Captain Abner Bisbee

M, #15482, b. Jul 31, 1734, d. Sep 28, 1805
Pedigree
Father*John Bisbee Jr. b. Sep 15, 1690, d. Aug 2, 1773
Mother*Abiah Bonney b. May 4, 1712, d. circa 1750

Family

Mary Oldham Hall b. circa 1747, d. Jul 27, 1827
Children

Chronological Events

Birth*Jul 31, 1734 Captain Abner Bisbee was born on Jul 31, 1734 at Pembroke, Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States.1 
 He was the son of John Bisbee Jr. and Abiah Bonney. 
Milit-Beg*1754 Captain Abner Bisbee began military service in 1754 He was an officer in the French and Indian War, having received his commission from George III, and was ever after known as Captain Bisbee. He served nearly through the war as a scout. There is a tradition that he piloted a small company of soldiers on snowshoes through the wilderness from Crown Point to Charlestown, N.H. in February, 1759, and marked out the Crown Point Road, which was cut thrugh the next summer by Colonel Goffe. He then selected his lot where he afterward built his log cabin, in 1763 near the north line of the town, on the farm now owned by Luther Boynton.

Captain Bisbee had three conmissions from George III, one signed by Governor Clinton of New York, and one by Governor Chittenden of Vermont. He went out on first scout duty from Springfield, and later fomed a company of militia(In Colonel Wood's Regiment) and went out on the alarm call. He served thruogh the Revolutionary War and like many another war-worn soldier, hailed with gladness the day of peace.

Captain Bisbee became a successful farmer and built and owned the first painted house in town. He reperesented the town in the legislature and held many important town offices. He was a firm believer in the Christian religion and considered by Pastor Smiley as one of his firmest supporters. He died in Springfield, Sept 25, 1805, aged 72 years and his weight was 315 lbs."

AFN individual Record AFN: 1cj2-xpv Ancestral File Pedigree Chart at Family History Dept of LDS
church

The following information is from the papers of the late Justus Dart, of Springfield, loaned to R.A. Beardslee (who transcribed the information as carefully as possible)by his daughter, Miss Mary A. Dart, November 1932. According to the transcriber, the manuscript was written before January 1, 1886, by some one old enough to have seen Elisabeth Bisbee Tower, who died in 1828. The transcriber also indicates that the handwriting and the contents of the shorter pages would seem to indicate some earlier person as the author of those pages. The information very closely parallels information found in "The History of the Town of Springfield, Vt." Pages 223 through page 228. They are so close, that they were either copied from the book or this was the original source of the information in the book. The book was published in late 1800s. The Typos are part of the transcriptions. * indicates new notes by CM

"THE BISBEE FAMILY. Thomas Bisbee, the common ancester of the New England family of Bisbees was one of those persons who came to New England soon after the landing of the Mayflower Pilgrims. the records show that he sailed from Sandwich England in the ship Hercules, John Witherly Master, with his wife and six children and that he landed at Scituate (Mass) Harbor in the Spring of 1634. he afterwards moved to Sudbury where he lived seeveral years and Died March 9th 1672.

CAPT ABNER BISBEE, the paternal ancestor of the Springfield Branch of the Bisbee Family was the son of John and Mary (Oldham)Bisbee,--- (*actually incorrect as HIS mother was Abiah Boney, the second wife of John Bisbee II)---- born July 31st ---(*some question as to whether the 1st or 31st.)-- 1734 in Middleboro Plymouth Co Mass and was one of the First Settlers of Springfield.

(Another handwriting and different size of paper now comes- RAB)

