The most detailed reference to Abigail seems to be the meticulous notes in the Lowell Genealogy (1899), which was written while informants still remembered some of the events. The following note appears on p. 48, in connection with David Lowell, Jr. who married Abigail Uran.
"The history of Abigail (Hodgkins) Uran was quite remarkable. She was b. in Old Ipswich, Mass., Sept. 21, 1736, and d. in Wirt, Alleghany Co., N. Y. Feb. 26, 1842, age 105 years, 5 months, and 5 days. The first six years of her life she was in Ipswich, Mass.; 1742-1755 in Haverhill, N.H.; she m. at 19 years of age; 1755-1771 in Swanzey, N. H.; 1771-1792 in Putney, Vt.; 1792-1809 in Pawlet, Vt.; 1809-1819 in Unadilla, N. Y.; 1819-1842 in Wirt, N. Y., where she d. She had 10 children, 7 living at her d., 49 great grand children, and 6 of the 5th generation."
Some of these assertions may be questioned. It is clear that the Haverhill intended is in MA, not NH (the latter not settled until 1763), but this lapse explains the presistent references to the latter in DAR applications! This account also must be the source of her marriage date (1755). However, it does not appear likely that the Urans moved to Swanzey so early (Jonathan noted as a resident of Haverhill, MA in 1759 muster roll), and her transfer of church membership from Swanzey to Putney did not occur until 03 aug 1777. It seems likely that the summary quoted here comes from an obituary or county history.
Her birthdate is listed on her tombstone and is consistent with her age at death. The closest match in the Ipswich vital records is shown as a baptism on 11 sep 1737, daughter of Ezekiel and Margaret Hodgkins. It is possible that the Ipswich date has been misread and actually represents the birthdate. The original records need to be examined. Moreover, the switch to the New Style calendar occurred between the birth and death dates, so we cannot be sure that the age at death has taken into account the 11 extra days. If so, her birthdate would be 10 sep 1736 Old Style, and a recorded date of 11 sep 1737 would probably be a misreading of 11 sep 1736, baptism the day after her birth. Even if the date has been read correctly, there is no other Abigail Hodgkins in the Ipswich records who is likely to be the right one.
The names of seven of her ten children came down to us through The Urann Family of New England. It is likely these are precisely the seven who were still living at the time of her death. Since the children are not named in the Lowell Genealogy, there must have been another source used by both. The 1896 Allegany County history mentions that she died in 1842 (gives exact age) and that she was the mother of Althea Richardson, but no further details. We are still looking for the actual source of these accounts.
Review of marriage records in Haverhill, MA and surrounding towns in MA and NH has not turned up anything relating to Jonathan and Abigail or their known siblings. In many cases, one or both parties in these marriage records are noted as residents of nearby towns.
Many Haverhill residents suddenly found themselves in New Hampshire in 1741 when the modern boundary was established. Chase's History of Haverhill includes tax lists made at that time on both sides of the line. No URAN or HODGKINS families are listed.
It is possible that Abigail's family did not move to Haverhill when she was 6, but that she did spend 6 years there, perhaps 1753-1759, roughly the same time Jonathan Uran is noted as a resident on muster rolls. If Ezekiel Hodgkins was in fact her father, as seems most likely, this period would coincide with the birth of several children by his second wife, widow Deborah Hovey. Abigail might have lived with other relatives, or the family might have moved to Haverhill for a short time and then returned. (In early New England, it was considered a normal part of growing up for children to be sent to live with relatives.)
If Abigail Hodgkins is the daughter of Ezekiel and Margaret, then she would be the second cousin of the William Hodgkins who married into another branch of the Uran family at about the same time.
Abigail is buried in the Richburg Cemetery, Wirt Town, Allegany Co., NY. The historian's card index shows the inscription as Abigail, mother of Alethea Richardson, and shows birth and death dates. The 1896 history mentions that she died at age 105 years, 5 months, 5 days, but offers no other details. Hence, there must be another source for the other information reported in the Lowell and Uran genealogies.
