A Portrait and Biographical Record of Boone, Clinton and Hendricks Counties, Ind.,
A.W. Bowen, Chicago, 1895, page 193:
JUDGE JOHN A. ABBOTT, one of Boone county's eminent lawyers and ex-judge of the circuit court, comes from an old colonial family of sturdy English stock. George Abbott was the founder of the family in America, and came over with the Puritans, who settled Massachusetts. The American branch has always been famous, and included many renowned clergymen and distinguished authors, such as Jacob Abbott, the writer for the young, and John S. C. Abbott, the author of the life of Napoleon.
Samuel Abbott, the grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was born in New Hampshire April 8, 1771, and early- settled in Concord; he was a soldier in the war of 1812, and was shot by an Indian at the burning of Buffalo, N. Y. ; he was married at Concord, N. H., to Mary Currier, daughter of William C. Currier, and to this union were born eleven children, eight of whom lived to manhood and womanhood, namely: Betsey, Hiram, Harriet, Mary, Belinda, Isaac, Edward and Samuel. In 1816 or 1817, Mr. Abbott relinquished his trade of chair making and removed to New York state, where he engaged in farming until 1818, when he came to Indiana, and settled at Vevay, in Switzerland county, in January, 1819, where he and wife both died the following year — 1820.
Isaac Abbott, son of the above and father of John A., was born in New Hampshire, February 22, 1805, and was but thirteen years of age when he was brought by his parents to Indiana, and left an orphan at the age of fifteen. He was reared in Switzerland and Dearborn counties, living in the latter county with a farmer named Burgess until he was old enough to take care of himself. He learned the trade of a millwright and was, in fact, a natural born mechanic. He married in Dearborn county, at the age of twenty-three, Betsey Faulkner, daughter of Cornelius and Lucinda (Halsted) Faulkner — the former a substantial farmer, who came to Indiana from Rochester, N. Y., in 1819, and whose mother was a Schumacher, of Holland-Dutch descent.
To Isaac Abbott and wife were born fourteen children, viz: Mary, Hiram, Martha, Cornelius S., Lewis C. , William M., John A., LydiaA., Isaac M., Rebecca J., and Elizabeth C., and Sarah J. (the last two being twins), Marilla M. and Levi E. Of these children eleven grew to maturity and became heads of families, Sarah, Marilla, and Levi dying in infancy. Mr. Abbott remained in Dearborn county, working at his trade, until 1865, when he came to Boone county and bought a tract of land one mile northwest of Lebanon, and eighteen months later entered land in Meeker county, Minn. His wife died at Wilmington, Ind., in 1854, and he next married Rebecca G. Fleming, who bore two children, now living — Ella M. and Robert L. , and one child, Franklin H., who died at about fourteen years of age. Mr. Abbott died in Meeker county, Minn., May 4, 1872, at the age of 67.
Mr. and Mrs. Abbott were members of the Free Will Baptist church. In politics he was a free soiler and an abolitionist. For three years his house was a station on the "Underground railroad," which in that time safely landed thirty-eight dusky passengers in Canada. Fraternally he was a Freemason, a member of Boone lodge, No. 9, and was one of the charter members of Allen lodge, No. 165, at Moore's Hill, Dearborn county, Ind. He was greatly beloved by all who knew him; was a true patriot and sent four of his sons to the front to assist in the preservation of the Union, viz; John A., whose military record will be found below; Hiram, who served three years in an Iowa regiment; William M. and Isaac M., both of whom were three years in company K, Sixty eighth Indiana infantry, in which William was severely wounded at the battle of Missionary Ridge. Mr. Abbott was an intelligent man, and a very extensive reader, and gave all his children the best education his means afforded.
