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- On 23 September 1632, he was ordained deacon at the Collegiate Church, Southwell, Nottingham, England. He was a strong Puritan, and left England for America.
Congregational minister then moving to Lynn Massachusetts 1640.
Abraham married Abigail MITCHELL in 1638
He was admitted a member of the church in Boston on 5 September 1640.
In 1640, he was ordained as the minister in Lynn MA.
He then moved to Southampton Long Island trying to make a settlement on the west end but the Dutch did not welcome them so retreated to east end of Long Island.
Later, he was strongly opposed to Southampton joining the Connecticut Colony in 1644 because Connecticut did not require Freeman to also be church members.
In 1647, he moved to Branford, New Haven Colony, where he organized a church and served as minister for 20 years. He was prominent in the affairs of this colony.
While living in this town he befriended the Indians learning their language he prepared a catechism for them giving them the opportunity to know God. Abraham opposed the union of the two colonies of Connecticut and New Haven. He also disapproved of the clergy in the Connecticut colony concerning infant baptism. In that time period no one could be made freeman unless in full communion with the church.
When New Haven was absorbed by Connecticut, he moved again in 1666, this time to New Jersey. There they founded Newark with most of his congregation purchassing land from the Indians and laying the foundation for this city. Some sixty five men had followed him to this new settlement. Included in the 66 men were the Kitchell's, Bruen's, Piersons, and Lawrences, all grandfathers to Kenton Bennett.
The church organization he brought with him later became the Presbyterian Church. He lived among his church members for twelve years dying there 9 Aug 1678.
The new settlement was to be the last Puritan theocracy in America, where the church laws were almost indistinguishable from the civil laws.
Pierson was a stern and strict Puritan who was held in high regard in both civil and clerical circles. Cotton Mather characterized him as a "godly, learned man" and "wherever he came he shone." When he died, his library included over 400 books (one of the largest collections in the colonies), which were left to his son, Abraham.
"Some helps for the Indians shewing them how to improve their natural reason To know the true God and the true Christian Religion. 1. By leading them to see the Divine Authority of the scriptures. 2. By the Scriptures the Divine Truths necessary to Eternall Salvation. by Abraham Pierson Pastor of the Church of Branford. Exaimined and approved by that Experienced Gentleman (in the Indian language) John Scot Cambridge: Printed for Samuel Green 1658." NOTE: on three different microfilms located at NYS Library Albany NY.
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Ramage Family History
1611 - 1678 (67 years)