Abigail Stoneman

Abigail Stoneman
Born	Abigail (surname unknown) Estimated post-1740 Presumably Newport, Rhode Island
Died	After 1777
Other names	Mrs. Treville

Abigail Stoneman (born sometime after 1740, active 1760–1777) was a Colonial American widow who managed inns, as well as tea and coffee establishments throughout Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and New York, providing musical performances and opportunities for dancing.

Background

During the 18th century, women seldom conducted business independently due to legal property restrictions favoring husbands. However, as a widow, Stoneman held the status of a feme sole, allowing her to oversee her enterprises and financial affairs without male oversight.

Early life

While her exact birth date and parentage remain unclear, it is believed she was born after 1740. Publisher Solomon Southwick recognized her as a notable businesswoman, married to a Knight of Malta, and described her as "a lady descended from a respectable family, of good genius, a very polite and genteel address, and extremely well accomplished in every branch of family economy."

First marriage

Stoneman's first husband was probably Samuel Stoneman, a lieutenant in a Rhode Island regiment who served during the French and Indian War (1757–1760) and passed away by 1760. By the time she launched her Boston enterprise in 1770, she had several sons and two daughters and owned at least two enslaved individuals. She lived on Marlborough Street, attended the First Congregational Church, and experienced a home burglary in 1766.

Businesswoman

In May 1767, Stoneman inaugurated The Merchant's Coffee House in Newport, retailing West Indies products under the Sign of the King's Arms. To capitalize on seasonal visitors, she expanded operations to Middletown in 1768 and introduced a ballroom there in 1769. Her offerings included elegant accommodations alongside specialty dishes like syllabub and cheesecakes. In October 1769, she purchased Whitehall in Middletown and renamed it Vauxhall.

By 1770, she was running a coffee house with lodging facilities in Boston near where the Boston Massacre occurred. One of her tenants provided bookkeeping services and created a portrait of her. By mid-1772, she returned to Middletown for summer seasons at Vauxhall while managing the British Coffee House in Newport during winter months along with other taverns and tea rooms. She was unique as the sole licensed female tavern keeper in Newport—operating the King's Arms—which featured lodging, musical entertainment, dancing (with gentlemen paying for dances), and billiard tables to draw clientele. This tavern also served as a venue for Newport Assembly gatherings.

Stoneman extended credit to patrons as part of her business strategy and grew her ventures accordingly. For instance, Benjamin Wickham issued an IOU for £13 on a playing card in 1769; when he defaulted on payment, Stoneman pursued legal recourse. She stood out among local women by publicly soliciting debt repayment through advertisements in the Newport Mercury. She cultivated relationships with influential families such as the Eastons and Coggeshalls and maintained credit arrangements with fellow merchants who were also customers. The enhancements made to her properties demonstrate her commercial success.

Second Marriage

She made history as the first woman from Newport to wed an English nobleman when she married John Treville, a Knight of Malta, on August 28, 1774, in Hampton, Connecticut. Treville held the position of cavalry captain serving under His Most Christian Majesty. Following their union, she sold her estate and moved with him to New York.

Speculation exists that Treville either exhausted much of her wealth prior to fleeing or acted as a loyalist during the War of Independence.

New York

By October 25, 1777, she had launched the London Coffee-House on Broad Street in what is now Lower Manhattan, New York City. This establishment provided accommodations, entertainment, and meals such as breakfast and dinner. In promoting the enterprise, she expressed gratitude for the patronage of British military officers. The coffee house was located close to Fraunces Queen's Head, currently known as Fraunces Tavern.