Individual Details

Event

Abraham’s tavern/inn and the land it was on was deeded to him on February 25, 1748 by his father.  It was located on the main road through the present-day town of Trappe in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.  Abraham had probably run the establishment for some time before the property was conveyed to him in his father’s later years.

Event

Pennsylvania Gazette, September 6, 1750:  “RUN away from Abraham Dehaven, in New Providence township, near the Trap, on Saturday the first inst. a servant man, named Evan Roberts, about 25 years of age...Five Pounds reward and reasonable charges, paid by Abraham Dehaven.”

Event

Abraham’s tavern was a serious source of irritation and distress to Reverend Henry Melchior Muhlenberg, leader of the nearby Augustus Evangelical Lutheran Church. On August 25, 1752, Muhlenberg wrote the following letter to his superior:

“Abraham Dehaven continues to abuse the granted license by enticing one after another into a dissolute and wicked life, Surfeiting, Drunkeness, playing Cards and dice, fiddling, dancing, cursing, swearing, fighting, scuffling and such like, will hardly cease on the Lord's days! He has had several Sundays in my absence horse-race, before, during and after divine Worship, on the Road, before his tavern, to the great offence of old and young people, who had been hitherto sober and honest!”

The letter continues:  “On the 19th of July last, being the Lords day he detained a Company of young people, coming out of the Church, and gave them too much Rum and punch, so that they got fuddled and beat one another bloody, behaving themselves in a scandalous Manner!...There is too little Inspection here about, and grievous to see, that in a Christian Country, the all mighty and most gracious God must be denied, the Excellent laws and Constitutions notoriously violated, old and young people infected, the fear of God and Magistrates abated, by a young robust and Idle Man, that could find his livelyhood by way of trading or Working like other honest people. Every one of our sober Neighbors, is afraid to present him to the Court, because they have no fortifications about their houses, barns and Cattles against the Revenge of loose people.”

Event

Pennsylvania Gazette, August 28, 1755:  “New Providence, August 26, 1755. STRAY'D from the plantation of the Reverend Mr. Muhlenberg, in New Providence, near the Dutch Church, on Thursday night last, A black pacing mare, 14 hands high, having a small star in her forehead, a halter mark, and several saddle marks. Whoever takes up the said mare, and brings her to Abraham Dehaven's tavern, shall have any reasonable satisfaction made, by me Robert Woodward.”

Event

Pennsylvania Gazette, August 10, 1758:  “RUN away from Abraham DeHaven of New Providence Township, Philadelphia County, Innholder, a Dutch servant man, named Henry Pencor, about 23 Years of Age...Whoever brings said Servant to his said Master, or secures him in any Gaol, so that he may have him again, shall have Three Pounds Reward, and reasonable Charges, paid by Abraham Dehaven N.B.  Said Servant was Driver of a Waggon in the King Service.”

Event

In 1766, when he was about 55 years old, Abraham sold his property in Pennsylvania and left the area. He and other family members re-located to Loudoun County, Virginia, where he died about 5 years later.  In Virginia, his occupation was farmer rather than innkeeper.

Abraham's primary reason for leaving Pennsylvania and moving to Virginia was probably the opportunity to purchase a large amount of land at a reasonable cost. 

