Richard Abbe, Esq.

9. RICHARD3 ABBE, son of John2 and Hannah (    ) Abbe, born in Wenham, Mass. February 9, 1682-3; died in Windham, Conn., July 10, 1737. He was a prominent and respected citizen of Windham, a man of considerable property and held various offices as constable, sheriff, justice of the peace, judge of the county court, and treasurer of the county. He represented Windham in the Legislature from 1726 to 1737 with one year's exception, and was influential in the church. In 1726 it was ordered at a meeting of the justices "that Mr. Richard Abbe's back-room in his dwelling-house shall be a common gaol till the new one be built." In 1727 he opened his stately mansion as an inn for public entertainment and received a license. In 1736 Richard Abbe Esq., of Windham, was one of the subscribers to the Chronological History of New England, by Thomas Prince, M.A., of Boston. At his death, his "books of all sorts" were appraised at £29-18-10. His will, dated June 27, 1737 probated September 5, 1737, makes the following bequests: to wife Mary, one-half his moneys, goods and chattels; to brother Obadiah, land in Ashford where he now dwells, to descend to his son Richard, reserving the use of one-third part to Elizabeth, wife of said Obadiah, and if said Richard should die before his father or mother not having lawful heirs, the land should descend "to the heirs of my Cozon Obadiah Abbe of Willington"; to Reverend Mr. Clap, minister of the first church in Windham, £5; to the church, £20. The residue was to be divided into six parts and shared among the following: "my sister Abigail ye wife of Daniel Sabins who is my sister of ye half blood and Johanah Brown ye wife of Jonathan Brown who is ye daughter of my Brother Joseph Abbe deceased who was of ye half blood; ye other five parts to be equally divided to my sister Mary ye wife of James Pease, Mercy ye wife of Nathaniel Flint, Hanah ye wife of Thomas Welch, Lydia ye wife of Benjamin Bidlack, and Sarah ye wife of John Welch who are my sisters of ye whole Blood.Ó To Brother John Abbe of Windham, lands and tenements in Windham, wearing apparel and arms. He enjoins his executors to take no unjust advantage his debtors and to allow those against whom he held mortgages reasonable time to redeem them even if they had been legally forfeited. (Windham Probate Records, Vol. 2, page 192.) He had no children.

 The following is the inscription on his tombstone:

      Here lyes buried ye Body of Richard Abbe, ESQ., one of

    his Majesties Justices of ye County of Windham, who after he had

    Faithfully Served his Generation according to the will of GOD

    Fell asleep July 10th 1737 in ye 55th year of his Age.