John A. Abbott was born November 5, 1839, in Dearborn county, Ind. He was educated in the common schools, in the county academy at Wilmington and at Moore's Hill college, and taught two terms of school. On June 5, 1861, he enlisted in company I, Thirteenth Indiana infantry, Capt. B. F. Myers, with Col. J. C. Sullivan commanding the regiment. The regiment left Indianapolis July 4, 1861, and joined McCIelland's forces in West Virginia on the loth, and on the iith engaged in the battle of Rich Mountain; October 3d, in the battle of Greenbriar; in November went on a scout of nine days through the mountains, carrying their supplies on pack-horses, breaking up the guerrilla band led by McCool and Bennett, and greatly encouraging the Unionists of that section; December 13 it was in the battle of Allegheny Summit, under Gen. Milroy; transferred to the valley of Virginia, it took part in the first battle of Winchester, March 23, 1861, and followed Jackson's forces up the valley as far as New Market; from here they marched into the Luray valley, and in May marched through to Fredericksburg and joined McDowell's army; but the second day after started on the return to the valley, on account of Stonewall Jackson's having driven Gen. Banks down the valley and across the Potomac. After the battle of Port Republic, the regiment was taken by transports from Alexandria, down the Potomac and Chesapeake and up the James, to Harrison's Landing, where it joined McCIelland's army after the seven days' fight. After the evacuation of of the Peninsula, it went to Suffolk, August 30, where it remained till the last of June, 1863, taking part in numerous scouts and skirmishes in the vicinity, and in the siege of that place by Longstreet. In July, 1863, it embarked at Portsmouth for Charleston, S. C, where it remained till February, 1864, taking an active part in the siege of Fort Wagner and Fort Sumter. In February, 1964, it went to Jacksonville, Fla., and from there to Gloucester Point, opposite Yorktown, in April. Here it was attached to Butler's command; went to Bermuda Hundreds, where it took part in every engagement prior to May 26th, at which time it was again sent to the army of the Potomac at Cold Harbor, where it took part in the unsuccessful assault on Lee's works; June 13th it again ascended the James river, landed at City Point, and, on the 15th, assisted in taking the outer works at Petersburg. All this time Mr. Abbott was with the regiment, except from May 30 to June 11, 1864, and was in every expedition and engagement in which the regiment took part, except the battle of Cold Harbor. He was promoted to second lieutenant June 1, 1863, and was discharged with his regiment at Indianapolis, June i, 1864. On the 26th of December following, he re-enlisted at Washington, D. C. , in company B, First U. S. veteran volunteers (Hancock's corps), was on detached duty in Washington city from January 11 to April 21, 1865, and witnessed the demonstrations of joy over the fall of Richmond and surrender of Lee, and of sorrow over the assassination of Mr. Lincoln. June 12, his regiment was a part of the guard at the hanging of Mrs. Surratt, and he was the sentinel immediately in front of the scaffold. The regiment was sent to Baltimore to relieve the Eleventh Indiana regiment in July, and company B went on duty as provost guards, at the old slave market; and here Mr. Abbott was discharged, at the expiration of his term, January 26, 1865.
Returning to Indiana, he came to Lebanon and attended the Presbyterian academy six months, and then studied law with Messrs. Cason & Harrison and Boone & Harrison, of which latter firm he became a member in 1871; but retired in 1873 to engage in the newspaper business, purchasing an interest in the Lebanon Patriot, the county organ of the republican party, of which party he was a zealous member. Five years of newspaper experience, covered the panic period from 1873 to 1878, served to bankrupt him, and he returned to the law practice in 1879. In 1888 he became a democrat, and in November of that year was appointed judge of the Boone circuit court, to fill a vacancy caused by the resignation of Hon. T. J. Terhune.
Mr. Abbott was married, March 22, 1868, to Miss Laura Williams, daughter of Eliphalet and Mary (Harding) Williams, at Lancaster, Jefferson county, Ind. To them have been born five children, viz: Edgar W. , Mabel, Gracie, Walter A. [1875-1946] and Edith. Gracie died in infancy. The others are living, and, with their parents, are members of the Missionary Baptist church at Lebanon, of which Mr. and Mrs. Abbott are consistent members, he having been its first clerk, and now being one of its trustees. Edgar W. and Mabel are engaged in teaching in the graded schools.
