Various spellings of Estey
Easte, Este, Estee, Estes, Estey, Esty
The settlement of New Meadows was incorporated as the Town of Topsfield in 1650. The church "gathered" on November 4, 1663. The third Meeting House was built in 1703 with Rev. Joseph Capen as pastor.
Hannah Estey Abbott was born in 1667 in Topsfield, Essex County, Massachusetts. Her parents were Isaac Estey and Mary Towne.
In 1692, she was 25 years old at the time of her mother, Mary Towne Estey's trial for witchcraft. She stayed with the family to take her mother’s place.
She did not marry until age forty. She married, shoemaker, George Abbott on July 21, 1707. George was born January 28, 1657/58 in Andover, Essex County, Massachusetts. His parents were George Abbott and Sarah Farnum.
George’s first wife was Elizabeth Ballard. Elizabeth's parents were Joseph Ballard and Elizabeth Phelps. Elizabeth died May 5, 1706, leaving George with young children to raise.
George Abbott (1691),
Uriah Abbott (1692)
Jacob Abbott (1694, married Ruth Foster),
Elizabeth Abbott (1695, married David Foster),
Obed Abbott (1697)
Moses Abbott (1699),
Peter Abbott,
Sarah Abbott (married Comfort Barnes),
Hannah Abbott (married David Gilbert).
Hannah and George did not have any children, but Hannah was step-mother to his nine children. George's father, Joseph, charged his neighbors with witchcraft believing they caused his wife, Elizabeth's, illness.
In 1712 when her father died, she only inherited 20 pounds since she had already received her portion (7 pounds and 10 shillings) on her marriage.
As for my daughter Hannah I have on her marriage with George Abbot of Andover payed her ye full of wt I intended for her excepting twenty pounds in pay which I thought she should have at my decease payd her by my son Jacob, but inasmuch as my son Jacob hath payd her about seven pounds & ten shillings of ye twenty pounds already there remains only about twelve pounds ten shillings in pay due to her by my son Jacob at or before or within one year of my decease and in testimony of ye
Old Style Calendar
Before 1752 the year began on Lady Day, March 25th,. Dates between January 1st and March 24th were at the end of the year. Old Style (O.S.) and New Style (N.S.) are used to indicate whether the year has been adjusted. Often both dates are used.
Three daughters of William Towne and Joanna Blessing were wrongly accused of practicing witchcraft in Salem. Rebecca Towne Nurse, Mary Towne Estey, and Sarah Towne Bridges Cloyes were persecuted in 1692. The children of people in the line below are all descendants of Mary Estey.
Ensign Joseph Ballard of Andover, son of William Ballard of Bardwell and Grace Berwick married Elizabeth Phelps on February 26, 1665/66 at Andover, Essex County, Massachusetts. Elizabeth was born in 1646. She was the daughter of Edward Phelps of Andover and Elizabeth Adams. Elizabeth died on July 27, 1692 at age 46 years. Her long illness prompted her husband to pursue charges of witchcraft against their neighbors. Before the hysteria subsided over fifty people in Andover were accused.
The Essex Antiquarian edited by Sidney Perley, 1897
George Abbot, born in Andover Jan. 28, 1659. He lived in Andover, and was a shoemaker.
He married, first, Elizabeth Ballard Sept. 13, 1689; and she died May 6, 1706.
He married, second, Hannah Estey of Topsfield July 21,1707.
He died Nov. 23, 1724; and his wife died in Topsfield Nov. 5, 1741. She lived for several years during her widowhood with her cousin John Perkins and his wife in Topsfield.
Children, born in Andover: George, b. July 28, 1691. Uriah b. Nov. 26, 1692. Jacob b. March 19, 1694; lived in Brookfield, Mass.; m. Ruth Foster of Andover May 1, 1722. Elizabeth b. Nov. 5, 1695; m. Dea. David Foster of Boxford Nov. 25, 1714; and d. before 1724. He d. June 22, 1759, aged sixty-six. Obed b. March 6, 1697. Moses, b. Feb. 4, 1699; lived in New Braintree. Peter Sarah m. Comfort Barnes of Brookfield Sept. 6, 1728. Hannah, m. David Gilbert of Brookfield Aug. 30, 1727.
Essex County, Massachusetts was created on May 10, 1643 by the General Court of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, when it ordered "that the whole plantation within this jurisdiction be divided into four sheires."
