The betrothal of John and Abigail Barlow, reportedly a distant relative, is recorded on October 7, 1622, the witnesses being her father, Thomas, and her sister, Anna, of Landerbrugge, Holland.  Abigail has been listed in other sources as a Baillou, daughter of Thomas and Ann Baillou.  Some have suggested that this variant spelling indicates that Abigail was of French descent, "Baillou" being related to the French word "bouleau," which means "birch tree" (this would also explain why her name is sometimes given as "Abigail Wood").