David Abeel

David Abeel was born in April 1705. He was the son of Albany leaders Johannes and Catharina Schuyler Abeel. His father was a prominent businessman with extensive holdings in Albany and New York City. Johannes Abeel served as mayor of Albany in 1694 and again in 1709. In 1710, he was named to share in his father's estate. His father died when he was six years old.

Young David was sent to New York to learn the drygoods business in the house of his recently deceased uncle Brant Schuyler. Traditional sources tell us he was mentored by his New York cousin David Schuyler.

In 1726, he married Mary Duyckink and eventually settled in New York. The marriage produced several children most of whom were christened in New York where he served as a baptism sponsor as late as 1763.

This Manhattan mainliner was a merchant and militia officer.

According to his gravestone, Albany native David Abeel died in October 1776 at the age of seventy-two. The stone (still standing in a New Jersey field) noted that he had been a New York merchant. His widow is said to have died in New York City in 1780.

Sources: The life of David Abeel is CAP biography number 116. This sketch is derived chiefly from family and community-based resources.

Gravestone brought to our attention by Abeel descendant William N. Stryker in 2011. See also, elusive immigrant for more online infomation.