Robert Abrahall

Robert Abrahall was the first member of the Virginia House of Burgesses, the elected lower house of the colonial Virginia General Assembly, from New Kent County, Virginia, in 1654. He again served in the House in 1659–1660.

Biography

Abrahall settled in New Kent County (part of Gloucester County until 1654) in about 1650, according to Tyler. This land was on the north side of the Mattapony River (next to Mr. Barnhouse), beginning at the mouth of Apostique Creek (later Mitchell Hill Creek) and on the west side of Quintenocke Creek.

In 1660, Abrahall is shown as lieutenant colonel of the New Kent County militia.

Robert Abrahall lived into the 1690s, at least. A record of a wax seal on a deed dated 1690 from Colonel Robert Abrahall of New Kent, Virginia to William Bassett confirms this. Cavaliers and Pioneers: 1666-1695, page 404, states that the Abrahall mentioned in a 1691 patent on page 360 is the same Robert Abrahall who had patented land in 1654, according to a patent abstracted on page 30.