Absalom Bishop was born in the old Pendleton District, a former judicial district and county in South Carolina that existed as a county or a district from 7 Mar 1789 to 20 Dec 1826. Col. Bishop married Mary Tippens of the same county.
Colonel Bishop's early life was spent in merchandising in Georgia. He also became active in Georgia politics. In 1837, entered the Seminole War as a captain of the militia, and rose to the rank of Colonel. Colonel Bishop played an active role in the removal of the Indians of Georgia to reservations. For a time, he resided in Washington, DC, representing Georgia land claimants.
Later, he moved to New York City. There, he became a jeweler and gold pen manufacturer. After three-and-a-half years, he moved to Rochester, New York, where he formed a partnership with Thayer Codding, to produce the worlds first fountain pen, in 1849. Bishop and Codding were awarded a beautiful silver medal by the New York State Agricultural Society for the exhibition of a "case of superior new fountain pens."
Colonel Bishop arrived in Hopkins County, Texas, in 1852. For three years he ran a saw mill before joining the first comers to Wise County. He settled on Sweetwater Creek with the Blythe family in that year. In the following years, he became a major leader in the early organization of Wise County and the establishment of Decatur as the county seat. Among the pioneers of Wise County, he was considered to be the county's best friend and the "Father of Decatur."
Leading up to the Civil War era, he was a fiery Southern loyalist and egged on the enthusiasm of defense in Wise County. He fervently addressed the county secession convention and was doubtless one of the direct inspiration for service of such an unusual number of young men from such a sparsely settled frontier location. When the war began, he was in business on the northwest corner of the square in Decatur. As a means of displaying his sentiments, he posted a large Confederate flag his store front.
Colonel Bishop died at the residence of Colonel J W Booth, in Decatur, on November 30, 1883. Mrs. Bishop preceded him in death, January 29, 1879.
Colonel Bishop's broad experience and metropolitan background training "fitted him for the task of converting a raw territory into an organized form of government, as well as for assisting to mold the rough elements of a frontier life into the shapings of civilization." - Cliff Cates
Colonel Bishop's early life was spent in merchandising in Georgia. He also became active in Georgia politics. In 1837, entered the Seminole War as a captain of the militia, and rose to the rank of Colonel. Colonel Bishop played an active role in the removal of the Indians of Georgia to reservations. For a time, he resided in Washington, DC, representing Georgia land claimants.
Later, he moved to New York City. There, he became a jeweler and gold pen manufacturer. After three-and-a-half years, he moved to Rochester, New York, where he formed a partnership with Thayer Codding, to produce the worlds first fountain pen, in 1849. Bishop and Codding were awarded a beautiful silver medal by the New York State Agricultural Society for the exhibition of a "case of superior new fountain pens."
Colonel Bishop arrived in Hopkins County, Texas, in 1852. For three years he ran a saw mill before joining the first comers to Wise County. He settled on Sweetwater Creek with the Blythe family in that year. In the following years, he became a major leader in the early organization of Wise County and the establishment of Decatur as the county seat. Among the pioneers of Wise County, he was considered to be the county's best friend and the "Father of Decatur."
Leading up to the Civil War era, he was a fiery Southern loyalist and egged on the enthusiasm of defense in Wise County. He fervently addressed the county secession convention and was doubtless one of the direct inspiration for service of such an unusual number of young men from such a sparsely settled frontier location. When the war began, he was in business on the northwest corner of the square in Decatur. As a means of displaying his sentiments, he posted a large Confederate flag his store front.
Colonel Bishop died at the residence of Colonel J W Booth, in Decatur, on November 30, 1883. Mrs. Bishop preceded him in death, January 29, 1879.
