The name of Abbott is derived through the Syriac, abba, from the Hebrew, ab, meaning father. It has been applied to the head of a religious order by various races from early time, and finally became an English surname. There has been considerable controversy about the spelling of the patronymic, whether with one or two t's. Many have held that the single letter indicates the ancient form. Historical investigation would seem to indicate otherwise. Of the two hundred and eleven Abbotts, whose wills were filed in the courts in and about London during the fourteenth, fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, one hundred and ninety-five have signed their names with two t's.
Major Lemuel Abijah Abbott, United States army, who has recently written the valuable work in two volumes on the descendants of George Abbott, of Rowley, finds the same proportion among the signatures of the early American Abbotts, though he frankly says that he personally would prefer the single t, and always supposed that it was the original form.
The ancient English branch of the Abbott family lived in Yorkshire, and their arms were a shield ermine, with a pale gules on which are three pears, or. Above the shield is a closed helmet, and the crest is a dove bearing an olive branh in its mouth.
The Guilford branch in Surrey, which contains the most distinguished members of the family, have arms in which the three pears are prominent, but they are varied by the insignia of the bishop's office. The Guilford Abbotts present a remarkable record. Maurice Abbott was a cloth worker in the town during the sixteenth century, and his wife was Alice March or Marsh. They were staunch Protestants and people of undoubted respectability, but their own conditon gave little indication of the eminence to which three of their sons would attain. They were all contemporaries of Shakespeare, and their talents were of the kind brought out by "the spacious times of great Elizabeth." Robert Abbott, the eldest of the six sons, became bishop of Salisbury; George, the second (1562-1633) became Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, which gave him the rank of the first citizen of England; and Morris, the youngest, became a knight, governor of the East India Company and lord mayor London.
Of English Abbotts of more recent times, mention may be made of Charles Abbott, son of John Abbott, of Canberbury, who was made lord chief justice of England in 1818, and Baron Tenterden, in 1827. Another Charles Abbot, son of Rev. John Abbot, of Colchester (name with one t) was speaker of the house of commons from 1802 to 1817, when he was elevated to the peerage of Baron Colchester.
The Abbott family in this country has produced few people of world-wide fame, but according to Major Lemuel A. Abbott, previously quoted, the name has stood for "quiet dignity, consideration, kindness of heart and great suavity of manner." Many of the family have been farmers who lived for generations on their ancestral lands, a home-loving, law-abiding, peaceful folk; but there are many writers, clergymen, and college professors on the list. The writers number men like the brothers, Jacob and John S. C., and the clergy such names as Dr. Lyman Abbott, son of Jacob. Mrs. Sarah (Abbott) Abbott, of Andover, Mass., became the founder of the Abbott Academy, Feb. 26, 1829, the first school exclusively endowed for girls in the country. She was the great-great-granddaughter of George Abbott, whose line follows. Among other American who have the Abbott blood, but not the name, are Presidenty Hayes Abbott Lawrence, minister of the Court of St. James, and Bishop Lawrence, of Massachusetts. By a strange coincidence the three immigrant ancestors of this name bore the Christian name of George. The family herein traced is undoubtedly of the same origin, but no connection between them has been established.

(I) George Abbott, an immigrant from England, was in Windsor, Connecticut, in 1640, and was fined for selling ammunition to the Indians. He was in Hartford in 1647-48, and in 1653 became one of the original propretors of Norwalk. His home lot was situated in East Norwalk, where he died in 1689. His will, which was made in the latter year, was recorded March 11, 1690. The maiden name of his first wife, who was probably the mother of his children, in unknown. He married for his second wife Mrs. Johanna Williamson, of Boston.
His children were:
John.
Dorothy, married Darius Root.
Priscilla, married Mr. Slauson.
Mary, married a Mr. Jackson.
Jonathan.
George.
Daniel.

(II) George (2) sixth child of George (1) Abbott, the immigrant, was born in Norwalk, Conn., in 1669. His wife's baptismal name was Hannah _____.
Children:
George.
Ebenezer.
Jemima.
Benjamin, settled in Woodbury, Conn.
Samuel.
Hannah, married William Pearson.
Rebecca.
Israel, settled in Middletown, Conn.
Elizabeth.
Dorcas, who became Mrs. Beebe.
Daniel.

