52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS 2017 WEEK 21: GEORGE ABBOTT OF ANDOVER,MA.

My immigrant ancestor and 9x great grandfather was one of the earliest settlers of Andover, Ma.and  two of his twelve children set  rather unfortunate "firsts" in the town's history. The family name has been spelled either Abbot or Abbott over the years (I prefer the latter spelling)  

One of the first family genealogies I discovered online was one written by distant cousins Abiel and Ephraim Abbot. Here's what they wrote about George and his family:

1 GEORGE ABBOT, the veneiable ancestor of a numerous pro-
geny, emigrated, as tradition reports, from Yorkshire, England,
about 1640, was among the first settlers of Andover, in 1643,
and a proprietor ; lived and died on the farm now owned by
7 John Abbot. His house was a garrison, and was used as such
many years after his death. In 1647, he married Hannah Chand-
ler^ daughter of William and Annis C. Her brother Thomas was
among the first settlers of Andover, and progenitor of a numerous
race. They were industrious, economical, sober, pious and re-
spected. With Christian fortitude and submission they endured
their trials, privations and dangers, of which they had a large share.
They brought up a large family well, and trained them in the way
they should go, from which they did not depart. He d. Dec. 24,
1681, O. S. a. 66. She m. Rev. Francis Dane, minister of Ando-
ver, who d. Feb. 1697, a. 81. She d. 11 June, 1711, a. 82. The
children of 1  George and hannah A. were 2 John, b. 2 March,
1648; d. 19 March, 1721 ; 2  Joseph, b. 11 March, 1649; d. 24
June, 1650; the first death on the town record ; 2  Hannah, b. 9
June, 1650; d. 2 March, 1740; 2 Joseph, b. 30 March, 1652;
d. 8 April, 1676; the first in Andover who fell a victim to Indian
warfare;  2 George, b. 7 June, 1655; d. 27 Feb. 1736  2 William,
b. 18 Nov. 1657; d. 24 Oct. 1713; 2 Sarah, b. 14 Nov. 1659;
d. 28 June, 1711; 2 Benjamin, b. 20 Dec. 1661; d. 30 March,
1703 ; 2 Timothy, b. 17 Nov. 1663 ; d. 9 Sept. 1730; 2 Thomas,
b. 6 May, 1666 ; d. 28 April, 1728; 2 Edward, d. young, drowned ;
2 Nathaniel, b. 4 July, 1671; d. Dec. 1749; 2 Elizabeth, b. 9
Feb. 1673; d. 4 May, 1750; m. 1692, Nathan Stevens
p1

A genealogical register of the descendants of George Abbot, of Andover; George Abbot, of Rowley; Thomas Abbot, of Andover; Arthur Abbot, of Ipswich; Robert Abbot, of Branford, Ct.--and George Abbot, of Norwalk, Ct ,  J.Munroe & Co., Pub. Boston, Ma. 1847



So one Abbott 8x great granduncle was the first recorded death in Andover, Ma.while another was the first to die in an Indian attack on the town.

Three of George and Hannah (Chandler) Abbott's children are my ancestors through my 4x great grandmother Zerviah (Abbott) Ellingwood:
John Abbott 8x great grandfather
Benjamin Abbott 8x great grandfather
Sarah Abbott 8x great grandmother