A.W. Bowen, Chicago, 1895, page 193:
JUDGE JOHN A. ABBOTT, one of Boone county's eminent lawyers and ex-judge of the circuit court, comes from an old colonial family of sturdy English stock. George Abbott was the founder of the family in America, and came over with the Puritans, who settled Massachusetts. The American branch has always been famous, and included many renowned clergymen and distinguished authors, such as Jacob Abbott, the writer for the young, and John S. C. Abbott, the author of the life of Napoleon.
Samuel Abbott, the grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was born in New Hampshire April 8, 1771, and early- settled in Concord; he was a soldier in the war of 1812, and was shot by an Indian at the burning of Buffalo, N. Y. ; he was married at Concord, N. H., to Mary Currier, daughter of William C. Currier, and to this union were born eleven children, eight of whom lived to manhood and womanhood, namely: Betsey, Hiram, Harriet, Mary, Belinda, Isaac, Edward and Samuel. In 1816 or 1817, Mr. Abbott relinquished his trade of chair making and removed to New York state, where he engaged in farming until 1818, when he came to Indiana, and settled at Vevay, in Switzerland county, in January, 1819, where he and wife both died the following year — 1820.
Isaac Abbott, son of the above and father of John A., was born in New Hampshire, February 22, 1805, and was but thirteen years of age when he was brought by his parents to Indiana, and left an orphan at the age of fifteen. He was reared in Switzerland and Dearborn counties, living in the latter county with a farmer named Burgess until he was old enough to take care of himself. He learned the trade of a millwright and was, in fact, a natural born mechanic. He married in Dearborn county, at the age of twenty-three, Betsey Faulkner, daughter of Cornelius and Lucinda (Halsted) Faulkner — the former a substantial farmer, who came to Indiana from Rochester, N. Y., in 1819, and whose mother was a Schumacher, of Holland-Dutch descent.
To Isaac Abbott and wife were born fourteen children, viz: Mary, Hiram, Martha, Cornelius S., Lewis C. , William M., John A., LydiaA., Isaac M., Rebecca J., and Elizabeth C., and Sarah J. (the last two being twins), Marilla M. and Levi E. Of these children eleven grew to maturity and became heads of families, Sarah, Marilla, and Levi dying in infancy. Mr. Abbott remained in Dearborn county, working at his trade, until 1865, when he came to Boone county and bought a tract of land one mile northwest of Lebanon, and eighteen months later entered land in Meeker county, Minn. His wife died at Wilmington, Ind., in 1854, and he next married Rebecca G. Fleming, who bore two children, now living — Ella M. and Robert L. , and one child, Franklin H., who died at about fourteen years of age. Mr. Abbott died in Meeker county, Minn., May 4, 1872, at the age of 67.
Mr. and Mrs. Abbott were members of the Free Will Baptist church. In politics he was a free soiler and an abolitionist. For three years his house was a station on the "Underground railroad," which in that time safely landed thirty-eight dusky passengers in Canada. Fraternally he was a Freemason, a member of Boone lodge, No. 9, and was one of the charter members of Allen lodge, No. 165, at Moore's Hill, Dearborn county, Ind. He was greatly beloved by all who knew him; was a true patriot and sent four of his sons to the front to assist in the preservation of the Union, viz; John A., whose military record will be found below; Hiram, who served three years in an Iowa regiment; William M. and Isaac M., both of whom were three years in company K, Sixty eighth Indiana infantry, in which William was severely wounded at the battle of Missionary Ridge. Mr. Abbott was an intelligent man, and a very extensive reader, and gave all his children the best education his means afforded.