(III) Ebenezer, second child of George (2) and Hannah Abbott, was born in Norwalk, Nov. 3, 1730. He married Ann Lyon.
Children:
Abigail, born Sept. 13, 1731.
Ruth, June 2, 1733.
Abijah, Sept. 2, 1735.
Lois, Sept. 11, 1737.
Seth.
Ebenezer, Nov. 28, 1741.

(IV) Seth, fifth child of Ebenezer and Ann (Lyon) Abbott, was born in Norwalk, Dec. 23, 1739. He settled in Cornwall, Litchfield county, Conn., entered the continental army for service in the revolutionary war and was commissioned lieutenant. The records examined fail to mention the maiden name of his wife.
Children:
Seeley, married in 1760, Ann Jones.
Nathan, married Mary Dailey in 1757.
Abel, married Hannah Dibble in 1757.
Solomon.
Seth.
Daniel, who remained in Cornwall until 1787. (The name of his wife is unknown, but his son Daniel was baptized in Cornwall in the latter year).
Sarah: a daughter.

(V) Seth (2) fifth child of Seth (1) Abbott, was born in Cornwall, Conn., June 16, 1770. In 1792 he was a resident of New Lebanon, New York, whence he removed to Addison, Vermont, but in 1806 he returned to New York state and settled in Hopkinton, St. Lawrence county. He first built a log house near the brook, but, findint that it stood upon land belonging to Ashabel Squires, he abandoned it and erected a frame house upon a knoll some eighty rods to the west. Here he resided for many years. Although a severe lameness necessitated the use of two canes in getting about, he was nevertheless a very industrious man, attending to his farm work and doing the shoemaking for his entire family, which was a very large one. He finally sold his farm to Reuben Weels, moving to the Olin neighborhood in Canton, and some eight years later went to reside with his daughter, Mrs. Lucetta Peck, in Nicholville, New York, where he died March 30, 1845.
He married Sally Beebe, of Danbury, Conn., born May 10, 1769, died March 18, 1812, and for his second wife he married Elizabeth Webster, born March 12, 1784, died June 16, 1850.
Seth Abbott was the father of seventeen children.
Those of first wife were:
1. Jonathan B.
2. Samuel B., born Jan. 19, 1792, died July 6, 1878; married Hadassah Post.
3. Hannah S., Jan. 10, 1794, died March 12, 1855; married a Mr. Powers, Sept. 26, 1811; had ten children.
4. Seth, June 10, 1798, died Nov. 7, 1877; married Emily Cleveland, no issue.
5. Rhoena H., Sept. 13, 1800, died June 6, 1825, at Fort Jackson; married Eben Wright, who died in Michigan; she had two children.
6. Philo, Jan., 1803, died in infancy.
7. Sally, July 12, 1807, died May 26, 1848; married Luther Humphrey; had two children.
8. Lucetta, June 9, 1809, died Sept. 29, 1813. 9. An infant, July, 1811, died next day.
10. An infant, March, 1812, died in a few hours.
The mother's death occurred soon after, and she was buried with the babe in her amrs.
Those of second wife:
11. Lucetta, Feb. 3, 1814, died April 14, 1903; married Alphonzo R. Peck.
Mrs. Peck adopted the son of her sister, Mrs. Humphrey, and he was named Frank M. Peck.
12. Philo, March 22, 1815, died Jan. 10, 1897, in Greeley, California; married Adaline Chandler, and had twelve children.
13. Annie W., Sept. 26, 1816, died young.
14. Elizabeth, Sept. 8, 1817, died young.
15. An infant, who died young.
16. Webster, Nov. 18, 1821, died Dec. 31, 1878, in Vancouver, Washington; married Mary L. Coffey in San Francisco; had eight children.
17. Elizabeth, Feb. 17, 1824, died May 19, 1896, at Oshkosh, Wisconsin; married James Olin, of Canton; had two children.