Captain Abner Bisbee one of the first Settlers of Springfield VT was born in Middleborough Plymouth Co Mass in the year 1734. He was an officer in what is known in history as the old French & Indian war receiving his Com fro Geo the 3rd He was not attached to the regular army but on account of his prudence & Sagasity was placed in Command of a Company of Scouts to look for the Indians & watch the motions of the enimy. In this Capacity he served nearly through the war, enduring hardships and hair breadth escapes. When that horrid French & Indian alliance was broken which had preyed so long upon the infant Settlements of Mass & N H and made our own Vt a highway over which they had marched men women & children into long Captivitys or to perrish by savage barbarity These brave war worn soldiers as well as the whole country hailed with gladness the day of peace and security Capt Bisbee in 1759 piloted a Small company of Mass Soldiers through the wilderness in the month of Feb upon Snowshoes from Crown Point to Fort # 4 in Charleston N H & marked out what is known on the east side of the green Mountain as the old crown point road & the next fall a company was raised & choped it out and fitted for winter travel Tradition Says that these expiditions Capt Bisbee picked out his lot of land in Springfield where in 1763 he built his log cabin In the mean time peace had been declared & the Canidas had pass out of the hands of the French forever the Indians had mostly fled the Settlement of Vt rapidly commenced Capt Bisbee came to Springfield on horse back with a bed of Sea fowl feathers & a few other utensils straped upon his horse & a small sum of money in Pocket, He crossed the Conecticut river at Charleston N H passed up the Crown point road 5 miles into the wilderness where he found one man had settled the year previous he too was an officer in the old French wars & had fought on many a bloody field. This man was Simon Stevens who has long had the honor or being the first perminent Settler of Springfield & for many years the foremost man in town. Between these war Captains commenced a friendship that was as lasting as life. They were never known to disagree but once. They were both single men and lived 1/2 mile apart & kept batchelors hall for several years at last another settler came & built his cabin between them he had a lovely daughter of Marriageble age & they both wanted her & the story goes that she was willing to have either but could not mary them both Fortunately at this critical time Capt Hall who had kept for a while fort Dummer at Brattleboro came & settled just over the line in Weathersfield Capt Bisbees land was bounded on the north by Weathersfield line Capt Hall had a buxom girl of 15 years or so it was told these were the only two girls of marriagible age in town at that time This matter was amically Settled Cap Bisbee taking Mary Hall & Capt Stevens Isabelle Scott (interlined over "Scott": Taylor Daughter of Mrs Scott by her first Husband(in pencil)) on to their horses between them & going to Charlestown & were married. This must be as early as 1767 or 1768 Soon after Capt Stevens became a Magistrate and was known in history as Simon Stevens Esqr & did all the Marrying far & near & nearly all other Justice business as long as he lived Capt Bisbee held 3 commishions one signed by King George the 3d one by Governor Clinton of New York & one by Governor Thomas Chittenden of Vermont. All hrough the Revolutionary war he was an enlisted Soldier ready to go at his countrys call And when the Con church was formed and the fires of the revvolution he appears to be the Miles Standish of the little Colony he & others often carrying their Muskets to the place of worship to repel if necessary a Savage foe. His wife was a woman of resolute mind Tradition says that in 1777 the men being away on duty that thare was an alarm of the approach of Indians She yoked the oxen & taking her little ones & other women & children & drove them to the block house which the settlers had built on the Connecticut river as a place of retreat & security in time of danger Capt Bisbee must have been a good financier or successful farmer for in 9 years he had paid for 6 lots of land & secured a title under the N H Grants & then on payment of 8 pounds 3 shiling & 4 pence had received an Indenture to the same lands Signed by Richard Morris under the Great Seal of N Y He came to the town of Springfield in 1763 with little besides his hands to help himself with in 1772 he had paid for 6 hundred acres of land twice it has already (been) stated that he built his log cabin on the old Crown point road near the Weathersfield line this in a short time gave place to a substantial dwelling tradition says that it was the first painted house in the town of Springfield Capt Bisbee always bore the reputation of an honest & true man he repeatedly held all of the important offices in town representing the town at varous time in the general assembly He died very suddenly in 1805 aged 72 years & was burried at the Cemetary at Springfield It is known of him that he was a firm believer in the Christian religion but was never a member of the Con Church which he had always helped to sustain The Rev Mr Smiley once said that he regarded him as a christian man & that when and Esqr Stevens were gone he felt that he had lost his firmest support one of them made the motion for his settlement & the other the motion fixing his salary that they were solid & true men every day alike & could be depended upon in every emergency Capt Bisbee wife survived him more than 20 years She was born in Fort Dummer near where the village of Brettleboro now stands which was built by Mass in 1772 (then corrected to 1744 RAB) She was of Irish descent a strong minded woman of daring courage & resolute will It was here that the next generations of Bisbees got their strong prejudices which when once aroused were not easily overcome The children of Capt Abner & Mary Hall Bisbee were Abner jr. born 1773 died 1818 John Bisbee born 1776 died 1852 Elisha bisbee Elijah Bisbee Gad Bisbee & Elisabeth Bisbee born 1790 died 1828 Sally Bisbee (? RAB) Abner Bisbee jr Married Barbara Willson a& settled a farm 1/2 mile from Springfield Village on the Rockingham hill road where they a fafily of 6 children 2 sons & 4 daughters his Wife surviving him nearly 40 years John Married Nancy Chamberlain of Weathersfield Vt & lived near the old homestead many years where their children 6 in number 2 sons & 4 girls were born Elisha Bisbee married Mary Grout of Weathersfield Vt & settled on a farm (....)(corner torn off RAB) miles west of Springfield Village on the Chester (.....)(?road; other corner torn off, RAB)"

(end of smaller sized sheets in this handwriting. RAB)

"THE HOSTORIC PINE TREE now standing (Dec 29 1885) on land owned by Wm. Haskins near the old Bisbee Homestead was planted by Capt Abner Bisbee it was known as a landmark by all his Grandchildren far and near that when they came in sight of the pine tree they were at the home of the Grand Father. five generations have sat beneath its cooling shade and have passed away. yet the old tree spreads its lofty branches as a Monument to his Memory. The children of Capt Abner & Mary (Hall) Bisbee were Abner, John, Elisha, Elijah, Gad, Elisabeth and Sally. (perhaps Sally and Sarah were the same?? *CM) Capt Bisbee gave his sons at the time of there (sic) marriage a tract of wild land or a part of the old Homestead abner Bisbee Jr Married Barbara Wilson and commenced the farm now owned by James Booth & raised a family of six children two sons a& fojur daughers and Died Oct 30th, 1818 AE 45 yers his wife survived him 36 years. John Bisbee married Nancy Chamberlain of Weathersfield and lived on a part of the Old Homestead for many years where their children 6 in number were born two sons & four daughters. they finally followed the fortunes of their sons & moved to Watisfield Vt where he Died in 1852 AE 76 yrs.


r.2 
Marriage*circa 1767 He married Mary Oldham Hall, daughter of George Hall and Isabella Anderson, circa 1767 at Charlestown, Sullivan County, New Hampshire, United States.2 
Death*Sep 28, 1805 Captain Abner Bisbee died on Sep 28, 1805, at age 71 at Springfield, Windsor County, Vermont, United States.3 
Burial*Sep 29, 1805 He was buried on Sep 29, 1805 at Summer Hill Cemetery, Springfield, Windsor County, Vermont, United States, Find A Grave Memorial# 47950683.4 

Military*

 

Listed as a Military Veteran who served in wartime combat in the French & Indian War.

 

Citations

  1. [S922] Book - New Hampshire - History of the Town of Haverhill, by W.F. Whitcher.
  2. [S802] Site - Ancestry.com, online at http://www.ancestry.com
  3. [S79] Gravestones - Find-A-Grave.com, online at findagrave.com.
  4. [S58] Gravestones - Death Cert, Find-A-Grave, BillionGraves.