My Genealogy Hound

Below is a family biography from the book, History of Kentucky, Edition 7 by J. H. Battle, W. H. Perrin and G. C. Kniffin and published by F. A. Battey Publishing Company in 1887.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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HON. HENRY J. ABBETT, of Warsaw, Ky., was born in Philadelphia, Penn., January 27, 1811. His father, Jonathan Abbett, was a native of Montgomery County, Penn., and a farmer by occupation as well as a stone mason. He settled in Carroll County, then a part of Gallatin, in Port William, where he followed farming and stone masonry until his death, which occurred in 1822. He raised a company from Philadelphia for the war of 1812, and acted as captain. He married Eliza H. McDowell, a native of Montgomery County, Penn., and a daughter of William and Ann McDowell, natives of Pennsylvania. Six sons and two daughters blessed their union, of whom the subject of this sketch is the fifth child. William Abbett, the paternal grandfather of Henry J., was also a native of Pennsylvania, where he lived until his death; he was a member of the Quaker Society. The maternal grandfather of our subject served in the war for independence. Henry J. Abbett was reared by his uncle, and occupied his time principally as a mechanic; he was educated in Philadelphia, where he read law for two years, and was admitted to the bar in 1839, beginning practice at Warsaw, Ky., where he was one of Gallatin County’s ablest and most successful lawyers until 1882. In politics he is a Democrat, and takes an active part in all political contests; he was county attorney of Gallatin County for ten years; was twice elected to the county judgeship, holding the position eight years, and represented Carroll and Gallatin Counties in the Legislature in 1846-47. He was united in marriage, in 1841, to Mary J. F. Gill, a native of Virginia. Five sons have blessed their union, viz.: Robert, Henry, Emmett, William and Clarence. Mr. Abbett is a member of Tadmor Lodge, of the F. & A. M., at Warsaw; in 1832 was made a member of the I. O. O. F. at Baltimore, Md.; is a member of the encampment, and has represented his lodge several times at the Grand Lodge of Louisville. He has also been president of the Warsaw Deposit Bank since its organization.

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This family biography is one of 39 biographies included in the Gallatin County, Kentucky section of the book, The History of Kentucky, Edition 7 published in 1887 by F. A. Battey Publishing Company.  For the complete description, click here: History of Kentucky, Edition 7

View additional Gallatin County, Kentucky family biographies here: Gallatin County, Kentucky Biographies

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