(VI) Jonathan B., eldest child of Seth (2) and Sally (Beebe) Abbott, was born July 19, 1789. He married Duraxa Russell, who was born in 1794.
Children:
1. Emory W., see forward.
2. Caroline M., born Sept. 27, 1822, died Nov. 17, 1898. She married Charles V. Haile.

Jonathan B. Abbott died in Hopkinton, March 31, 1825, and his widow married for her second husband, Stephen Eastman. She died in Edwards, N.Y., April 20, 1885, aged ninety years.

(VII) Emory W., eldest child and only son of Jonathan B. and Duraxa (Russell) Abbott, was born July 26, 1819, in Hopkinton, N.Y. and was only five years old when his father died. His mother married (second) Stephen Eastman, and he moved with her and his stepfather to Edwards, N.Y., when thireteen years of age. In 1837 he moved to Little York, six miles above Gouveneur, where he was employed as clerk in the store of Justus Pickit on a contract for four years, receiving $50 per year, his board, washing and mending. He succeeded Mr. Pickit, who died in 1842, as proprietor of the store, and later purchased a farm of ninety acres in Little York. He moved to Gouverneur about 1875, when he purchased a home on Gordon street in that city. He was very well read, both in law and in the classics; served twenty years as justice of the peace, and was a member of the state assembly in 1856-57.
In October, 1839, he married Hannah S., born March 20, 1819, died Sept. 5, 1878, daughter of Justus Picket.
Children:
1. Henry, born in Fowler, July, 1840; settled in Gouverneur; married Harriet E. Phelps, Feb. 11, 1862, and has three children.
2. Justus Brayton, see forward.
3. Vasco P., born in Fowler, May 20, 1847; became a very successful lawyer, residing in Gouverneur; from 1880 to 1893 was surrogate of St. Lawrence county. Dec. 21, 1872, he married Anna E. Farmer and had five children, all of whom are dead with exception ofone son, Hugh, now [1910] residing with his father in Gouverneur and unmarried.

(VIII) Justus Brayton, second son of Emory W. and Hannah (Pickit) Abbott, was born Oct. 23, 1842, in Fowler, N.Y., and was educated at Gouverneur Seminary and Eastman's Business College at Rochester, N.Y. Early in life he went to Fergus Falls, Minnesota, and opened a general store there, and also at St. Cloud, same state, in partnership with his cousin, Justus Pickit. Returning to Gouverneur, in partnership with his father and brother, he engaged in the manufacture of woolen goods at Hillsboro, N.Y., also making up the goods into clothing, chiefly trousers, the mills being known as the Abbott Woolen Mills. In 1880 he removed to Spragueville, N.Y., where he conducted a general store under the firm name of Sprague & Abbott, and continued business there nine years. At the end of that period Mr. Abbott removed to Gouverneur where he engaged in the grocery business for two years. He was appointed postmaster at Gouverneur by President McKinely in 1900, and continued in that position until the spring of 1909, since which time he has been retired from active business, except that he manages extensive real estate interests, chiefly in farms owned by himself and other members of the family, the property lying in St. Lawrence and Jefferson counties.
He is a member of the Presbyterian church, of the Masonic fraternity and the Temple Club, and is a consistent Republican in politics.
He married, at Spragueville, May 5, 1864, Frances A. Wight, born Oct. 30, 1841, in Fowler, N.Y., only daughter of Abner and Clarissa (Shumway) Wight, of Fowler (see Wight VII).
Children:
1. Sherman Abner, born March 8, 1865, in Fowler, is connected with the lumber business in Salt Lake City. He married Mary Robb, of Rossie, New York, and they have three children, Hazel, Ruth and Robert.
2. Lester Henry, born Nov. 11, 1868, at St. Cloud, Minnesota; resides in Gouverneur, where he was for nine years employed in the postoffice, and is now in the service of Borden's Condensed Milk Company; he married, Feb. 14, 1895, Jennie Fitzgerald, and has three children, Harry, Ross and Hope.
3. Wight Vasco, metioned below.

