Abiel Mercer

Abiel was born on December 27th, 1670 in Haverhill, Essex, Massachusetts.¹ Abiel's father was Richard Mercer and his mother was Hannah Mercer. His paternal grandfather is Abiel Mercer; his maternal grandparents were Theophilus Shatswell and Susanna Shatswell. He was an only child. He died at the age of 85 on August 6th, 1756 in Methuen, Essex, Massachusetts.²

General Notes
- Abial was left without parents at the age of three months. How he survived is recounted by Davis (Vol 3, p. 287): 'Edward Clark was appointed administrator of the Mercer estate and entered an inventory Oct. 10, 1671. In May, 1671, Clarke drew up a petition to the Supreme Judicial Court, stating that Theophilus Shatswell had left his daughter Hannah practically nothing and that, as he had named her joint executrix with her mother, it had been supposed that she would have the homestead and other lands after her mother's death, but that the other heirs opposed this, stating that the lands were entailed on their children. He sets for the plight of the baby Abial, whose parents had died leaving him penniless. He asks for advice and direction. In 1683, Haniel Bosworth, who had been appointed Abial's guardian, asked that the estate be settled on Abial and that Israel Ela be appointed guardian and administrator in his stead. Having grown to manhood Abial himself was appointed administrtor of the Shatswell estate in 1704, his two aunts having renounced their rights, and it is pleasant to learn that there remained, apparently for his undisputed possession, his grandparents' home and other property worth 190 pounds.'
  
  Name: Mercer, Abiel Date: Sept. 1683 Town: Haverhill Type: gdn Vol./page: IX:98