Abigail Bennet

Not the same as Abigail Somes, Accused Witch

Abigail

• Birth: Circa 1655 - Perhaps, Beverly, Essex County, Massachusetts
• Death: Oct 26 1733 - Gloucester, Essex County, Massachusetts
• Husband: Anthony Bennett, Sr.
• Children: Anthony Bennett, Jr., Andrew Bennett, Peter Bennett, John Bennet, Abigail Bennett, Elizabeth Haskell

She died the widow of Anthony Benet aged between 70 & 80 years. [1734, aged 68 yrs. Per gravestone] (Vital Records of GLOUCESTER, MA to the end of the year 1849)

Biography

Abigail, her parents unknown, was born Abt. 1655, and died 26 Oct 1733 in Gloucester, Essex County Massachusetts4.

She married, before 1679 in Beverly, Essex County Massachusett to Anthony Bennet  (John1). He was born 1650, and died 12 Jan 1690/91 in Gloucester, Essex County Massachusetts1. His 2nd wife; he married Elizabeth Goodwin 1st.

Notes for Anthony Bennet:

Anthony Bennet was a Carpenter who lived in Beverly in 1671.  He received grants of land in Gloucester in 1679 and settled on the east side of the Mill River.  He set up a Sawmill there which was family operated for many years5.

Notes for Elizabeth Goodwin:

Elizabeth is mentioned in the will of her step father, Richard Window.

Children of Anthony Bennet and Abigail:

1. Anthony3 Bennet, born 12 Nov 1679 in Gloucester, Essex County Massachusetts; died Jun 1737 in Gloucester, Essex County Massachusetts. Married Rebecca Wharf
2. Peter Bennett born Abt 1680. Married and removed to Georgetown, York, Maine.
3. Andrew Bennett born 11 Apr 1684.
4. John Bennet, born 11 Apr 1686 in Gloucester, Essex County Massachusetts; died 01 Feb 1724/25 in Gloucester, Essex County Massachusetts. Married Elizabeth Hibbert.
5. Abigail Bennet, born 07 Sep 1688 in Gloucester, Essex County Massachusetts.

Disambiguation

Notes for Abigail ---:

Could this be Abigail SOMES (Morris) b. 1655? Abigail Somes, Accused Witch

the second wife of Anthony Bennett has been reported as Abigail Soames (Babson's "History of Gloucester.") However Torrey's "New England Marriages to 1700" clearly reports her maiden name as unknown on page 63

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Somes-90

Research Notes:

• In Abigail Bennett's Memorial, Find A Grave Index, a brief biography is provided that identifies her as the widow of Anthony Bennett and her birthname as "Somes;" however, no source is provided. Also of note is that this Memorial provides a birth year of May 6, 1655 exactly commensurate with the birth year of Abigail Somes, aka Soames, daughter of Morris and Elizabeth (Kendall) Somes, born in Gloucester; however, no birth year is engraved on the headstone for "Mrs. Abigail Bennett," suggesting that this birth year may have been inserted by the Memorial's creator without a source.
• In Torrey's New England Marriages Prior to 1700, p. 62, Anthony Bennett with death year -1690 is presented as marrying "2/wf Abigail ?" about 1679 with her death year indicated as 1734 and her age at death at about 68 years. Though Abigail's age is commensurate with the age of Abigail, who was daughter of Morris and Elizabeth (Kendall) Somes, Abigail is presented by first name only, her birth surname provided with a question mark (?).
• In Morris Somes's will executed in 1683, Morris Somes being the alleged father of the Abigail who married Anthony Bennett, Morris mentions his children including daughters' married surnames, EXCEPT he refers to his daughter Abigail with her birth surname Somes, not Bennett. This datum suggests that the Abigail, who married Anthony Bennett, was not the daughter of Morris and Elizabeth (Kendall) Somes. More specifically in his will (1683), Morris mentions, in the order by which they appear, his son Timothy, his daughter Mary Hammans, his daughter Sarah Witham, his son John, his daughter Lydia Williams, his daughter Abigail Somes, his daughter Hannah Allen, his daughter Patience Topliff, and his son Nathaniel and various grandchildren. He also mentions his wife and describes her care. By Morris's nomenclature of his children, Abigail was not married in 1683, when Morris's will was executed, a year by which the Abigail, who married Anthony Bennett, would have been married and had at least two children.
• Also of note, an "Abigail Soames" of "Salem Late of Glosster [sic] in the County of Essex Singlewoman [sic]" in 1692/3 was subject of the Salem Witch Trials having been taken from the home of Samuel Gaskill on May 13, 1692.
• Some family trees have the wife of Anthony Bennet as Abigail Window d/o Richard & Bridget Window

comments

"The connection of Anthony Bennett to Abigail Somes, daughter of Morris Somes born 1655 is very tempting- she is not accounted for by either marriage or death otherwise in my records, and her age is perfect.  While some researchers have made that assumption, none has a source citation or made any argument that Anthony Bennett’s wife was indeed a Somes.  A review of many reference texts indicates there are no scholars or recognized genealogists who are ready to make this connection."

---

References

• "Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QG1K-HZ9X : 18 October 2022), Antho Benet and Abigail, ; citing Marriage, , Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Boston; FHL microfilm 007011200. Name Antho Benet Sex Male Spouse's Name Abigail Spouse's Sex Female Event Type Marriage Event Place Salem, Essex, Massachusetts, United States Event Place (Original) Salem, Essex, Massachusetts, United States Record Type Marriage
• Torrey. New England Marriages Prior to 1700. Page 62. < GoogleBooks > BENNETT, Anthony & 1/wf Elizabeth [Goodwin]; b 2 May 1665; ?Gloucester. BENNETT, Anthony (-1690,1714) & 2/wf Abigail _?_ (-1734 ae 68); ?b 1679; Gloucester/Beverly/Rowley
• page 62 of History of the Town of Gloucester, Cape Ann: Including the Town of Rockport.  John James Babson, Samuel Chandler.  Proctor Brothers, 1860 - Gloucester (Mass.) - 891 pages
• http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=michelott...
  • Dawes-Gates Ancestral Lines, Mary Walton Ferris, 1943 Page: I:89, 674
• "Massachusetts Deaths and Burials, 1795-1910", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FH1B-12G : 17 January 2020), Abigail Benet, 1733. Name Abigail Benet Sex Female Age 80 Birth Year (Estimated) 1653 Marital Status Widowed Spouse's Name Anton Benet Spouse's Sex Male Event Type Death Event Date 26 Oct 1733 Event Place Gloucester, Essex, Massachusetts, United States
• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/61843065/abigail-bennet “ She died the widow of Anthony Benet aged between 70 & 80 years. [1734, aged 68 yrs. Per gravestone] (Vital Records of GLOUCESTER, MA to the end of the year 1849)