My Revolutionary War Patriots - Abner Poland, Jr. of Essex, Massachusetts

Abner Poland's Badge of Merit certificatesigned by General George WashingtonThis is #9 in my series of Revolutionary War Ancestors. Abner Poland, Jr. was born on 17 May 1761 in Chebacco Parish, Ipswich, Massachusetts (now the town of Essex), the son of Abner Poland and Dorothy Burnham. Last week I featured Abner Poland, Sr. in sketch #8 because he was also a Revolutionary War veteran. Abner, Jr. married Sarah Burnham on 20 March 1783. She was the daughter of Westley Burnham and Deborah Story. In a funny twist, Sarah's brother was Westley Burnham, another of my Revolutionary War ancestors. Also, her sister Deborah was Abner Poland Sr.'s second wife (his first wife was also a Burnham). Abner Poland was a mariner and fisherman in the coastal town of Essex, which is on the Essex River. Abner, Jr. and Sarah had eight children, four boys and four girls. I descend from their eldest daughter, Sally, who married Henry Burnham (another Burnham!). As a young man, before his marriage in 1783 at…