_Stephen HODGKINS ___+ | (1716 - ....) m 1739 _Thomas HODGKINS ____| | (.... - 1797) m 1770| | |_Elizabeth _____ ____ | m 1739 _John HODGKINS ______| | (1774 - 1855) m 1798| | | _____________________ | | | | |_Abigail ROSS _______| | (1750 - 1837) m 1770| | |_____________________ | | |--Abigail HODGKINS | (1801 - ....) | _____________________ | | | _____________________| | | | | | |_____________________ | | |_Anna LUMMUS ________| (1777 - 1866) m 1798| | _____________________ | | |_____________________| | |_____________________
_Thomas HODGKINS ____+ | (1668 - 1719) m 1689 _Daniel HODGKINS ____| | (1690 - 1773) m 1714| | |_Abigail HOVEY ______+ | (.... - 1754) m 1689 _Daniel HODGKINS ____| | (.... - 1763) m 1739| | | _____________________ | | | | |_Abigail HUNT _______| | (.... - 1737) m 1714| | |_____________________ | | |--Abigail HODGKINS | (.... - 1833) | _____________________ | | | _____________________| | | | | | |_____________________ | | |_Abigail HEARD ______| (.... - 1786) m 1739| | _____________________ | | |_____________________| | |_____________________
_William HODGKINS ___+ | (1622 - 1693) _Thomas HODGKINS ____| | (1668 - 1719) m 1689| | |_Grace DUTCH ________+ | (.... - 1694) _John HODGKINS ______| | (.... - 1797) m 1738| | | _Daniel HOVEY _______+ | | | (1642 - 1695) m 1666 | |_Abigail HOVEY ______| | (.... - 1754) m 1689| | |_Esther TREADWELL ___+ | (1641 - 1730) m 1666 | |--Abram HODGKINS | | _____________________ | | | _____________________| | | | | | |_____________________ | | |_Elizabeth HOVEY ____| m 1738 | | _____________________ | | |_____________________| | |_____________________
_Christopher HODGKINS _+ | (.... - 1724) m 1689 _Hezekiah HODGKINS __| | m 1726 | | |_Tabitha HOWARD _______ | (.... - 1735) m 1689 _Hezekiah HODGKINS __| | | | | _______________________ | | | | |_Sarah HARRIS _______| | m 1726 | | |_______________________ | | |--Amos HODGKINS | | _______________________ | | | _____________________| | | | | | |_______________________ | | |_Lucy CHAPMAN _______| | | _______________________ | | |_____________________| | |_______________________
_William HODGKINS ___ | _William HODGKINS ___| | (1622 - 1693) | | |_____________________ | _Samuel HODGKINS ____| | | | | _Osmond DUTCH _______ | | | (1593 - 1684) m 1628 | |_Grace DUTCH ________| | (.... - 1694) | | |_Grace PRATT ________+ | m 1628 | |--Anna HODGKINS | (1705 - ....) | _____________________ | | | _____________________| | | | | | |_____________________ | | |_____________________| | | _____________________ | | |_____________________| | |_____________________
_Thomas HODGKINS ____+ | (1668 - 1719) m 1689 _Thomas HODGKINS ____| | (1692 - 1778) m 1721| | |_Abigail HOVEY ______+ | (.... - 1754) m 1689 _Thomas HODGKINS _______| | m 1749 | | | _____________________ | | | | |_Sarah AYRES ________| | (.... - 1728) m 1721| | |_____________________ | | |--Anna HODGKINS | (1750 - ....) | _____________________ | | | _____________________| | | | | | |_____________________ | | |_Anna Goss (or CROSS?) _| m 1749 | | _____________________ | | |_____________________| | |_____________________
_Stephen HODGKINS ___+ | (1716 - ....) m 1739 _Thomas HODGKINS ____| | (.... - 1797) m 1770| | |_Elizabeth _____ ____ | m 1739 _John HODGKINS ______| | (1774 - 1855) m 1798| | | _____________________ | | | | |_Abigail ROSS _______| | (1750 - 1837) m 1770| | |_____________________ | | |--Anna HODGKINS | (1800 - 1820) | _____________________ | | | _____________________| | | | | | |_____________________ | | |_Anna LUMMUS ________| (1777 - 1866) m 1798| | _____________________ | | |_____________________| | |_____________________
_Thomas HODGKINS ____+ | (1692 - 1778) m 1729 _John HODGKINS ______| | (1731 - 1815) | | |_Hannah WARNER ______ | m 1729 _David HODGKINS _____| | (1771 - ....) m 1797| | | _____________________ | | | | |_Patience WEBBER ____| | (1736 - ....) | | |_____________________ | | |--Azor HODGKINS | (1806 - ....) | _____________________ | | | _____________________| | | | | | |_____________________ | | |_Polly WILSON _______| m 1797 | | _____________________ | | |_____________________| | |_____________________
