Mary, Try this link to some New York Abeels mentioned in a book. You may recognize a name even though I didn't see Harmon among them. http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~darci/notes/bios/abel.htm "1st - does this sound like a Dutch name to any of you ??" Arthur C.M. Kelly lists it in his book "Names, Names and More Names - Locating Your Dutch Ancestors in Colonial America". Although what the list means is not exactly clear, I believe it is supposed be a list of mostly Dutch surnames. "2nd - would it be likely for someone who was not Dutch to be baptised / christened into the Dutch reformed church in 1834 ??" The Reformed Church is Calvanist. So is the Presbyterian Church. From 1800 to 1950, the Albany Reformed Church frequently had difficulty in hiring a Reformed minister and more often hired a Presbyterian minister than one trained in the Reformed religion. So, it would not be too great a leap to go from Presbyterian to Reformed. Also, there were times in parts of the Netherlands when Reformed was the required religion, only to be replaced with the Lutheran religion, and then be replaced again by Reformed. In New Netherland, Lutherans often went to the Reformed Church before Lutheran Churches became established in this country. However, I think it all happened too early to play a role in 1834. I believe my answer to #1 may eliminate the need for a better answer to this question. "3rd - how old would a person have to be, to be considered an adult for an adult christening ??" Probably 21. As I recall, children whose father died at age 18 or 19 needed a guardian, even if living with their own mother. "4th - I find no land records in his name yet he was a farmer. If he did not own his land, what kind of records would exist for the rental (or whatever) of the land ??" If he lived in Rensselaer or Albany Co., he would very likely have lived in the Rensselaerswyck Manor and have paid a yearly rent. I don't know if such records have survived. I think that the land was still passed from person to person with a deed, however, even though the person could not technically own the land. So, the County Clerk's Office may have the deed information. I know that Albany Co. has the deed (in Dutch) of my ancestor who bought land from the Indians in the 1600s. It is on microfilm. Although he bought the land, he did not own it because it was part of the Rensselaerswyck land grant to Killiaen Van Rensselaer. Cliff Lamere Albany, NY mary k mccashland wrote: > everyone, > I am looking for birth, siblings, etc. information about Harmon ABELL who > was born abt 1811 somewhere in New York. Several of us have always > thought that he was of Dutch ancestry, but *all of his children* said > that he was born in New York when they replied to the 1880 census. There > was an adult baptism/christening of Harmon ABELL in Schagticoke, New > York, into the Dutch reformed church. But I don't know if he was 'my' > Harmon ABELL or not. > > > > 2nd - would it be likely for someone who was not Dutch to be baptised / > christened into the Dutch reformed church in 1834 ?? > > 3rd - how old would a person have to be, to be considered an adult for an > adult christening ?? > > 4th - I find no land records in his name yet he was a farmer. If he > did not own his land, what kind of records would exist for the rental (or > whatever) of the land ?? > > 5th - finally - of course - anyone else connected to this character ?? > > I am already on the Rensseler list - contemplating having to join each > list for every one of the counties in New York. Suggestions ?? > thanks, > mary mccashland >