Abraham Van Tassel

(1754 - 15 March 1826)
Date this page was last edited=20 Jan 2014
Abraham Van Tassel was born in 1754.1

Abraham Van Tassel married Esther de Voe, daughter of Abraham De Voe and Lea Storms.2

Abraham Van Tassel married 2nd Sarah Minnerly, a widow, on 2 February 1802.1

Abraham Van Tassel was tall, spare, and large boned, and was nicknamed "Brom Bones" at an early age.3,1 Abraham lived his entire life in Sleepy Hollow, Westchester County, New York, was a gentle and religious man, and was a member of the Old Dutch Church.3

In Washington Irving's short story "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow," published in 1820, "Brom Bones" is the nickname of the "burly, roaring, roystering blade, of the name of Abraham, or, according to the Dutch abbreviation, Brom Van Brunt" who in the story is the Headless Horseman. According to one historian, when Abraham Van Tassel learned of Irving's use of his nickname for this fictional character, he was upset and threatened to thrash Irving.4

Abraham Van Tassel died on 15 March 1826.1

Citations

  1. [S776] Daniel Van Tassel, Genealogy of the Van Texel -- Van Tassell family in America, 1625-1900.
  2. [S1] De Voe, Genealogy of the de Veaux Family, 38.
  3. [S778] New York Times, 28 May 1898.
  4. [S777] New York Times, 12 March 1898.

This family history is a work in progress. If you know of any errors or omissions, please contact me through the e-mail link at the bottom of the page.