John A. Abbott was born November 5, 1839, in Dearborn county, Ind. He was educated in the common schools, in the county academy at Wilmington and at Moore's Hill college, and taught two terms of school. On June 5, 1861, he enlisted in company I, Thirteenth Indiana infantry, Capt. B. F. Myers, with Col. J. C. Sullivan commanding the regiment. The regiment left Indianapolis July 4, 1861, and joined McCIelland's forces in West Virginia on the loth, and on the iith engaged in the battle of Rich Mountain; October 3d, in the battle of Greenbriar; in November went on a scout of nine days through the mountains, carrying their supplies on pack-horses, breaking up the guerrilla band led by McCool and Bennett, and greatly encouraging the Unionists of that section; December 13 it was in the battle of Allegheny Summit, under Gen. Milroy; transferred to the valley of Virginia, it took part in the first battle of Winchester, March 23, 1861, and followed Jackson's forces up the valley as far as New Market; from here they marched into the Luray valley, and in May marched through to Fredericksburg and joined McDowell's army; but the second day after started on the return to the valley, on account of Stonewall Jackson's having driven Gen. Banks down the valley and across the Potomac. After the battle of Port Republic, the regiment was taken by transports from Alexandria, down the Potomac and Chesapeake and up the James, to Harrison's Landing, where it joined McCIelland's army after the seven days' fight. After the evacuation of of the Peninsula, it went to Suffolk, August 30, where it remained till the last of June, 1863, taking part in numerous scouts and skirmishes in the vicinity, and in the siege of that place by Longstreet. In July, 1863, it embarked at Portsmouth for Charleston, S. C, where it remained till February, 1864, taking an active part in the siege of Fort Wagner and Fort Sumter. In February, 1964, it went to Jacksonville, Fla., and from there to Gloucester Point, opposite Yorktown, in April. Here it was attached to Butler's command; went to Bermuda Hundreds, where it took part in every engagement prior to May 26th, at which time it was again sent to the army of the Potomac at Cold Harbor, where it took part in the unsuccessful assault on Lee's works; June 13th it again ascended the James river, landed at City Point, and, on the 15th, assisted in taking the outer works at Petersburg. All this time Mr. Abbott was with the regiment, except from May 30 to June 11, 1864, and was in every expedition and engagement in which the regiment took part, except the battle of Cold Harbor. He was promoted to second lieutenant June 1, 1863, and was discharged with his regiment at Indianapolis, June i, 1864. On the 26th of December following, he re-enlisted at Washington, D. C. , in company B, First U. S. veteran volunteers (Hancock's corps), was on detached duty in Washington city from January 11 to April 21, 1865, and witnessed the demonstrations of joy over the fall of Richmond and surrender of Lee, and of sorrow over the assassination of Mr. Lincoln. June 12, his regiment was a part of the guard at the hanging of Mrs. Surratt, and he was the sentinel immediately in front of the scaffold. The regiment was sent to Baltimore to relieve the Eleventh Indiana regiment in July, and company B went on duty as provost guards, at the old slave market; and here Mr. Abbott was discharged, at the expiration of his term, January 26, 1865.
Returning to Indiana, he came to Lebanon and attended the Presbyterian academy six months, and then studied law with Messrs. Cason & Harrison and Boone & Harrison, of which latter firm he became a member in 1871; but retired in 1873 to engage in the newspaper business, purchasing an interest in the Lebanon Patriot, the county organ of the republican party, of which party he was a zealous member. Five years of newspaper experience, covered the panic period from 1873 to 1878, served to bankrupt him, and he returned to the law practice in 1879. In 1888 he became a democrat, and in November of that year was appointed judge of the Boone circuit court, to fill a vacancy caused by the resignation of Hon. T. J. Terhune.
Mr. Abbott was married, March 22, 1868, to Miss Laura Williams, daughter of Eliphalet and Mary (Harding) Williams, at Lancaster, Jefferson county, Ind. To them have been born five children, viz: Edgar W. , Mabel, Gracie, Walter A. [1875-1946] and Edith. Gracie died in infancy. The others are living, and, with their parents, are members of the Missionary Baptist church at Lebanon, of which Mr. and Mrs. Abbott are consistent members, he having been its first clerk, and now being one of its trustees. Edgar W. and Mabel are engaged in teaching in the graded schools.
