Abigail Locke Philbrick

Biography

Abigail Locke was born in 1706 into the family of William Locke and Hannah Knowles. She married Joses Philbrick in 1727 and lived in Rye, on the New Hampshire coast. Their children were born across nearly two decades, including daughters Abigail and Sarah and sons Joseph, Reuben, Daniel, and Jonathan.

By the late 1740s her older daughters were marrying, while younger children remained at home. Abigail's family eventually reached beyond the seacoast: her daughter Sarah married Robert Moulton and lived in Gilmanton, while her daughter Abigail married Mark Randall and was associated with Moultonborough.

Joses died in March 1757. Abigail's widowhood lasted more than twenty-six years, carrying her through the Revolution and into the first years of independence. She died on August 12, 1783. Her lifespan encompassed both a large young household in colonial Rye and the dispersal of adult children to other New Hampshire communities.