James ABNEY

     James ABNEY, son of Sir Edward ABNEY LL.D. and Damaris Andrews, was born in 1662 in Willesley, Leicestershire, England. He was the heir apparent to Willesley but has been termed a "ne'er-do-well". He allegedly migrated to the British Colony of Virginia and settled there. However, there is no proof of this tale, and modern-day genealogists do not take this story seriously as not even one document can be found in the Virginia records of this James Abney. Nevertheless, James the eldest son of Edward was passed over for his brother Thomas, a child of Edward by his second wife. He was raised by his aunt, Abigail Abney Cotton.¹