Abigail Van Cleave

from "Isaac and Elizabeth Branscum. Their Ancestors and their Children" written by one of Abigail's fourth great grandsons, Fred Tubbs of Delmar NY 1990.

Abigail married William Van Cleave at least by early 1765 and probably about 1762-3. She bore him 7 children while they resided in Rowan Co. NC. To a large extent she reared the children during 1777-80 without the benefit of a resident husband. Then she and the children went with William and other relatives from rustic but relatively safe North Carolina to the privations and dangers of the Kentucky frontier. Her eldest child was killed by the Indians probably within the first year of their arrival. She bore her eighth child after arriving in KY. Her husband died approximately seven years later. Abigail had the tasks of settling her husband's estate, rearing her minor children, making a home out of the land her husband left her, and then fighting off the land sharks who tried to wrest it from her. (That involved 25 years in the courts). She typifies the indomitable spirit of the pioneer women.

From a letter written by Fred Tubbs in March 1990: "What a woman that Abigail must have been! I think I would rather have her for an ancestor than any number of dukes and counts. Just consider this scene: In September 1781, a month before William was born, she was part of the group moving from Boone's Station at the Painted Stone to Lynn's Station near the Falls of Ohio. They were attacked by Indians and she had to flee. Her eldest daughter was killed. And she had to worry about six other children as well. Ebenezer couldn't have been more than six years old. Can you imagine what she must have gone through! Whenever I feel any urge to tell any war stories about the Korean War, I"ll just stop and remember my g-g-g-g-grandmother."

GEDCOM Source

@R1351122284@ New Jersey, Births and Christenings Index, 1660-1931 Ancestry.com Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. 1,2539::0

GEDCOM Source

1,2539::1872619

GEDCOM Source

@R1351122284@ New Jersey, Births and Christenings Index, 1660-1931 Ancestry.com Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. 1,2539::0

GEDCOM Source

1,2539::1872619

GEDCOM Source

@R1351122284@ New Jersey, Births and Christenings Index, 1660-1931 Ancestry.com Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. 1,2539::0

GEDCOM Source

1,2539::1872619

• Reference: MyHeritage Family Trees - SmartCopy: Dec 22 2021, 1:26:12 UTC