Gable Family of the South-Mason Comment 1
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Gable Family of the South
-The Gable Family Question

Judy (Rountree) Mason discusses Gables in Georgia in 1700s


It is amazing that I am now residing only a few miles from the very location that the three Gables settled in ST. MATTHEWS PARISH, Georgia. Now Effingham County (1777)� I have doing a little research as I became interested in this little settlement in which they resided so near.� I also wondered why they, of German descent, did not join or appear in any of the Salzburger records.� In those times the area near Abercorn Creek was quite some distance from Ebenezer where the majority of the Salzburgers from Austria resided and worked.� Perhaps the distance was not the issue, but perhaps that they arrived here from another German background.� Very few records of the Gable family exist here in Effingham County.� I live moments away from the County Courthouse and visit there so often.�� In front of me now is a copy of the Headright grants, that I am certain that Zelma [Price] must have looked at, as I do today. (I also descended from Valentine Gable.) In this old document it states that John Gabel (actual spelling) had 100 acres, St. Matthew's parish Grant Book B, page 157.� "Bounded on the south by said John Gabel and George Hague, west by Hugh Ross, north by Mill Creek, east by Abercorn Creek.

On that same day Gabel, John was granted 100 acres, DISTRICT OF ABERCORN, St. Matthew's Parish. Book D, page 158

GABLE, ABRAHAM� (NOTE the difference in spelling) 100 acres� St. Matthew's Parish.� December 6, 1763 (some 4 years after the above two transactions) Grant Book D, page 355 Bounded on the north by Schwighofer, northeast by Christian Riedelsperger, east by Samuel Pelton and Phillip Ports.

Again John Gable (spelling has changed here) 100 acres St. Matthew's parish Surveyed May 9, 1760.� Plat Book C, page 65.� NO Grant recorded. Bounded on the north by Thomas Schwighofer, northeast by Christian Riedelsperger, east by Samuel Pelton and Philip Ports.� Original warrent says, "50 acres in ABERCORN" known by #11, 100 acres of pine barren at the back of Abercorn hoining Christian Riedlesperger's land." This survey may go with the next entry above.

John also received headright grants in Christ Church Parish (now Chatham County, Georgia) of 250 acres in 1774.

>From 1757-1770 he received headright gtants in Savannah, Georgia. (Christ Church Parish, now Chatham Co. Ga.) HE TOOK UP RESIDENCE IN GEORGIA IN 1760.� She he resided here some 16 years in all.

Grants indicate that he had two brothers who were also in America.� One was Abraham who received 100 acres in St. Matthews in 1763.� The older brother ANTHONY, who was granted headrights in Effingham, Screven Counties from 1763 to 1770!� JOHN was said to have moved back to SC about 1776.� This would have meant that he spend 16 years here in Georgia� AND YET-In 1805 the records of Chatham County show a JOHN Gable (not idenified) unmarried , was a resident of Chatham County, and entered his name in the land lottery of that year.� (Can you figure this one out?(JM)

Finally I find note in Zelma [Price]'s manuscript that ANTHONY Gable is found on page 575 of Headrights granted by the Colonial and State Governments from 1754 to 1800: (Story of Georgia).� I was getting anzious about Anthony, as I have not personally come across his name in Effingham Co. Records.� It appears that he may well have been recorded somewhere in Screven� Co.� Shall I look?

My question is, Where in the world is ANTHONY GABLE in the records of Zelma?� If John, Abraham and Anthony were brothers, why do they not appear that way in the Gable Genealogy?�� And am I mistaken in thinking that I have not somewhere seen the name Valentine in the records here? I do agree that something is amiss here?� The confusion begins much before they moved back to South Carolina.� Should we not start here?

I am quite familiar with the records here and many of my father's families came from Chatham and Effingham Counties.� I find very little information pertaining to this Gable line.� As mentioned above, they do not appear in the German Salzburger records, as the other German families do.� This group arrived much earlier and from Austria.� Their records here were well kept and recorded.� I believe that I can re-examine the early census records for safety sake, and probably not find any of them.� But perhaps Chatham Co. records might locate something.� It is my belief that until this family who re-located here to Georgia must be confirmed in some way before moving much futher along.

There are no distent records from the little settlement of Abercorn!� I have checked everywhere.� And leading historian and genealogists here say that they just don't exist.� This settlement has been written about.� DEAD TOWNS OF GEORGIA by Charles C. Jones, Jr. wrote in his publication, that Abercorn was located about 15 miles above the town of Savannah, and began about 1733.� Its original settlement consisted of 10 families.� Old Ebenezer (Salzburger settlement) was 10 miles to the west, and four miles below the mouth of the Abercorn Creek, was Joseph's town where two Scotch gentleman and selected plantations on the right bank of the Savannah River.�� I quote "The ten families who were ASSIGNED to Abercorn in 1733 were all gone by 1737!" According to this refernce the Salzburgers found that the area of Abercorn had bad water and made them sick!� Some Germans did settle in the neighborhood and cultivate the soil, but all efforts to promote this village utterly failed.� Like Joseph's town and Westbrook, Abercorn is little more than a name in the history of the Colony.� I gather from this and other references that Abercorn Creek was supposed to be used to help transport goods back and forth to Savannah, originally.� I was always curious as to why the Gable Boys left the area.� Now we know.� They evidently also had land in or near Savannah and probably survived there until their return home.� Little did they know that generations later, one of the Gable/Gabrel desc. would end up marrying someone from here in Effingham County.

I do not know if any of this will really help or hinder this previously mentioned question.� But I do think it will.� For we or at least myself, am trying to place this brother Anthony!� Did he remain here, and thus we haven't located him.� Or is he our line?� Too many questions to be answered.� But again, I do not see his name in Zelma's work!!!! Other than her quote that they were brothers.�� Are these Gable brothers the ones who removed back to SC after being in Ga?� I would appreciate any comments.� And perhaps I should began "digging" into Screven County to find Anthony!� (I am familiar with some of their records and never recall seeing this name.)

Thanks for listening.� I do believe that we have a mystery here in more than one area.

Judy Rountree Mason
[email protected]
Rincon, Effingham Co. Ga.

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Last Updated 11-7-99