Genealogical notes of Barnstable families - citizen hylbom blog

10 GENEALOGICAL NOTES OF BARNSTABLE FAMILIES.
stantly. He dare not see the Doctor that day, but on the following
went to his work as usual. He expected the Doctor would be vexed
with him, but on meeting the Doctor was unusually pleasant, and
never thereafter named the matter to him.
These anecdotes show that the Doctor was a perfectly honest
man, that as eccentric as he was, he would never willingly wound
the feelings of a man.
Dr. Abuer Hersey married Oct. 3, 1743, Hannah, daughter of
Mr. James Allen, of Barnstable. She belonged to one of the most
fashionable families in town, and was well educated for the times.
It was an ill-assorted match, and as Dr. Thacher informs us, was
productive of tlo domestic felicity. They had one child. Mary,
born Jan. 19, 1749, who died young.
Dr. Abner Hersey died Jan. 9, 1787, in the 66th year of his age.
His widow died in May, 1794, in the 71st year of her age, according
to the
year.
church records ; but according to the town, in her 73d
In his will he divided his estate among the several churches in
the County in the proportion which each town had employed
a physician.
him as
Annually the Deacons of the several churches assembled to settle
the accounts and receive their several proportions of the income.
So long as the woodland lasted the Deacons' fund was looked
forward to as anxiously as their annual meetings ; when the wood
was gone, the income of the lands barely paid expenses
they therefore petitioned the Legislature to allow them to
make a compromise with the heirs at law, and sell and
divide the proceeds in the proportions named in the will. The Leg-
islature granted the prayer of the petitioners, the property was sold
and deeded. At the end of a century the Doctor said he would return,
and examine the accounts of the Deacons. That century has
now -nearly elapsed, and if he returns may all of us stand ready to
welcome his second advent to this wicked world. Let the Deacons
tremble.
Dr. Abner Hersey owned the ancient Dimmock house bought
ol the heirs of his brother James. There is no tradition that he re-
sided therein, but he probably did till his marriage in 1743, and perhaps
a few years later. He bought of the Lothrops the estate which
was Tritram Hull's, situate opposite the County Jail on the north
side of the County road. His residence was a high single house,
pleasantly situated, with convenient outbuildings, surrounded by a
large orchard of choice fruit trees which bore abundant crops.
His farm contained about seventy-five acres of planting land,
not in one tract, but in several, all lying in the.East Parish. He
also owned salt meadows, and large lots of woodland which, at
the time of his death, was covered with a heavy growth of wood
and timber.