GENERATION 9

GENERATION 8

Biography

PETER YARRINGTON married ABIAH WOODWARD in 1694. In July, 1696, they were residing at Beverly, Essex, MA. No other Yarrington or Yerrington family has been found in New England history prior to the Revolution.

There was an Anthony Yerrengton, in New York City in 1738 and presumably he was the Anthony Yarington, of Poughkeepsie, who had sons Gale and Andrew, all mentioned in the will of Andrew Gale, of Jamaica, Long Island, NY, in 1742.

The late Rev. Benjamin M. Yarrington, of Greenwich, Fairfield, CT, had some records of his family which stated that their emigrant ancestor was William Yarrington, who came from Wales and settled near Boston, Suffolk, MA, where he married Alice Woodward who was born in Amsterdam, Holland, probably of English ancestors. The first part of this family history is based on tradition, but it is evident that PETER YARRINGTON is the one referred to, and it is also in error as to the Christian name of his wife. In the Beverly records her name is given as Abiel, but the New London probate records give it as ABIAH, while the Coventry, Tolland, CT records give the name of her granddaughter as Abial. Her name may have been copied as Alice from some record by mistake.

PETER and ABIAH YARRINGTON had nine children, the first seven of which were baptized at Beverly, Mass., and the last two at Preston, New London, CT,. They probably moved to Preston in 1706 and from there many years later to Stonington, New London, CT, where he died. Presumably he died in 1726, as the inventory of his estate was dated Oct. 5 of that year. His wife ABIAH and son Ezekiel were appointed by the New London Probate Court to administer to his estate. A suit against the estate by John Starkweather was carried up to the General Court, which decided in favor of his administrators, in 1727.

The Woodward family of Preston may have been related to Mrs. Yarrington. On Apr. 18, 1711, the church at Preston received Daniel Woodward and wife by letter from Cambridge, MA, and in 1714 Hannah, wife of Amos Woodward. But, there is no proof that WOODWARD is actually the surname of ABIAH.