Abigail Sackett (1663-1683)

Abigail Sackett was born 1 Dec 1663, 354 years ago, in Massachussetts. She is the wife of my son-in-law’s 7th great-granduncle. Her parents John Sackett and Abigail Hannum were already in Springfield, MA in 1661, as

John had to appear in the Springfield Court on 24 Sep 1661, to answer suspicions that he had been selling liquor to the Indians. It was proven that he had sold a pint, and was fined 40 sh. He also was accused of trading with the Indians for skins, and the court fined him £100.-. The next day he pleaded that this had happened a year ago and his fine was rescinded, but he was admonished to behave himself from now on.⁽¹⁾

Abigail married John Noble (dutch link) on 13 Sep 1682. She died on 3 Jul 1683, after giving birth to a baby girl four days earlier. She was 19 years, seven months and 2 days old. She is buried in the Old Burying Ground in Westfield, MA. The baby died also, but is not listed in the cemetery.

Abigail’s short life is a stark reminder of how precarious life was in those days.

(1) Smith, Joseph H.. Colonial Justice in Western Massachussets (1939-1702): The Pynchon Court Record, pg. 260-1. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1961.