Bio of Joseph F. & Ruth M. (Penn) Abington
By – Warren Lindsey Shaw, a 3rd generation great-grandson;
Joseph was the 6th child born to Henry Abington Sr. who originally lived in Frederick County Maryland and was born about 1767 & (Mary?) Elizabeth Johnson born in Pittsylvania County Virginia about 1770 – it is - I believe - Important to note here that in Virginia by an Act passed by The Virginia Colonial Government of 1776 Pittsylvania County Virginia became known as Henry County and later by the Act of 1791 part of Henry County was added to Patrick County Virginia. Therefore many times we may find dates and places that just don't make since because one record shows them in one county – then next shows them in another just a short time later which is why I have added this bit of what I think is important historical information and because I have found it in other states and areas while doing the research on my family.
Joseph's Siblings were;
1. Francis S. Abington - 1789 to 1860
2. Henry Abington Jr. – 1793 to 1851
3. William F. Abington – 1795 to 1840
4. Nancy Temple Abington – 1798 to 1872
5. James Milton Abington – 1801 to 1840
6. Mary M. "Polly" Abington – 1804 to 1851
7. Lee B. Abington – 1806 to 1855
8. John B. Abington – 1808 to 1863
9. Catherine Sydney Abington – 1809 to 1849
10. Samuel Wesley Abington 1811 to 1874
On March 21 1827 Joseph F. Abington married Ruth M. Penn in Patrick Co. Virginia. Ruth M. Penn is the daughter of Horatio Gates Penn & Nancy May Parr – Ruth was born in 1808 in Patrick Co. Virginia, she was their first born. The couple had a total of 7 children – the first 2 were born in Patrick Co. Virginia, the remaining 5 children were all born in St. Charles County Missouri.
Their Children were;
1. Keziah Ann Abington 1827 to 1876
2. Catherine Elizabeth Abington 1830 to 1910
3. Oliver Perry Abington 1831 to 1897
4. Fanny Abington 1833 to 1856
5. George M. "Bud" Abington 1837 to 1920
6. William P. Abington 1839 to 1920
7. Amanda P. Abington 1842 to 1860
According to one account Joseph was a Strong and young looking man for his age at the time of his death – Joseph was killed in an accident by a runaway team of horses at the age of just 56 years old. Joseph & Ruth are one of my 3rd generation great grandparents. Joseph was also left handed – in 1969/70 my grandfather Oliver Butler Abington gave me a pocket watch that did not work – I thought it was kind of weird even then at about 14 years old as the stem of the watch was at the 3 O'clock position rather than at 12 – as I recall my grandpa said this watch came from his great grandfather who worked for the rail road (??) – The watch has since been repaired – it now works and looks great and it is of the type issued to rail road personnel and for me a prized piece of history for my family.
BURIAL LOCATION;
To Date I have been unable to locate an exact location where Joseph & Ruth were buried even after extensive searching of many of the cemeteries known and listed here on FindaGrave.com. Also I think it is important to note here that I have also found to date no record of Joseph purchasing any land in either St. Charles County or Warren County Missouri, however I did find a record of a Joseph Abington who purchased land in Ralls County in 1844 – the document gives no middle name so I cannot be sure it is in fact he who purchased the land there – also I have no exact date of death for Ruth, it looks as though she passed away sometime between 1845 and 1850 – therefore I feel there are 2 strong possibilities of where they may have been buried – One of which is in the HENRY ABINGTON FAMILY CEMETERY originally owned by his father Henry Abington Sr. who came to St. Charles County with is family along with many other families around 1820 – according to the records I have of this burial location the cemetery was located on the family property just west of their Log Cabin Home about 50 yards – the last known record of this Cemetery was recorded as "The S. W. Abington Cemetery as the property eventually went to Henry Abington's youngest son Samuel Wesley Abington - the Log Cabin Home still stands today as of 2013 – my wife and I along with one of my 1st cousins Donald Wayne Abington Jr. visited and even went inside the home in July 2012. Also according to the last records sometime in the early 1970's the then owners of the property had decided to sell the land and were told they would have a problem selling the land with a cemetery so close to the home so they had all of the headstones – etc. bulldozed into the pond behind the cabin!!! THIS TO ME PERSONALLY IS AN OUTRAGE!! I cannot believe anyone would do such a thing – it is my inherent hope and prayer that whoever did this is haunted for the rest of their days!!!! The second strong possibility of where the couple may have been buried is THE OLIVER ABINTON BURYING GROUNDS –which at the time Joseph died this property was owned by his son and my great-great grandfather Oliver Perry Abington. Also these 2 properties are or were very close to each other – according to the last known records of this Cemetery the notes say the cemetery is or was located ¼ mile west of the home and that it was not fenced in and was overrun with cattle and other farm animals which has destroyed many of the headstones to the point where they are no longer readable and or are missing all together. Also very sad – WHY DIDN'T SOMEONE HAVE THE decency to at least put up 4 posts with a couple of strands of barbed wire?? To keep the animals out – would that be too much to ask?????????? Therefore it is my belief until proved otherwise that Joseph F. Abington and his wife Ruth M. Penn were buried in one of these 2 locations. Since his father passed away in 1844 and based on the info on him and his other children I am thinking the MOST LIKELY SPOT is that of THE OLIVER ABINGTON BURYING GROUNDS owned by his son Oliver Perry Abington.