

Children - Spencer

+40. Albert Spencer, married.

CHILDREN OF ANNA ALLEN (37) AND ROBERT RATHBUN

Elizabeth Rathbone (39) was born in 1796 in NY, and died after 1839, probably in Pleasant Twp., Columbus Grove, Putnam Co., OH. She married Benjamin Edmonds, son of Peter Edmonds and Elisabeth Warner. He was born 2 March 1799 in Gnadenhutten, Tuscarawas Co., OH, and died 1 Jan. 1879 in Columbus Grove, Putnam Co., OH. (R-2)

Children - Edmonds

+41. Allen Edmonds, b. 6 July 1825, m. Permelia Otto, d. 15 Jan. 1916.

CHILDREN OF WILLIS SPENCER (38)

Albert Spencer (40) married. (R-1)

Children - Spencer

+42. William Bernard Spencer, m. Margaret Taif.

CHILDREN OF ELIZABETH RATHBONE (39) AND BENJAMIN EDMONDS

Allen Edmonds (41) was born 6 July 1825 in Pleasant Grove, Wayne Co., OH, and died 15 Jan. 1916 in Erie, PA. He married Permelia Otto, daughter of Henry Otto and Rachael Powell. She was born 23 July 1833 in Cranberry Twp., Butler Co., PA, and died 21 Jan. 1923 in Erie, PA. (R-2)

Children - Edmonds

+43. Martha Johanna Edmonds, b. 1 April 1863, m. Lucien Jerome Larose, d. 1945.

CHILDREN OF ALBERT SPENCER (40)

William Bernard Spencer (42) married Margaret Taif. (R-1)

Children - Spencer

+44. Jack Taif Spencer

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