Person:Abigail Knight (62)

Subject: Marriage of Abigail Knight and Daniel Hazen: Genealogical Paradox Author: Douglas Barber Date: 03 Dec 2004 12:57 AM GMT Email:

Abigail Knight's marriage to Daniel Hazen on December 13 1791 in North Hero, Grand Isle County, Vermont, caused a fascinating genealogical quirk for those with an interest in the history of New England Puritanism.

Abigail's 4'th great grandfather William Towne had two daughters who were hanged for witchcraft in 1692 during the notorious Salem witchcraft trials, and her husband Daniel Hazen's 3'rd great grandfather was the famous Purtian minister Solomon Stoddard (1643-1728). A further oddity arises from the fact that Solomon Stoddard replaced Eleazer Mather in the pulpit at the Northampton Puritan church upon Eleazer's death, and also married Eleazer's widow, Hester Warham, who became the mother of all of Solomon's children. Eleazer Mather was an uncle of Cotton Mather, who played a prominent role in favor of the prosecution during the Salem witchcraft trials.

Here is how I see the lineages:

From Abigail Knight to William Towne: Abigail Knight (1775-1847) (m. Daniel Hazen) her mother Abigail Towne (1756-1833) (m. John Knight) her father Edmund Towne (1724-1779) (m. Abigail Brewer) his father Ephraim Towne (1688-?) (m. Sarah Kenny) his father John Towne (1658-?) (m. Mary Smith) his father Jacob Towne (1631-?) (m.Catherine Simonds) his father William Towne (1598-1673) (m. Joanna Blessing)

From Daniel Hazen to Solomon Stoddard: Daniel Hazen (1771-1850) (m. Abigail Knight) his mother Olive Stoddard (1742-?) (m. Joseph Hazen) her father Solomon Stoddard (1728-1798) (m. Mary Garnsey) his father Elisha Stoddard (1706-1766) (m. Rebecca Curtis) his father Anthony Stoddard (1678-1760) (m. Prudence Welles) his father Solomon Stoddard (1643-1729) (m. Hester Warham)