The following information was assembled from numerous sources and cannot be used directly as proof of Qualifying Service or Lineage.
It is considered a research aid and is intended to assist in locating sources that can be used as proof.
State of Service: MA
Qualifying Service: Private / Civil Service
Situated on the bank of the river, one-fourth of a mile below Hasting's brook, and is known as the Old Plain.
Author: Steven William Hamlin
Abiel Lovejoy (1731-1811) P-238863
Captain Abiel Lovejoy was born 16 Dec 1731 at Andover, Massachusetts. As a young man, he lived with the local Native Americans and learned to hunt and trap from them. Once he learned the trade well, he left after his life was threatened by members of the tribe. He returned to Andover where he signed on as a deck hand with a coastal trading ship. After several voyages Abiel Lovejoy bought a financial interest in a shipment and made enough money to buy his own ship. He took to the coastal trades as captain of his own sailing ship and his business grew into a small fleet of coastal trading ships.
During the French-Indian War, Abiel Lovejoy served as Sargent in Captain Samuel Goodwin's company to resupply and defend Fort Halifax, 27 Dec 1755. Abiel Lovejoy is listed as Sentinel in Captain Goodwin's company, 31 March 1756. In 1758, he was promoted to Militia Captain in Colonel Nicols' regiment.
Abiel Lovejoy married Mary Brown (19 July 1741 – 19 Jan 1812) at Charlestown, Massachusetts, 14 December 1758. The couple had 14 children.
Captain Abiel Lovejoy signed a petition as a founder of the village of Pownalboro, Maine, 31 October 1765. In 1771, he is listed as captain of the militia company of Pownalboro in Colonel Charles Cushing's regiment.
During the Revolution, Captain Lovejoy served the colonies in various capacities. He marched on alarm, 19 April 1775, with Captain Thomas Poor's company of Colonel James Frey's regiment. Beginning 26 May 1779, Abiel Lovejoy served as a representative of Vassalboro (Sidney), Maine, in the Massachusetts Bay Colonial Assembly in Boston. This service continued with his reelection for 12 years.
Massachusetts colonial records show a payment made to Captain Abiel Lovejoy in 1779 for transportation of 12 British prisoners captured at Penboscot, Maine, to Boston, Massachusetts, with one of his sailing vessels.
Abiel Lovejoy was accused of being a British Loyalist in 1781 by political rivals in Sidney, Maine, because his father-in-law and business partner, Nathaniel Brown, renounced the rebellion and fled to Canada. After an investigation by the Massachusetts Assembly, Abiel Lovejoy was reinstated to his seat on the Massachusetts Bay Colony Assembly and all allegations were dismissed.
After the war, Abiel Lovejoy retired to his farm along the Kennebec River. The exact date of Captain Abiel's death is not definitely known but probably was 1811. His death is thus described: "One hot day in July he would sit out in the little entry where the wind blew on him and it was thought he might have taken a sudden cold the next day. All at once, he was discovered to be breathing very hard. Someone went immediately to him but he was not conscious and was dead in a short time." He died July 4, at the age of 79.
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