A Portrait and Biographical Record of Boone, Clinton and Hendricks Counties, Ind.,
A.W. Bowen, Chicago, 1895, page 193:
JUDGE JOHN A. ABBOTT, one of Boone county's eminent lawyers and ex-judge of the circuit court, comes from an old colonial family of sturdy English stock. George Abbott was the founder of the family in America, and came over with the Puritans, who settled Massachusetts. The American branch has always been famous, and included many renowned clergymen and distinguished authors, such as Jacob Abbott, the writer for the young, and John S. C. Abbott, the author of the life of Napoleon.
Samuel Abbott, the grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was born in New Hampshire April 8, 1771, and early- settled in Concord; he was a soldier in the war of 1812, and was shot by an Indian at the burning of Buffalo, N. Y. ; he was married at Concord, N. H., to Mary Currier, daughter of William C. Currier, and to this union were born eleven children, eight of whom lived to manhood and womanhood, namely: Betsey, Hiram, Harriet, Mary, Belinda, Isaac, Edward and Samuel. In 1816 or 1817, Mr. Abbott relinquished his trade of chair making and removed to New York state, where he engaged in farming until 1818, when he came to Indiana, and settled at Vevay, in Switzerland county, in January, 1819, where he and wife both died the following year — 1820.
Isaac Abbott, son of the above and father of John A., was born in New Hampshire, February 22, 1805, and was but thirteen years of age when he was brought by his parents to Indiana, and left an orphan at the age of fifteen. He was reared in Switzerland and Dearborn counties, living in the latter county with a farmer named Burgess until he was old enough to take care of himself. He learned the trade of a millwright and was, in fact, a natural born mechanic. He married in Dearborn county, at the age of twenty-three, Betsey Faulkner, daughter of Cornelius and Lucinda (Halsted) Faulkner — the former a substantial farmer, who came to Indiana from Rochester, N. Y., in 1819, and whose mother was a Schumacher, of Holland-Dutch descent.
To Isaac Abbott and wife were born fourteen children, viz: Mary, Hiram, Martha, Cornelius S., Lewis C. , William M., John A., LydiaA., Isaac M., Rebecca J., and Elizabeth C., and Sarah J. (the last two being twins), Marilla M. and Levi E. Of these children eleven grew to maturity and became heads of families, Sarah, Marilla, and Levi dying in infancy. Mr. Abbott remained in Dearborn county, working at his trade, until 1865, when he came to Boone county and bought a tract of land one mile northwest of Lebanon, and eighteen months later entered land in Meeker county, Minn. His wife died at Wilmington, Ind., in 1854, and he next married Rebecca G. Fleming, who bore two children, now living — Ella M. and Robert L. , and one child, Franklin H., who died at about fourteen years of age. Mr. Abbott died in Meeker county, Minn., May 4, 1872, at the age of 67.
Mr. and Mrs. Abbott were members of the Free Will Baptist church. In politics he was a free soiler and an abolitionist. For three years his house was a station on the "Underground railroad," which in that time safely landed thirty-eight dusky passengers in Canada. Fraternally he was a Freemason, a member of Boone lodge, No. 9, and was one of the charter members of Allen lodge, No. 165, at Moore's Hill, Dearborn county, Ind. He was greatly beloved by all who knew him; was a true patriot and sent four of his sons to the front to assist in the preservation of the Union, viz; John A., whose military record will be found below; Hiram, who served three years in an Iowa regiment; William M. and Isaac M., both of whom were three years in company K, Sixty eighth Indiana infantry, in which William was severely wounded at the battle of Missionary Ridge. Mr. Abbott was an intelligent man, and a very extensive reader, and gave all his children the best education his means afforded.
