Abigail Cobb

Narrative:

     Abigail Cobb was born on 7 Sep 1756 in Canterbury, Connecticut.^3,4 No record of Abigail has been found from the time of her birth until she appears as executrix of Stephen's estate. It seems likely she moved to Vermont with her parents and most of her siblings, but exactly when and where is unknown. While no marriage record has been found, it seems most likely she married Stephen in or near Pawlet, as he is known to have been living their around the time of their marriage. She married Col. Stephen Pearl, son of Nathan Pearl and Elizabeth Utley.^5,6,7
     Abigail and Stephen moved to South Hero, then part of Chittenden Co., before 1788.^13,14 She was probably one of the three females listed in the household of her husband, Stephen, in the 1790 Federal Census of South Hero, Chittenden Co., Vermont.¹⁵
     Abigail and Stephen moved to Burlington about 1794, where they occupied a spacious mansion on what was later named Pearl St., built by Frederick Saxton in 1789.¹⁶ She was probably the female age 26 to 44 listed in the household of her husband, Stephen, in the 1800 Federal Census of Burlington, Chittenden Co., Vermont.¹⁷ She was probably the female over age 45 listed in the household of her husband in the 1810 Federal Census of Burlington, Chittenden Co., Vermont.¹⁸

Administering Her Husband's Estate --- Text Stolen from ReigelRidge.com !! ---

     Abigail was named executrix, together with Horace Loomis, and an heir in the will of her husband Stephen, dated 9 Sep 1815 in Burlington. She was to receive all his personal property after his debts were paid, except for his wearing appeal which he left to his brother, and all his real estate.¹⁹ She together with the other named executor presented her late husband's will to the probate court in Burlington on 19 Dec 1816 where it was accepted.²⁰ On 1 Feb 1817 Abigail declined her inheritance under the will and requested her dower rights instead, presumably because it had been determined that her share remaining after payment of debts would be less than she was entitled to under her dower rights. On the same date she and the other named executor declined to serve and asked that an administrator be appointed.²¹
     The two petitions were apparently accepted. Abigail did later receive her dower, and on 22 Feb 1817 she posted a bond before the court in Williston for $5,000 to act as administrix. The significance of her acting as administrix and not as executrix is unclear. On 18 Mar 1817 she posted a new bond for $10,000. She represented that the estate was insolvent, and the same day Soloman Miller, Luther Loomis, and Ebenezer Englisby were appointed as commissioners to examine the claims of creditors. Also that day Luther Loomis, Horace Loomis, and John Pomeroy were appointed to inventory the estate.²²
     On 24 Nov 1817 Abigail filed a petition with the court asking that a committee be appointed to set off her dower. Four days later the judge approved a list of items set off to her totaling $1,035 in value, including all the livestock, two waggons and other farming tools, a large number of household and kitchen items, furniture including three good beds and four old beds and bedding, books, and Stephen's clothing.²³
     Abigail again petitioned the court regarding her dower rights on 27 Feb 1819, this time asking for her share of the real estate. A committee, consisting of John Pomroy, Archibald W. Hyde, and Phinias Lyman, was appointed by the court on 2 Mar 1819 to appraise all the real estate owned by the estate and set of one third of it to the widow. The committee reported its findings on 22 Mar which were accepted by the court 10 Apr 1819. She received "for her natural life" the 25 acres and buildings where she and Stephen had lived, a second parcel of 10 acres, and a third of 16 2/3 acres. The committee valued the entire estate at $8,064.20 and the part set off to the widow at $2,688.06.²⁴
     Abigail petitioned the court in another matter in 1820, stating that she had received judgment in Jul 1818 in the county court in a suit started by Stephen before his death, against Levi Grannis. She had been awarded $67.64 plus $12.60 costs. However she had been able to collect only an old horse worth $45 before Grannis had died, leaving no property. She had only one horse to manage the farm left by Stephen, which was now nearly worn out, so asked that the horse received from the suit be set over to her. Her request was granted 7 Oct 1820.²⁵
     Abigail appeared on the 1820 Federal Census of Burlington, Chittenden Co., Vermont, with a household consisting of four white males age 16 to 26, one white female age 16 to 26, and one age 26 to 44 (all unknown), and one over age 45 (herself). It seems likely that the unknown persons were boarders or help. After her death the administrator collected payments for board owed by six people.^26,27 She was buried in Elmwood Cemetery, Bennington, Chittenden Co., Vermont.^8,9
     Abigail died on 1 Apr 1822 in Burlington, Chittenden Co., Vermont, at age 65.^10,11,12

Administering Her Estate --- Text Stolen from ReigelRidge.com !! ---

     She died without a will, and it seems that her sole surviving brother, Ebenezer, was her presumptive administrator. But in a note to the probate court dated 4 Apr 1822 he declined to serve citing his advanced age, and recommended instead George Moore.²⁸ Moore was appointed administrator, and on 5 Apr 1822 in Williston, Vermont, filed a bond of $5,000. On the same day he filed a statement that the estate was insolvent, that is insufficient to pay it's debts, and Alvan Foote and Luther Loomis were appointed by the court as commissioners to receive and examine claims from creditors. John Johnson, Nathan B. Haswell and Nathaniel Mayo were appointed to inventory the estate.²⁹
     The appraisers returned their inventory to the court on 2 Jul 1822. It was a five-page list including a large number of dishes and cooking equipment, groceries, household furniture including several beds, farm equipment, two hogs, four cows, 14 sheep, two horses, and 24 fowls. The appraised a total value of $736.80, of which all but $30.50 was realized when the goods were later sold at auction.³⁰
     The commissioners appointed to review claims reported to the court on 5 Oct 1822. They listed 22 claims, ranging from 59¢ to $156, the later by Julies Graham for "services performed" for Abigail. Of this claim, $75 was allowed, and many others had only a fraction allowed. However the claims of the two commissioners, for $74.91 and 30.26 respectively, were allowed in full. A total of $346.65 was allowed. Five claims were offset by credits with the commissioners finding nothing was owed, or amounts from 25¢ to $1.95 were owed the estate.³¹
     The administrator's account filed 19 Aug 1826 listed costs and claims paid of $556.87, with assets, including $115 cash found in a trunk, $17.87 collected from boarders, and the value of the personal property sold, totaled $869.67. So the estate was not insolvent as initially declared, but had a value of $312.80. Some time in 1827 Abigail's sister Wealthy, by then her only surviving sibling, was paid $33.74 presumably as an heir, though no explanation is found in the record.³²
     After paying several small amounts, the estate was left with $238, which the administrator was ordered on 7 Aug 1829 to pay to the heirs. Twenty-three nephews and nieces were listed, including most but not all those living in Vermont and New York who were living at the time of her death, and excluding all those who had moved to Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Indiana, and other states. Each one named received $10.34.³³