Person:Abigail Stratton (5)

Source:Stratton, Harriet Russell. Book of Strattons, p. 190, places Abigail between Stephen b. 1743 and Peleg b. 1748, so born about 1745. This would make a marriage to Henry Chase impossible. However, this is probably based on bad assumptions.

Abigail's father's will names her as Abigail Chase. The only obvious marriage for an Abigail Stratton to a Mr. Chase is with Henry Chase in Petersham in 1746. To accept it, we must reject the birth order of the Book of Strattons. No explicit justification for the birth order is explained. But the Book of the Strattons talks about how the first 15 years of Athol records were lost in a fire (p. 189), so it would appear that this source merely assumed that all missing birth records in this Stratton family must have been part of the lost records. The assumption appears to be that if Abigail had been born earlier in their marriage (marriage in Watertown, "for five or six years after their marriage ... lived in Charlestown and Boston, and then removed to Stoningon, Conn., ... In the spring of 1736 they left Stonington ... settled at Athol"), there would be a record of it, and since there isn't, Stratton apparently assumes she was recorded in the lost records of Athol.

Source:Cutter, William Richard. Genealogical and Personal Memoirs Relating to the Families of Boston and Eastern Massachusetts, p. 3:1362, says James Stratton bequeathed to Henry and Abigail Chase. In his will he only names Abigail Chase, but on 31 Oct 1775, both Henry Chase and Abigail Chase sign the assent to the proving of the will (Worcester Probate 57246), so this appears to prove the parentage of Henry Chase's wife.

The marriage in 1746 suggests Abigail was born by 1728, possibly earlier. This would put her between Mary and James, not between Stephen and Peleg. Consistent with this, the father's will orders the daughter Abigail, Deborah and Elizabeth, suggesting Abigail was the oldest surviving daughter. Also, Henry and Abigail named their children Henry, James, Hannah Beary, Caleb, Deborah, Dorcas, Elisha, Phebe, Molly, Betty, Stephen, Peter, Peter again, Lois. That James was the second son, and Deborah was the second daughter, would be very consistent with Abigail's parents being James and Deborah Stratton.