(IX) Wight Vasco, youngest child of Justus B. and Frances A. (Wight) Abbott, was born June 15, 1877, in Gouverneur, N.Y., where he attended public school, graduating from the high school in 1896. He subsequently entered St. Lawrence University, from which he graduated in 1900 and immediately entered the New York Law School, receiving the degree of L.L.B. in 1902. In the same years he was admitted to the bar, but has not engaged extensively in practice. In 1903 he engaged in the surety business with Lawyers' Surety Company of New York, and later was employed by the American Bonding Company of Baltimore, as manager of the judicial department of its New York branch. For some tiem he was employed as a solicitor in the field, and in 1907 became manager of the New York branch of the Illinois Surety Company, in association with D. C. Mackey, in which they have established a very successful business. Mr. Abbott was a member in college of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity and is a member of the Republican Club of New York City, and teh Hamilton Grange Tennis Club. He resides in Manhattan, is a member of the Presbyterian church, and an earnest supporter of the Republican party in politics. He married, Jan. 28, 1905, Florence May Keene, born May 17, 1888, in Gouverneur, daughter of Colonel Hiram B. and Frances (Williams) Keene, of that city.
Children:
Hiram Keene and Frances Elizabeth Abbott.
[Transcriber's note: this material was published in 1910, so that any subsequent children are not listed.]

SECOND ENTRY

Walter Abbott, immigrant ancestor, was a 'vintner,' it is believed, in Exeter, New Hampshire, 1640. He is first mentioned in the Potsmouth, N.H. records, April 5, 1652, when twenty-one of the settlers, including himself, after selecting five "townsmen," signed an agreement relating to the distribution of land, etc., to abide by their decisions in the government of the settlement, etc. Prior to this the records of Portsmouth, settlement of which was first made by ten Englishmen in 1623, for the principal purpose of Indian fur-trading, were destroyed by the settlers when they thought them of no further use, so that the exact time of Abbott's arrival is unknown. He was assigned a one-acre lot, on which he doubtless lived in a log-house, as one is mentioned in the inventory of his estate. He was made a freeman, July 14, 1657. On Jan. 22, 1660-61, he was assigned ninety-nine acres more. On this date land was distributed to ninety-one settlers, only eleven others receiving more than he, two others the same, and the others less. This made him one of the leading proprietors in point of wealth. At the same time all the sons of settlers who had married, and all over twenty-one yeras of age, received about thirteen acres each. This share was allowed his eldest son, Peter. On Jan. 8, 1663, he and his wife Sarah sold a log-house and lot near the meeting house at Strawberry Bank for one hundred and nineteen pounds, fifteen shillings, one and a half pence. On Jan. 1, 1656-57, he had the "hole consent to keep an ordinarie as other ordinaries doe."..which doubtless meant that he was licensed to keep tavern in Portsmouth. He was highway surveyor in 1658; member of the proprietor's committee; selectman, 1664. In 1658 he subscribed fifteen shillings for the support of the minister.
His wife was Sarah _____, who married (second) Henry Sherbourne, of Portsmouth, whose first wife was Rebecca, daughter of Ambros Gibbons. It is supposed to have been Sherbourne's son who married Dorothy, sister of Lieutenant-Governor Wentworth, and was appointed councillor, 1728 and also chief justice. His will was dated May 16, 1667, and probated June 26, 1667, and his wife is named as executrix. To her he left his entire personal estate, and she was to pay all legacies and debts; to son Peter, "a double portion of my lands," to sons William, Walter and John, and daughters Sarah Willis, Mary and Elizabeth, five pounds each, in land; to grandsons Thomas and Joseph (probably sons of Thomas) and granddaughter Sarah Willis, forty shillings each. The inventory of his estate is date June 18, 1667, and consisted chiefly of one hundred and fifty-five acres of land and buildings valued at one thousand, four hundred and thirty-three pounds, three shillings, eight pence; a goodly estate for that day.
Children:
1. Peter, born about 1639.
2. Sarah, died before 1709.
3. Thomas, mentioned below.
4. William, probably died young.
5. Walter.
6. Mary, died before 1709.
7. John.
8. Elizabeth, died 1704.