_John HODGKINS ______+ | (.... - 1690) _Nathaniel HODGKINS _| | (1684 - 1740) m 1706| | |_Elizabeth _____ ____ | _Benjamin HODGKINS __| | (1716 - 1760) m 1740| | | _____________________ | | | | |_Joanna GIDDINGS ____| | m 1706 | | |_____________________ | | |--Benjamin HODGKINS | | _____________________ | | | _____________________| | | | | | |_____________________ | | |_Elizabeth BENNETT __| m 1740 | | _____________________ | | |_____________________| | |_____________________
_William HODGKINS ___+ | (1622 - 1693) _John HODGKINS ______| | (.... - 1690) | | |_Grace DUTCH ________+ | (.... - 1694) _Nathaniel HODGKINS _| | (1684 - 1740) m 1706| | | _____________________ | | | | |_Elizabeth _____ ____| | | | |_____________________ | | |--Benjamin HODGKINS | (1716 - 1760) | _____________________ | | | _____________________| | | | | | |_____________________ | | |_Joanna GIDDINGS ____| m 1706 | | _____________________ | | |_____________________| | |_____________________
_William HODGKINS ___+ | (1622 - 1693) _Thomas HODGKINS ____| | (1668 - 1719) m 1689| | |_Grace DUTCH ________+ | (.... - 1694) _Daniel HODGKINS ____| | (1690 - 1773) m 1714| | | _Daniel HOVEY _______+ | | | (1642 - 1695) m 1666 | |_Abigail HOVEY ______| | (.... - 1754) m 1689| | |_Esther TREADWELL ___+ | (1641 - 1730) m 1666 | |--Benjamin HODGKINS | (.... - 1748) | _____________________ | | | _____________________| | | | | | |_____________________ | | |_Abigail HUNT _______| (.... - 1737) m 1714| | _____________________ | | |_____________________| | |_____________________
_Thomas HODGKINS ____+ | (1668 - 1719) m 1689 _Thomas HODGKINS ____| | (1692 - 1778) m 1729| | |_Abigail HOVEY ______+ | (.... - 1754) m 1689 _John HODGKINS ______| | (1731 - 1815) | | | _____________________ | | | | |_Hannah WARNER ______| | m 1729 | | |_____________________ | | |--Benjamin HODGKINS | (1766 - ....) | _____________________ | | | _____________________| | | | | | |_____________________ | | |_Patience WEBBER ____| (1736 - ....) | | _____________________ | | |_____________________| | |_____________________
_Christopher HODGKINS _+ | (.... - 1724) m 1689 _Hezekiah HODGKINS __| | m 1726 | | |_Tabitha HOWARD _______ | (.... - 1735) m 1689 _Hezekiah HODGKINS __| | | | | _______________________ | | | | |_Sarah HARRIS _______| | m 1726 | | |_______________________ | | |--Betsey HODGKINS | | _______________________ | | | _____________________| | | | | | |_______________________ | | |_Lucy CHAPMAN _______| | | _______________________ | | |_____________________| | |_______________________
_Thomas HODGKINS ____+ | (1692 - 1778) m 1729 _John HODGKINS ______| | (1731 - 1815) | | |_Hannah WARNER ______ | m 1729 _Joseph HODGKINS ____| | (1768 - 1825) m 1796| | | _____________________ | | | | |_Patience WEBBER ____| | (1736 - ....) | | |_____________________ | | |--Charlotte Swazey HODGKINS | | _____________________ | | | _____________________| | | | | | |_____________________ | | |_Abigail SWAZEY _____| m 1796 | | _____________________ | | |_____________________| | |_____________________
_Christopher HODGKINS _+ | (.... - 1724) m 1689 _William HODGKINS ___| | (1703 - ....) m 1724| | |_Tabitha HOWARD _______ | (.... - 1735) m 1689 _Christopher HODGKINS _| | (1730 - ....) m 1758 | | | _______________________ | | | | |_Elizabeth CLARK ____| | m 1724 | | |_______________________ | | |--Christopher HODGKINS | | _______________________ | | | _____________________| | | | | | |_______________________ | | |_Dorcas WALLIS ________| m 1758 | | _______________________ | | |_____________________| | |_______________________
_William HODGKINS ___+ | (1622 - 1693) _William HODGKINS ___| | (.... - 1706) | | |_Grace DUTCH ________+ | (.... - 1694) _William HODGKINS ___| | (1692 - 1743) | | | _____________________ | | | | |_Elizabeth _____ ____| | (.... - 1706) | | |_____________________ | | |--Christopher HODGKINS | | _____________________ | | | _____________________| | | | | | |_____________________ | | |_____________________| | | _____________________ | | |_____________________| | |_____________________
