ABELL.
The first Abell in the county was Caleb, who came from
Orange near the end of the last century. In 1798 he purchased
what is still known as the old Abell place on Moore's
Creek. It originally consisted of six hundred and ninety-four
acres, comprising three different grants, but all bought
from the executors of Henry Mullins, of Goochland. Caleb
conveyed it to his son, John S. Abell, in 1808. John S. entered
the Baptist ministry about 1830, and died in 1859. In
1816 he married Lydia Ralls, and his children were Alexander
P., who was a magistrate under the old regime, was first
a merchant in Charlottesville, then Teller in the Monticello
and Charlottesville National Banks, married Ann, daughter
of William McLeod, and about 1876 removed to Greenville,
S. C.; George W., who was one of the early ministers of the
Disciples Church; and J. Ralls, whose wife was Susan,
daughter of William Dunkum.
Besides John S., there were Joshua Abell, who married
Caroline, and Richard, who married Emily, daughters of
Benjamin Martin, of North Garden; Caleb, who married
Jane, daughter of William Black; and Benjamin F., whose
wife was Elizabeth, daughter of Joseph Grayson.
