Johannes (sometimes written John) was born on March 23, 1667, in Albany, New York, the son of Christopher Janse Abeel (1621–1684), a prosperous merchant and landowner, and Neiltje Jans Croom.
[1] Johannes was born shortly after Great Britain assumed control of the former Dutch colony of New Netherland and renamed it as New York in 1664.
He exported the furs to London and received rum, rice, dry goods, and other items, some of which were for British soldiers garrisoned in Albany and Upstate New York, and most of which he resold at a profit.
According to a contemporary newspaper account, workmen moving remains at Second Church uncovered his tombstone, which was inscribed "Here lies the body of John Abeel who departed this life ye 28 day of Jan'y.
[1] Other descendants of Johannes Abeel through his daughter include Murray Dodd (1843–1905) and Lewis Wilkieson Johnstone (1862–1936), both members of the House of Commons of Canada.