_William HODGKINS ___ | _William HODGKINS ___| | (1622 - 1693) | | |_____________________ | _Christopher HODGKINS _| | (.... - 1724) m 1689 | | | _Osmond DUTCH _______ | | | (1593 - 1684) m 1628 | |_Grace DUTCH ________| | (.... - 1694) | | |_Grace PRATT ________+ | m 1628 | |--Christopher HODGKINS | (1690 - ....) | _____________________ | | | _____________________| | | | | | |_____________________ | | |_Tabitha HOWARD _______| (.... - 1735) m 1689 | | _____________________ | | |_____________________| | |_____________________
_____________________ | _William HODGKINS ___| | | | |_____________________ | _William HODGKINS ___| | (1622 - 1693) | | | _____________________ | | | | |_____________________| | | | |_____________________ | | |--Christopher HODGKINS | (.... - 1724) | _____________________ | | | _Osmond DUTCH _______| | | (1593 - 1684) m 1628| | | |_____________________ | | |_Grace DUTCH ________| (.... - 1694) | | _Bennett PRATT ______ | | m 1601 |_Grace PRATT ________| m 1628 | |_Ann PRIMROSE _______ m 1601
_William HODGKINS ___+ | (1622 - 1693) _Christopher HODGKINS _| | (.... - 1724) m 1689 | | |_Grace DUTCH ________+ | (.... - 1694) _William HODGKINS ___| | (1703 - ....) m 1724| | | _____________________ | | | | |_Tabitha HOWARD _______| | (.... - 1735) m 1689 | | |_____________________ | | |--Christopher HODGKINS | (1730 - ....) | _____________________ | | | _______________________| | | | | | |_____________________ | | |_Elizabeth CLARK ____| m 1724 | | _____________________ | | |_______________________| | |_____________________
_____________________ | _William HODGKINS ___| | (1703 - ....) m 1724| | |_____________________ | _William HODGKINS ___| | m 1748 | | | _____________________ | | | | |_Elizabeth CLARK ____| | m 1724 | | |_____________________ | | |--Daniel HODGKINS | | _Francis URAN _______+ | | (1660 - 1713) | _William URAN _______| | | (1681 - 1758) | | | |_Alice _____ ________ | | (.... - 1713) |_Abigail URAN _______| (1719 - 1790) m 1748| | _____________________ | | |_Martha SMITH _______| (.... - 1748) | |_____________________
_Christopher HODGKINS _+ | (.... - 1724) m 1689 _William HODGKINS ___| | (1703 - ....) m 1724| | |_Tabitha HOWARD _______ | (.... - 1735) m 1689 _William HODGKINS ___| | m 1748 | | | _______________________ | | | | |_Elizabeth CLARK ____| | m 1724 | | |_______________________ | | |--Daniel HODGKINS | | _______________________ | | | _William URAN _______| | | (1681 - 1758) | | | |_______________________ | | |_Abigail URAN _______| (1719 - 1790) m 1748| | _______________________ | | |_Martha SMITH _______| (.... - 1748) | |_______________________
_Nathaniel HODGKINS _+ | (1684 - 1740) m 1706 _Stephen HODGKINS ___| | (1716 - ....) m 1739| | |_Joanna GIDDINGS ____ | m 1706 _Thomas HODGKINS ____| | (.... - 1797) m 1770| | | _____________________ | | | | |_Elizabeth _____ ____| | m 1739 | | |_____________________ | | |--Daniel HODGKINS | | _____________________ | | | _____________________| | | | | | |_____________________ | | |_Abigail ROSS _______| (1750 - 1837) m 1770| | _____________________ | | |_____________________| | |_____________________
_Thomas HODGKINS ____+ | (1668 - 1719) m 1689 _Daniel HODGKINS ____| | (1690 - 1773) m 1714| | |_Abigail HOVEY ______+ | (.... - 1754) m 1689 _Daniel HODGKINS ____| | (.... - 1763) m 1739| | | _____________________ | | | | |_Abigail HUNT _______| | (.... - 1737) m 1714| | |_____________________ | | |--Daniel HODGKINS | | _____________________ | | | _____________________| | | | | | |_____________________ | | |_Abigail HEARD ______| (.... - 1786) m 1739| | _____________________ | | |_____________________| | |_____________________
_William HODGKINS ___ | _William HODGKINS ___| | (1622 - 1693) | | |_____________________ | _Thomas HODGKINS ____| | (1668 - 1719) m 1689| | | _Osmond DUTCH _______ | | | (1593 - 1684) m 1628 | |_Grace DUTCH ________| | (.... - 1694) | | |_Grace PRATT ________+ | m 1628 | |--Daniel HODGKINS | (1690 - 1773) | _Daniel HOVEY _______+ | | (1618 - 1692) | _Daniel HOVEY _______| | | (1642 - 1695) m 1666| | | |_Abigail ANDREWS ____+ | | (1622 - 1665) |_Abigail HOVEY ______| (.... - 1754) m 1689| | _Thomas TREADWELL ___+ | | (1605 - 1671) m 1633 |_Esther TREADWELL ___| (1641 - 1730) m 1666| |_Mary TAYLOR ________+ (1605 - 1685) m 1633