Abel Buell

Abel Buell

• Father: John Buell
• Mother: Abigail Chatfield

• Abel Buell was born on 1 February 1742 in Killingworth, Connecticut.
• Abel Buell was apprenticed in his early teens in Madison, Connecticut, to master silversmith Ebenezer Chittenden.
• He married Mary Chittenden, daughter of Ebenezer Chittenden, circa 1761. But note that according to more than one biographical source, his first wife was Mary Parker..
• The following appeared on 14 April 1764 in a New Haven newspaper: Abel Buell of Killingworth was convicted in superior court of tampering with currency.
• Abel Buell became a widower at the 16 September 1770 death of his wife Mary Chittenden.
• The following appeared on 21 September 1770 in The Connecticut Journal and New-Haven Post-Boy: Last Sunday departed this life, in the XXVIIIth year of her age, Mrs. Mary Buell, the amiable consort of Mr. Abel Buell, of this town.
• He married Aletta De Voe, daughter of Daniel De Vouw, in March 1771, by license issued by the Secretary of the Province of New York on 18 March 1771 to Abel Buell, Colony of Connecticut, jeweller, and Lettice De Voe, N.Y., spinster (Marriage Book Vol. XVII, page 36).
• The following appeared on 22 February 1775 in The Connecticut Journal and New-Haven Post-Boy:
       All persons indebted to Mr. Abel Buell, are hereby desired forthwith to settle their accounts with cash, as he has left strict orders with me to put those in suit that are not paid in six weeks after his departure, which orders I am determined to comply with literally and without regard to persons.
       And whereas Mr. Rivington of New-York, has proceeded to the extraordinary step of attaching our house and everything in it, without any previous request of me to pay him, which attachment has been followed by a few others, from uneasy persons, for paltry sums even of shillings. I therefore request all creditors, if any there be (though I know of none, and believe there are none of any note, besides the government) to suspend their apprehensions a little while, and set aside their fears.
       And as Mr. Buell has lately been blamed for carrying away some debtors of evil note, I request the favour of every one, not to be too hasty of belief; I hope it is not true; but as all men's characters that are calumniated, require some immediate proof in their favour, and perhaps Mr. Buell's on some accounts especially, I hereby notify to all his creditors, or even to any indifferent persons who choose to see it, that I can with very little trouble, (by stubborn facts, in the shape of Rivington's own figures, letters, invoices and receipts) prove that Mr. Buell owes him only £. 175 lawful, and tho' Mr. Buell has not left me cash, yet I am in possession of enough to pay that sum thrice over; and further I can shew, that Mr. Buell has done Rivington such services, as intitle the latter to the stile and title of an ingrate, and from me that of an inhuman varlet.
       Wanted, one or two Journemen Goldsmiths, and one Journeyman Jeweller, who will meet with good encouragement, as I intend to carry on the business as usual, of which our friends are requested to take notice. Such of Mr. Buell's creditors as he owes small sums to, and dare not stay till I get cash, may immediately be paid in work.
                      Aletta Buell
  New-Haven, Feb. 21, 1775.
• He married Rebecca Townsend, daughter of Jeremiah Townsend.
• Abel Buell became a widower at the 28 December 1800 death of his wife Rebecca Buell.
• He married Sally (?)
• The following appeared on 8 January 1801 in the Connecticut Journal: Died at Hartford, on the 28th ult. after a long and distressing illness, Mrs. Rebecca Buel, aged 49 years, wife of Mr. Abel Buel, and daughter of Mr. Jeremiah Townsend, of this city.
• Abel Buell became a widower at the August 1803 death of his wife Sally Buell.
• The following appeared on 31 August 1803 in The Connecticut Courant: Died, In this City, Mrs. Sally Buell, wife of Mr. Abel Buell aged 34 years.
• Abel Buell died on 10 March 1822 at age 80 in New Haven, Connecticut, at the Alms House.
• The following appeared on 23 March 1822 in the Columbian Register: [Died] At the Alms House in this town, on the 10th, Mr. Abel Buel, aged 81 years, an ingenious mechanic . . .
• For biographical information, see Abel Buell of Connecticut: Silversmith, Type Founder & Engraver. Lawrence C. Wroth (New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1926; revised & expanded, Middletown, CT: Wesleyan University Press, 1958). Also Abel Buell, a Jack of all trades, & genius extraordinary: his life and trials, Illustrated by some of his works, a chart and a writing sheet with an advertisement made from the original copies in the collection of the Connecticut Historical Society. E. Harold Hugo and Thompson R. Harlow (Meriden, CT: Timothy Press, 1955).

• Last Edited: 13 Jun 2014