John A. Abbott was born November 5, 1839, in Dearborn county, Ind. He was educated in the common schools, in the county academy at Wilmington and at Moore's Hill college, and taught two terms of school. On June 5, 1861, he enlisted in company I, Thirteenth Indiana infantry, Capt. B. F. Myers, with Col. J. C. Sullivan commanding the regiment. The regiment left Indianapolis July 4, 1861, and joined McCIelland's forces in West Virginia on the loth, and on the iith engaged in the battle of Rich Mountain; October 3d, in the battle of Greenbriar; in November went on a scout of nine days through the mountains, carrying their supplies on pack-horses, breaking up the guerrilla band led by McCool and Bennett, and greatly encouraging the Unionists of that section; December 13 it was in the battle of Allegheny Summit, under Gen. Milroy; transferred to the valley of Virginia, it took part in the first battle of Winchester, March 23, 1861, and followed Jackson's forces up the valley as far as New Market; from here they marched into the Luray valley, and in May marched through to Fredericksburg and joined McDowell's army; but the second day after started on the return to the valley, on account of Stonewall Jackson's having driven Gen. Banks down the valley and across the Potomac. After the battle of Port Republic, the regiment was taken by transports from Alexandria, down the Potomac and Chesapeake and up the James, to Harrison's Landing, where it joined McCIelland's army after the seven days' fight. After the evacuation of of the Peninsula, it went to Suffolk, August 30, where it remained till the last of June, 1863, taking part in numerous scouts and skirmishes in the vicinity, and in the siege of that place by Longstreet. In July, 1863, it embarked at Portsmouth for Charleston, S. C, where it remained till February, 1864, taking an active part in the siege of Fort Wagner and Fort Sumter. In February, 1964, it went to Jacksonville, Fla., and from there to Gloucester Point, opposite Yorktown, in April. Here it was attached to Butler's command; went to Bermuda Hundreds, where it took part in every engagement prior to May 26th, at which time it was again sent to the army of the Potomac at Cold Harbor, where it took part in the unsuccessful assault on Lee's works; June 13th it again ascended the James river, landed at City Point, and, on the 15th, assisted in taking the outer works at Petersburg. All this time Mr. Abbott was with the regiment, except from May 30 to June 11, 1864, and was in every expedition and engagement in which the regiment took part, except the battle of Cold Harbor. He was promoted to second lieutenant June 1, 1863, and was discharged with his regiment at Indianapolis, June i, 1864. On the 26th of December following, he re-enlisted at Washington, D. C. , in company B, First U. S. veteran volunteers (Hancock's corps), was on detached duty in Washington city from January 11 to April 21, 1865, and witnessed the demonstrations of joy over the fall of Richmond and surrender of Lee, and of sorrow over the assassination of Mr. Lincoln. June 12, his regiment was a part of the guard at the hanging of Mrs. Surratt, and he was the sentinel immediately in front of the scaffold. The regiment was sent to Baltimore to relieve the Eleventh Indiana regiment in July, and company B went on duty as provost guards, at the old slave market; and here Mr. Abbott was discharged, at the expiration of his term, January 26, 1865.
Returning to Indiana, he came to Lebanon and attended the Presbyterian academy six months, and then studied law with Messrs. Cason & Harrison and Boone & Harrison, of which latter firm he became a member in 1871; but retired in 1873 to engage in the newspaper business, purchasing an interest in the Lebanon Patriot, the county organ of the republican party, of which party he was a zealous member. Five years of newspaper experience, covered the panic period from 1873 to 1878, served to bankrupt him, and he returned to the law practice in 1879. In 1888 he became a democrat, and in November of that year was appointed judge of the Boone circuit court, to fill a vacancy caused by the resignation of Hon. T. J. Terhune.
Mr. Abbott was married, March 22, 1868, to Miss Laura Williams, daughter of Eliphalet and Mary (Harding) Williams, at Lancaster, Jefferson county, Ind. To them have been born five children, viz: Edgar W. , Mabel, Gracie, Walter A. [1875-1946] and Edith. Gracie died in infancy. The others are living, and, with their parents, are members of the Missionary Baptist church at Lebanon, of which Mr. and Mrs. Abbott are consistent members, he having been its first clerk, and now being one of its trustees. Edgar W. and Mabel are engaged in teaching in the graded schools.