(II) Ensign Thomas, son of Walter Abbott, was born about 1643, and lived in Upper Kittery, now Berwick, York county, Maine. The only documentary evidence in this country to place him is found in a York deed, which states that he was forty-three years old , March 25, 1686; also in an Exeter deed, dated Sept. 1, 1709, which calls him the "only surviving son and heir of Walter Abbott." He was probably the most capable and thifty of the sons, and was doubtless given his share of his fathre's estate before the latter's will was made, and therefore is not found mentioned. He was a prosperous speculator, farmer and miller. His first grant of land was sixty rods; also Oct. 12, 1670, fifty acres, and the same date, forty acres more; May 24, 1699, fifty acres. He sold eighty acres in Portsmouth while living at "Newchowannick" (now Dover), Sept. 1, 1709. Dec. 15, 1674, the town of Kittery laid out for him one hundred and ten acres at Sheets Corner, and the next day thirty-one acres joining John Green's land, and later nineteen acres joining his and his father's land.
March 1, 1679-80, he bought the homestead of fifty-four acres and buildings on "Great Newgewancke" Creek, Kittery; June 1, 1700, about fifty acres on which to build a sawmill; also one-sixth of the commonage falls and mills at Quemphegan Falls, Berwick. Sept. 3, 1701; more land and a mill site at Dover, Jan. 30, 1710.
He was appointed ensign to Captain Joseph Hamond, July 2, 1678, and was a member of the Upper Kittery garrison of ten men, April 30, 1690, and was wounded in an Indian fight in the Eastern Expedition along the coast of Maine, Aug. 7, 1691.
He was a member of the committee to build the meeting house in Berwick, 1701; was town meeting moderator Sept. 2, and 20, 1709, and was one of eight from the parish of Berwick to petition the general court for pecuniary aid for certain improvements; was foreman of a jury, no date; and grand juryman, 1693-94-95-96. He signed another petition to the council with others, Nov. 25, 1701, asking relief from duties imposed on vessels passing up the Piscataqua river.
March 27, 1700-01 he deeded to his son John twenty-five acres in Berwick, and Jan. 3, 1710, to his son Joseph, fifty acres of land in Dover, a sawmill site.
He married Elizabeth, daughter of John and Julia Green, of Kittery. He died about 1713, aged seventy years. His will was dated May 20, 1707, and probated April 23, 1713. His widow and sons John and Walter are named as executors. He mde bequests to his wife Elizabeth, sons Walter, Thomas, Joseph, Moses and John; daughters Elizabeth Butler, Patience Lord, Mary Goodrich and Hannah. The inventory of his estate was one thousand, two hundred and twenty-two pounds, fourteen shillings, six pence, which was large for that day.
Children:
1. Thomas.
2. Joseph.
3. Walter.
4. Moses; married Dec 27, 1696, Nancy Haley of Alfred, Maine.
5. Elizabeth, married (first) Thomas Butler; (second) Moses Spencer.
6. Patience, married William Lord.
7. John, mentioned below.
8. Mary, married (first) Josiah Goodrich; (second) Sept. 23, 1724, Jeremiah Sabens.
9. Hannah, married Ebenezer Tuttle.
There was probably another daughter who married Dr. Cook, of Boston.

(III) John, son of Ensign Thomas Abbott, was born about 1670, in Berwick, York county, Maine. He was a weaver by trade, and lived in Berwick. He was constable there 1710, and grand-juryman 1714. May 24, 1699, he was granted about fifty acres of land by the town in that part of Kittery which is now Berwick. He sold twenty acres, inherited from his father.
He married (first) Jan. 3, 1694, Abigail, daughter of Jonathan and Sarah Nelson. He married (second) Jan. 22, 1716-17, Martha Littlefield. His widow Martha bought an acre and a half of land in Berwick, Oct. 14, 1719, which was probably not long after his death. She was the administratrix of his estate, of which the inventory was three hundred and fifty-three pounds, four shillings, five pence. She received the personal estate, a third in his Quamphegan sawmill, and a third interest his Quamphegan sawmill, and a third interest in one hundred acres of land on Rocky Hill, Berwick, a third of the homestead farm, the property after her death to be equally divided among his children. This division was made May 13, 1720.
Children, born in Berwick:
1. Abigail, June 12, 1696.
2. Samuel, March, 1699.
3. Jonathan, Feb. 21, 1701-02.
4. Moses, Sept. 1, 1704, mentioned below.
5. Elizabeth.
6. Sarah.
7. Aaron.
8. Joshua.