Colonel Bishop's broad experience and metropolitan background training "fitted him for the task of converting a raw territory into an organized form of government, as well as for assisting to mold the rough elements of a frontier life into the shapings of civilization." - Cliff Cates
Absalom Bishop was born in the old Pendleton District, a former judicial district and county in South Carolina that existed as a county or a district from 7 Mar 1789 to 20 Dec 1826. Col. Bishop married Mary Tippens of the same county.
Colonel Bishop's early life was spent in merchandising in Georgia. He also became active in Georgia politics. In 1837, entered the Seminole War as a captain of the militia, and rose to the rank of Colonel. Colonel Bishop played an active role in the removal of the Indians of Georgia to reservations. For a time, he resided in Washington, DC, representing Georgia land claimants.
Later, he moved to New York City. There, he became a jeweler and gold pen manufacturer. After three-and-a-half years, he moved to Rochester, New York, where he formed a partnership with Thayer Codding, to produce the worlds first fountain pen, in 1849. Bishop and Codding were awarded a beautiful silver medal by the New York State Agricultural Society for the exhibition of a "case of superior new fountain pens."
Colonel Bishop arrived in Hopkins County, Texas, in 1852. For three years he ran a saw mill before joining the first comers to Wise County. He settled on Sweetwater Creek with the Blythe family in that year. In the following years, he became a major leader in the early organization of Wise County and the establishment of Decatur as the county seat. Among the pioneers of Wise County, he was considered to be the county's best friend and the "Father of Decatur."
Leading up to the Civil War era, he was a fiery Southern loyalist and egged on the enthusiasm of defense in Wise County. He fervently addressed the county secession convention and was doubtless one of the direct inspiration for service of such an unusual number of young men from such a sparsely settled frontier location. When the war began, he was in business on the northwest corner of the square in Decatur. As a means of displaying his sentiments, he posted a large Confederate flag his store front.
Colonel Bishop died at the residence of Colonel J W Booth, in Decatur, on November 30, 1883. Mrs. Bishop preceded him in death, January 29, 1879.
Colonel Bishop's broad experience and metropolitan background training "fitted him for the task of converting a raw territory into an organized form of government, as well as for assisting to mold the rough elements of a frontier life into the shapings of civilization." - Cliff Cates
Colonel Bishop's early life was spent in merchandising in Georgia. He also became active in Georgia politics. In 1837, entered the Seminole War as a captain of the militia, and rose to the rank of Colonel. Colonel Bishop played an active role in the removal of the Indians of Georgia to reservations. For a time, he resided in Washington, DC, representing Georgia land claimants.
Later, he moved to New York City. There, he became a jeweler and gold pen manufacturer. After three-and-a-half years, he moved to Rochester, New York, where he formed a partnership with Thayer Codding, to produce the worlds first fountain pen, in 1849. Bishop and Codding were awarded a beautiful silver medal by the New York State Agricultural Society for the exhibition of a "case of superior new fountain pens."
Colonel Bishop arrived in Hopkins County, Texas, in 1852. For three years he ran a saw mill before joining the first comers to Wise County. He settled on Sweetwater Creek with the Blythe family in that year. In the following years, he became a major leader in the early organization of Wise County and the establishment of Decatur as the county seat. Among the pioneers of Wise County, he was considered to be the county's best friend and the "Father of Decatur."
Leading up to the Civil War era, he was a fiery Southern loyalist and egged on the enthusiasm of defense in Wise County. He fervently addressed the county secession convention and was doubtless one of the direct inspiration for service of such an unusual number of young men from such a sparsely settled frontier location. When the war began, he was in business on the northwest corner of the square in Decatur. As a means of displaying his sentiments, he posted a large Confederate flag his store front.
Colonel Bishop died at the residence of Colonel J W Booth, in Decatur, on November 30, 1883. Mrs. Bishop preceded him in death, January 29, 1879.
Colonel Bishop's broad experience and metropolitan background training "fitted him for the task of converting a raw territory into an organized form of government, as well as for assisting to mold the rough elements of a frontier life into the shapings of civilization." - Cliff Cates
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