On 6 Jan 1775, Caleb Abell witnessed the Will of Bernard Moore in Orange County, Virginia. William Collins, Henry Cleaton, and James Adams also witnessed the will. The Will of Bernard Moore, deceased, was filed in Orange County, Virginia Court on 25 Mar 1775. (Source: Genealogies of Virginia Families from Tyler’s Quarterly Historical and Genealogical Magazine, Genealogical Publishing Co., Baltimore, Maryland, 1981, Page 705)

By 1782, Caleb Abell was living in Orange County, Virginia where he was enumerated by a state census with a household of four persons. The 1785 Virginia Census of Orange County enumerates the Caleb Abell household with five members.

Orange County, Virginia records of marriage bonds record the marriage of Azariah King to Mary Abell with security by Caleb Abell.

Caleb Abell, Richard Cr. Webb and James Coleman appraised the estate of Benjamin Adams of Orange County, Virginia. The appraisal was filed with the Orange County Court on 28 Dec 1786. (Source: Orange County Virginia Will Book 3, Pages 119-120)

The 19 Feb 1792 Will of Henry Easly appointed Catlett Conway and Cabel Abell as Executors. The will was recorded on 26 Jul 1802. (Source: Orange County, Virginia Will Book 4, 1801-1814)

On 8 Jan 1799, Caleb Abell witnessed a deed by William Gholson and Mary, his wife, of Spotsylvania County for 133 acres in Spotsylvania County, Virginia to John Bledsoe of Orange County, Virginia for £120 currency. Witnesses: Moses Bledsoe, Joseph Johnson, Mary Johnson, Caleb Abell and George Bledsoe. Filed: 2 Jul 1799 Book P.

(Source: Deed Book P 1797-1800, Page 508. Crozier, William Armstrong, ed. Virginia County Records - Spotsylvania County Records, 1721-1800. Being transcriptions from the original files at the County Court House of wills, deeds, administrators' and guardians' bonds, marriage licenses, and lists of revolutionary pensioners. New York, NY: Fox, Duffield & Co., 1905. Ancestry.com, Wivrinia Land, Marriage, and Probate Records, 1639-1850, accessed 10 Apr 2011)

On 8 Jun 1815, Caleb Abell made a will mentioning children: Caleb Abell, Richard Abell, Joshua Abell, Susannah Abell, Mary Abell, Elizabeth Abell, John Abell, Nancy Abell, Sally Abell, Jose Abell. The will names sons John S. Abell and Caleb S. Abell as executors. (Source: Sparacio, Ruth, and Sam Sparacio. A Digest of Orange County, Virginia, Will Books, 1734-1838. : R. and S. Sparacio, 1987.)

Research Notes

Richard Abell and Joseph Abell as ancestors of Caleb Abell are suggested by family trees accessable through Ancestry.com and have not been confirmed.

Joseph Abell came from England to Virginia. Joseph had a son named Richard Abell who married Ann Stringfellow. Richard and Ann had 6 children: Aleapear, John, Mary, Caleb (born WFT Est. 1756-1784 and died Abt. 1816 in Orange County, VA. (Source: Post to GenForum by Melba Halbrook, 16 Oct 2006 http://www.jenforum.org/abell/messages/692.html)

A search of Virginia Land Grants does not find relevant grants to surname Abell (Accessed: 12 Apr 2011)

The 1782 Virginia Census of Orange County, Virginia enumerates Richard Abell, with 8 household members, adjacent to Caleb Abell on the list of Catlett Conway. The 1785 Virginia Census enumerates the households of Caleb Abell, Ephraim Abell, and Richard Abellon the List of Catlett Conway. The Ephraim Abell household with three members may bethe youngest. Perhaps Ephraim Abell married and a child was born between 1782 and 1785.

The Abell surname does not appear on Orange County tithe lists for 1734, 1738, and 1739 (Source: Charles Arthur Hoppin, William and Mary College Quarterly Historical Magazine, Vol. 27, No. 1. (Jul., 1918), pp. 19-27.).

Caleb Abell made a will on 8 Jun 1815, mentioning children: Caleb Abell, Richard Abell, Joshua Abell, Susannah Abell, Mary Abell,Elizabeth Abell, John Abell, Nancy Abell, Sally Abell, Jose Abell.Executors: Sons John S. Abell and Caleb S. Abell.

Birth and death dates and selected relationships are from the ThurstonFamily Tree by "linda_johnson" on Ancestry.com, accessed 10 Apr 2011.