(IV) Moses, son of John Abbott, was born Sept. 1, 1704, in Berwick. He is credited with the following colonial service: private, thirty-one weeks, six days, Captain William Gerrish's company, scouting between Lebanon and Saco river, March 5 to November 1, 1756; private, thirty-eight weeks, five days, Captain Humphrey Chadburn's company, March 5 to Nov. 30, 1760, fourteen days billeting house.

(V) Moses (2) son of Moses (1) Abbott, was born about 1740 in or near Berwick. He is called Jr. when serving in Captain Ichabod Goodwin's company in the French war, April 12, 1758. In the census of 1790 Moses Abbott, of Shapleigh, had in his family two males over sixteen and one female. There were also at Shapleigh, Moses Jr. with two males over sixteen and one under that age, and four females; Jonathan with one male over sixteen, five under that age and three females; also Samuel with one male over sixteen, two under that age and three females.

(VI) Moses (3), son of Moses (2) Abbott, was a soldier in the revolution, a corporal in Captain Daniel Sullivan's company, Colonel Benjamin Foster's regiment, in 1777, at the Machias alarm; also in 1780 in the force called out to protect Frenchman's Bay.

(VII) Jacob, son or nephew of Moses (3) Abbott, was born at or near Kennebunk, Maine, and resided at Shapleigh. He married (first) Susan Cook; (second) Eliza Mann.
Children of first wife:
Jordan, Sylvester, Jacob, Frank, Charles, Mary, Hezekiah and William.
Children of second wife:
Emma, Abbie, George, Rufus, Elizabeth, Fannie and Julia.

(VIII) William H., son of Jacob Abbott, was born at Shapleigh, Kennebec county, Maine, Nov. 7, 1839, died Oct. 1, 1898. He was educated in the public schools. He settled in 1861 at Little Falls, New York, and conducted a photographic studio there until his death. He was active in politics and prominent in public affairs. He was a Democrat, and was deputy sheriff of the county.
He married Nancy Dygert, born March 1, 1843, daughter of John and Margaret (Ethridge) Dygert, who were the parents of four children: David, Nancy, Mary F. and Margaret Dygert. John Dygert was born May 7, 1813, died April 18, 1878; his wife was born June 17, 1816, died April 26, 1897.
Children of William H. and Nancy (Dygert) Abbott:
Minnie Elizabeth, born Dec. 13, 1871; married Sept. 16, 1898, Harry Steele, children: Harold Adelbert, born Nov. 6, 1903; Marion Elizabeth, Jan. 15, 1905; Margaret Abbott, Aug. 18, 1908, Fred Elgin, see foward.

(IX) Fred Elgin, son of William H. Abbott, was born at Little Falls, New York, April 20, 1873. He attended the public schools of his native town, the Fairfield Seminary from 1889 to 1891, the Rochester Business College, 1893-94, the Clinton Liberal Institute of Fort Plain, N.Y., 1894, and from Jan. 1, 1895 to June, 1896, the Ohio Normal University, from which he graduated with the degree of L.L.B. He studied law for one year in the offices of Jones & Gilbert at Little Falls, but upon the death of his father succeeded him in the photograph business and abandoned the profession of law. He is a past regent of Rockton Council, No. 337, Royal Arcanum; a member of Little Falls Lodge, No. 405, Knights of Pythias; of Little Falls Tent, No. 333, Kngihts of the Maccabees; of the German Mannechor Society, also of the various photographic associations, including the Photographers' Assocation of America.
Mr. Abbott married, June 29, 1899, at West Martinsburg, N.Y., Elizabeth Revera, daughter of James M. and Cariline (Philio) Forbes. Her father was born at Antwerp, New York, Aug. 30, 1851, son of Francis Forbes.
Children of Fred E. and Elizabeth R. (Forbes) Abbott:
1. Anna Louise, Nov. 3, 1901.
2. Helen Forbes, Jan. 27, 1909.
[transcriber's note: this material was published in 1910, ergo more children may have been born to this couple].

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