Mary is one of my 3rd great-grandmothers. She was born September 6, 1845 in Stafford County, Virginia. Her father, John Lewis Henderson, was born in Charles County, Maryland (known as Southern Maryland, it’s across the Potomac River from Prince William County and Stafford, VA), and her mother, Elizabeth Milstead, was born in Stafford County, Virginia. The Milstead family had moved to Stafford from Charles County, Maryland around 1813. Mary’s grandfather was the same Samuel Milstead that I posted about in an earlier entry.
Mary’s parents married on October 25, 1838, in Washington, DC.
Mary had five siblings that I know of. Richard, John, George, Martha, and Margaret.
Mary’s father, John, appears on the 1840 census in the Eastern District of Prince William County, Virginia. In his household, he has 2 males under 5, 1 male between 30 and 39, 2 females between 20 and 29, 1 male slave age 10 to 23. Two people in the household were employed in agriculture. Three White people over the age of 20 that cannot read or write. The two males under age 5 would be his two oldest sons, Richard and John. I don’t know who the second woman between 20 and 30 is.
John and his family appear on the 1850 census, this time in the Eastern District of Stafford, Virginia. John is a 45 year old farmer living with his 36 year old wife Elizabeth, 12 year old son Richard, 10 year old son John L. (both of which attend school), 4 year old daughter Mary, 3 year old son George W.W., and 1 month old daughter Martha L.
Their sixth child, daughter Margaret Louise, is born 8 years later, in 1858.
Mary was 13 years old when her father passed away in 1859 at the age of 53. His cause of death was listed as “old age”. John’s other children were: Richard, 19; John, 17; George, 12; Martha, 7; and Margaret, 5.
Mary appears on the 1860 census with her mother Elizabeth as head of the household. They’re living in Dumfries, Virginia, which is in Prince William County. Richard would be 22, and John 20, and neither appear as living with their mom or siblings. Elizabeth is 45, and the value of real estate owned by her is $500. Value of personal estate value owned by her is $6500. Mary is 14, Martha E. is 10, George is 12, and Margaret is 6. One thing I noticed is that Mary’s future married name, Abel, appears often on the same census page as Mary’s family. Then I realized that her future husband, William Grandison Abel, and his family, are the entry above Mary’s family. William is a 32 year old boatman living with Clarisy (67), Rachel (58), and Thomas L (28) Abel. Thomas L is a farm laborer.
Mary’s oldest brother, Richard, married Francis Posey in 1862.
Mary’s future husband, William Grandison Abel, served in the Civil War, on the Confederate side. He was part of Virginia Infantry, 49th Regiment. I have a record of a William G. Abel with the 49th Regiment being a Prisoner of War on May 17, 1864.
Mary married William Grandison Abel February 28, 1867 in Prince William County, Virginia when she was 21 and he was 38. I found a marriage registration on FamilySearch that lists Clara Abel as William’s mother. I believe this is the same Clarisy on the 1860 census, and Clarissa on the 1850 census. Both list William living with her, as well as Rachel and Thomas. There is mention on the web of will that lists Clara Abel bequeathing to her nephew William Grandison Abel in March 1866. I believe that Rachel is his mom (name listed on his death information), and Clara is his aunt, possibly his father’s sister? Still no clue on his father’s name.
Their first son, Herman Lewis Abel, was born March 1868.
Their next son, James Waldon, was born December 1869.
Son William Gulliver was born August 1870.
The 1870 census shows William Grandison and family living in Dumfries. William is a blacksmith, Mary is keeping house. Herman is 3, and James is 2. Side note – Mary’s sister Margaret is listed as living with them. She is listed as 18.
Of note: There is a Margaret Henderson that also appears on another census page, with the Underwood family (mother Ann, sons Oliver and Andrew), in Occoquan. Margaret is listed as a 20 year old domestic servant. Occoquan is approximately 11 miles from Dumries. Both towns are in eastern Prince William County. The Dumries census was enumerated August 9th, the Occoquan enumerated August 22nd.
Mary’s mother, Elizabeth, passed away around 1871, when Mary was 26.
Son Joseph was born June 1872.
Daughter May was born in October 1874
Daughter Pauline was born in March 1876.
Daughter Phellothia was born about 1879.
The Abel family appears on the 1880 census, living in Dumfries, Virginia. William is a 50 year old farmer, Mary is 34. Herman is 12, James is 11, William is 9, Joseph is 7, May is 5, Pauline is 4, Phellothia is 8 months old.
In November 1881, their daughter Pocahontas is born.
Daughter Blanche is born June 29,1883.
Daughter Blanche dies in July 10, 1884, less than two weeks after her first birthday. Cause of death is listed as flux.
Daughter Beulah is born in October 1884.
In March 1885, William Grandison Abel dies of apopexy. He was 55 years old, Mary was 39.
August 8, 1886, 14 year old son Joseph dies of the flux.
May 1888, Mary’s sister Margaret dies.
Mary appears on the 1900 census living in Dumfries with daughters Beulah and Pocahontas. The information given on the census is wrong. It has Mary listed as being born in 1851 – the 1850 census lists her as 4 years old, so that’s not correct. Beaulah’s birth date is listed as March 1876 on the census. That’s the birthdate of her sister Pauline, who in 1900 had been married for 5 years. Beaulah was born in October 1884. Pocahontas is listed as being born in April 1880, but her tombstone lists her birthdate as November 1881.
April 1902, Mary’s daughter Pocahontas marries William Peel.
In March 1903, Pocahontas and William Peel’s daughter, Edna Marie is born.
In June 1904, Pocahontas and William’s son David Martin is born.
March 1908, Pocahontas Abel Peel dies. She is buried at Dumfries Public Cemetery.
Mary is on the 1910 census living in Dumfries with daughter Beulah’s family: Beulah, husband Andrew Watson, and their 2 year old daughter, Hazel. Mary is 64 years old. 6 of her 9 children are still living.
Mary is on the 1920 census living in Dumfries with the Watson family. Andrew and Beulah now have a second child, 8 year old Joseph.
Mary’s daughter Pauline dies in November 1926 at the age of 50.
Mary died November 22, 1928. From the information I have found, I believe she had 20 grandchildren (possibly more), including my great-grandmother, Margaret Virginia Abel in 1911. All 20 grandkids were born during Mary’s lifetime.
East Coast Heritage 