A.W. Bowen, Chicago, 1895, page 193:
JUDGE JOHN A. ABBOTT, one of Boone county's eminent lawyers and ex-judge of the circuit court, comes from an old colonial family of sturdy English stock. George Abbott was the founder of the family in America, and came over with the Puritans, who settled Massachusetts. The American branch has always been famous, and included many renowned clergymen and distinguished authors, such as Jacob Abbott, the writer for the young, and John S. C. Abbott, the author of the life of Napoleon.
Samuel Abbott, the grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was born in New Hampshire April 8, 1771, and early- settled in Concord; he was a soldier in the war of 1812, and was shot by an Indian at the burning of Buffalo, N. Y. ; he was married at Concord, N. H., to Mary Currier, daughter of William C. Currier, and to this union were born eleven children, eight of whom lived to manhood and womanhood, namely: Betsey, Hiram, Harriet, Mary, Belinda, Isaac, Edward and Samuel. In 1816 or 1817, Mr. Abbott relinquished his trade of chair making and removed to New York state, where he engaged in farming until 1818, when he came to Indiana, and settled at Vevay, in Switzerland county, in January, 1819, where he and wife both died the following year — 1820.
Isaac Abbott, son of the above and father of John A., was born in New Hampshire, February 22, 1805, and was but thirteen years of age when he was brought by his parents to Indiana, and left an orphan at the age of fifteen. He was reared in Switzerland and Dearborn counties, living in the latter county with a farmer named Burgess until he was old enough to take care of himself. He learned the trade of a millwright and was, in fact, a natural born mechanic. He married in Dearborn county, at the age of twenty-three, Betsey Faulkner, daughter of Cornelius and Lucinda (Halsted) Faulkner — the former a substantial farmer, who came to Indiana from Rochester, N. Y., in 1819, and whose mother was a Schumacher, of Holland-Dutch descent.
To Isaac Abbott and wife were born fourteen children, viz: Mary, Hiram, Martha, Cornelius S., Lewis C. , William M., John A., LydiaA., Isaac M., Rebecca J., and Elizabeth C., and Sarah J. (the last two being twins), Marilla M. and Levi E. Of these children eleven grew to maturity and became heads of families, Sarah, Marilla, and Levi dying in infancy. Mr. Abbott remained in Dearborn county, working at his trade, until 1865, when he came to Boone county and bought a tract of land one mile northwest of Lebanon, and eighteen months later entered land in Meeker county, Minn. His wife died at Wilmington, Ind., in 1854, and he next married Rebecca G. Fleming, who bore two children, now living — Ella M. and Robert L. , and one child, Franklin H., who died at about fourteen years of age. Mr. Abbott died in Meeker county, Minn., May 4, 1872, at the age of 67.
Mr. and Mrs. Abbott were members of the Free Will Baptist church. In politics he was a free soiler and an abolitionist. For three years his house was a station on the "Underground railroad," which in that time safely landed thirty-eight dusky passengers in Canada. Fraternally he was a Freemason, a member of Boone lodge, No. 9, and was one of the charter members of Allen lodge, No. 165, at Moore's Hill, Dearborn county, Ind. He was greatly beloved by all who knew him; was a true patriot and sent four of his sons to the front to assist in the preservation of the Union, viz; John A., whose military record will be found below; Hiram, who served three years in an Iowa regiment; William M. and Isaac M., both of whom were three years in company K, Sixty eighth Indiana infantry, in which William was severely wounded at the battle of Missionary Ridge. Mr. Abbott was an intelligent man, and a very extensive reader, and gave all his children the best education his means afforded.