Death

Text of Abraham Dehaven's will and inventory as recorded in the Loudoun County Will Book A, pp. 298-300
In the Name of God Amen I Abraham Dehaven of Loudoun County and Colony of Virginia
farmer being weak and sick of Body, but of Sound and Disposing mind and memory for which I bless God, Do make this my Last Will and Testament in manner following that is to say first I recommend my Soul to God that gave it and my body to be buried in a decent and Christian manner, and as to the Estate it has pleased God to bless me with I hereby dispose of the same in manner following that is to say, Imprimis I will and direct that all my Just Debts be paid by my Executors Abraham and Isaac hereinafter named Item I give and Bequeath to my Wife Rebecca
my new house and one acre of Land on which it stands situate at the great road side leading from Nolands ferry to Leesburg together with Twenty acres of Land joining said house on the South side of the Road afores'd for and During her Life and at the Decease of my wife Rebecca I will said house and Twenty acres of Land afores'd to my Son Jesse
;  Item I give and Bequeath to my son Jacob
the residue of that part of my Land Lying and Situate on the south side of the road afores'd during his Life and to his heirs for ever; Item I give and Bequeath to my two Sons Abraham and Isaac
all that part of my Land Lying and being on the North Side of the road Before mentioned Together with all my horses the sorrel mare excepted which I give and Bequeath to my Wife, Likewise I give and bequeath to my sons Abraham and Isaac my Waggon and Gems and all my plantation Implements jointly and equally Between them and their heirs for ever; Item I will and bequeath to my Daughters Rebecca and Sarah
each of them to have a horse or mare of Twelve pounds Value and a feather bed each and six pewter plates and two dishes and a bason each and each a spinning wheel of fifteen shillings price and each of them to have a saddle of four pounds Ten shillings pennsylvania currency Value, and each two sows and each a cow and heifer calf, and a pot and frying pan to each, to be paid to them out of that part of the Estate on the North side of the great Road afores'd to be paid by my two sons Abraham and Isaac, my Daughter Rebecca's part to be paid within the space of two years from that half of these presents and my Daughter Sarah to be paid her part afores'd in or within the space of four years from the Date hereof and my said two Daughters is to have their maintenance with my two Sons Abraham and Isaac until they are marryed or see cause to remove, and they are to work for the use of the family so long as they remain with their Brothers; Item I give and Bequeath to my Daughter Elizabeth
, a horse and saddle of equal value with that of her Sisters before mentioned and a cow and calf and feather Bed two pewter Dishes a bason and six plates a pot and frying pan and a spinning Wheel, to be paid to her when she is Eighteen years old, to be paid to her by my son Jacob out of that part left to him, and I will that Jesse and Elizabeth my son and Daughter aforesaid get each a years schooling to be paid out of the whole Estate. Item I give and Bequeath to my Daughter Hannah
one shilling Sterling she being fully provided for already. Item I give and bequeath to my Daughter Ann
one shilling St. she being already provided for. Item I give and bequeath all my household goods and two cows to my Wife Rebecca during her Life and the rest of my cows and hogs to the use of the family. Lastly I nominate Constitute & appoint my said Wife Rebecca and two Sons Abraham and Isaac Ex'rs of this my Last Will and Testament hereby revoking all former Wills by me made. In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this thirteenth Day of September in the year of our Lord one Thousand seven hundred and Seventy.
Signed Sealed Abr'm Dehaven ss
& published in the presence of
George McKinney
Elias Ellis
William Dehaven
This Will was proved by the oaths of George McKinney, Elias Ellis and William Dehaven Witnesses hereto and ordered to be recorded, and on the motion of Rebecca Dehaven the Executrix and Abraham Dehaven Executor herein named who made oath according to Law certificate is granted them for obtaining a probate thereof in due form giving security, Whereupon they with Isaac Dehaven Henry Oxley jun'r Shadrach Samuels
(*see my note below) and Elias Ellis their securities entered into and acknowleged their Bond in penalty of five hundred pounds current money of Virginia conditioned as the Law directs. Test
Exam'd Chas Binns
p. 335 Dehaven, Ab'm Inventory
An obedience to an order of Loudoun Court we the subscribers have Inventoried and appraised the Estate of Abraham Dehaven being first Sworn etc. as under Viz....
A sorrel mare saddle and bridle
a sorrel colt
a gray colt
a Bay Horse
a Bay horse
a bay mare with white feet
a white horse an old wagon
Gears [ ] four horses
2 Plows
a barrel and 1 old hogshead
2 Barrels
a grindstone 1 Bed and Furniture
1 Ditto
47 yards cloath at 5 '
1 Bed cover
1 Red rug
1 box and chair
1 chest of drawers
a parcel of Earthenware
a pewter Tea pot
a pr silver Buckles
a pair shoes
a hat
a parcel of wearing Cloaths
shirts
table
Fire Shovel and tongs
6 chairs
1 chest
a warming pan
...chest
a pair of Stilyards
a pepper mill
a Tea Kettle
1 Toast Iron
a parcel of wooden ware
2 Satchels and two Flat Irons
6 Pewter Dishes
19 " plates
1 basons and some preaserves [?]
1 Bowl and plate 3 bottles and two grates
a Brand a Jug a Lanthern
a parcel of Books a skimer knives and forks spoons
1 linnen wheels
a parcel old Irons
2 pair old hames [?]
a Bed and Furniture
1 "
1 gun barrel
a big wheel
a Sickle
a Saddle and 1 blanket
a Sign
an iron pot rack and hooks
6 yards black worsted stuff
a ring mall & wedge an ax and hoe
a silverspoon
a mottle Cow
a Parcel Flax
a Cow and calf
3 cows at 3...
3 young cattle
a Small bull
3 yearlings
a Heifer and calf
33 Sheep & ...
4 calves
12 hogs
a Brass kettle
a Dough Trough
a parcel old Tools
1 mattock 1 hoe 1 ax
2 Scythes 1 Sickle 1 Dungfork
a....and frying pan
Fire Shovel and Tongs
an old pail and potrack
3 barrels a Churn pole 2...1 mug
a wheat Stack
a Tub with ...ye
a Cuting box and old pan
a Harrow
1 pair old Saddlebags
1 old kettle and... mattock
Josias Clapham
Phil. Noland
Thomas George
John Steere
At a Court continued and held for Loudoun county September the 10th 1771. This Inventory and appraisment was returned into Court and ordered to be recorded.
*My note:  the mention of Shadrack Samuels above lends some credence to the hypothesis that Shadrack was a son-in-law of Abraham DeHaven, married to Abraham's daughter Ann DeHaven, and the father of Isaac Samuels.  Ann was left only one shilling in the will because she was "already provided for," meaning married, as was her sister Hannah..  Shadrack owned the property adjoining Abraham's.  The other married daughter, Hannah, lived farther away and her husband, Dirck Pennybacker, is not mentioned.  The name following Shadrack's was Elias Ellis, who later married Abraham's daughter Rebecca.