John A. Abbott was born November 5, 1839, in Dearborn county, Ind. He was educated in the common schools, in the county academy at Wilmington and at Moore's Hill college, and taught two terms of school. On June 5, 1861, he enlisted in company I, Thirteenth Indiana infantry, Capt. B. F. Myers, with Col. J. C. Sullivan commanding the regiment. The regiment left Indianapolis July 4, 1861, and joined McCIelland's forces in West Virginia on the loth, and on the iith engaged in the battle of Rich Mountain; October 3d, in the battle of Greenbriar; in November went on a scout of nine days through the mountains, carrying their supplies on pack-horses, breaking up the guerrilla band led by McCool and Bennett, and greatly encouraging the Unionists of that section; December 13 it was in the battle of Allegheny Summit, under Gen. Milroy; transferred to the valley of Virginia, it took part in the first battle of Winchester, March 23, 1861, and followed Jackson's forces up the valley as far as New Market; from here they marched into the Luray valley, and in May marched through to Fredericksburg and joined McDowell's army; but the second day after started on the return to the valley, on account of Stonewall Jackson's having driven Gen. Banks down the valley and across the Potomac. After the battle of Port Republic, the regiment was taken by transports from Alexandria, down the Potomac and Chesapeake and up the James, to Harrison's Landing, where it joined McCIelland's army after the seven days' fight. After the evacuation of of the Peninsula, it went to Suffolk, August 30, where it remained till the last of June, 1863, taking part in numerous scouts and skirmishes in the vicinity, and in the siege of that place by Longstreet. In July, 1863, it embarked at Portsmouth for Charleston, S. C, where it remained till February, 1864, taking an active part in the siege of Fort Wagner and Fort Sumter. In February, 1964, it went to Jacksonville, Fla., and from there to Gloucester Point, opposite Yorktown, in April. Here it was attached to Butler's command; went to Bermuda Hundreds, where it took part in every engagement prior to May 26th, at which time it was again sent to the army of the Potomac at Cold Harbor, where it took part in the unsuccessful assault on Lee's works; June 13th it again ascended the James river, landed at City Point, and, on the 15th, assisted in taking the outer works at Petersburg. All this time Mr. Abbott was with the regiment, except from May 30 to June 11, 1864, and was in every expedition and engagement in which the regiment took part, except the battle of Cold Harbor. He was promoted to second lieutenant June 1, 1863, and was discharged with his regiment at Indianapolis, June i, 1864. On the 26th of December following, he re-enlisted at Washington, D. C. , in company B, First U. S. veteran volunteers (Hancock's corps), was on detached duty in Washington city from January 11 to April 21, 1865, and witnessed the demonstrations of joy over the fall of Richmond and surrender of Lee, and of sorrow over the assassination of Mr. Lincoln. June 12, his regiment was a part of the guard at the hanging of Mrs. Surratt, and he was the sentinel immediately in front of the scaffold. The regiment was sent to Baltimore to relieve the Eleventh Indiana regiment in July, and company B went on duty as provost guards, at the old slave market; and here Mr. Abbott was discharged, at the expiration of his term, January 26, 1865.
Returning to Indiana, he came to Lebanon and attended the Presbyterian academy six months, and then studied law with Messrs. Cason & Harrison and Boone & Harrison, of which latter firm he became a member in 1871; but retired in 1873 to engage in the newspaper business, purchasing an interest in the Lebanon Patriot, the county organ of the republican party, of which party he was a zealous member. Five years of newspaper experience, covered the panic period from 1873 to 1878, served to bankrupt him, and he returned to the law practice in 1879. In 1888 he became a democrat, and in November of that year was appointed judge of the Boone circuit court, to fill a vacancy caused by the resignation of Hon. T. J. Terhune.
Mr. Abbott was married, March 22, 1868, to Miss Laura Williams, daughter of Eliphalet and Mary (Harding) Williams, at Lancaster, Jefferson county, Ind. To them have been born five children, viz: Edgar W. , Mabel, Gracie, Walter A. [1875-1946] and Edith. Gracie died in infancy. The others are living, and, with their parents, are members of the Missionary Baptist church at Lebanon, of which Mr. and Mrs. Abbott are consistent members, he having been its first clerk, and now being one of its trustees. Edgar W. and Mabel are engaged in teaching in the graded schools.
Gravesite Details
John and Laura are buried next to Mabel and Edgar Abbott.
Family Members
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