Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Abbott - The Great Mystery

My great-grandmother was married before she met my great-grandfather. Cora Hines was married to an Abbott. No one remembered his first name and I have not been able to find it. They could have married in Illinois, Ohio or possibly Switzerland, Jackson or Washington Counties in Indiana at an unknown date.

She was born March 8, 1870 in Cumberland County, Illinois. She married George Thomas "Old Tom" Jaynes September 11, 1896, at age 26. So sometime before that she married Mr. Abbott.
She had 2 children with Mr. Abbott. A daughter, Edna Catharine "Katy" Abbott was born May 9, 1892. She lived to be the ripe old age of 42, when she died of TB. I don't know whether their other child was born first or last. His name was Percy Abbott. He was said to be a sickly child, always weak and tired. The story was that he simply lay down on the floor one day and died. I have not found any evidence of the actual existance of this child. But he did exist.

A great-aunt said that both children were buried in Washington County, IN but Katy is buried beside her husband in Seymour, Jackson County, IN. So I have no idea where Percy was born, lived, died or buried. Very frustrating.

Cora and her parents lived for some time in Switzerland County, Indiana. They were George Washington and Agnes Joyce/Joice Hines. They both died in Neoga, Cumberland County, Illinois.

The only clue I have is a note I made many years ago. All it says is:

Seymour Weekly Democrat
Nov. 20, 1897
Percy Abbott

The library did not have that issue on microfilm. Is this about my Percy? I truly wish I had done a better job of sourcing my notes in those days. Let it be a lesson to all! You will not remember what it means and where you got it after 20 years has passed!!

At any rate the date would be about right. She was married to "Old Tom" when the child died.

Any Abbotts out there from the Illinois, Indiana, Ohio area?


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3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hello,
I don't know if I have talked with you before,but this is something that might be a clue for you to search.I had a grfather who was born in Sandusky,ohio.
The name Harold Bowhall....raised by
cora and carlton Bowhall.
His birth mother was Amelia Abbott
Taylor.
You see,the Bowhall's raised him for 9 yrs.they took him from the orphans home at birth.
I can't ever find any record of his birth...she had land in Sandusky and gave it to a brother
Charles Marquart.I know this is alot to read and understand all at once,try to be me.ha ha
If you like,you can write back to me at tollnan@aol.com.
I also am on ancestry.com
I have seen you on it as well.
Thanks for taking the time to read this and maybe it can help the two of us in some way. nan

JamaGenie said...

The WPA Deaths for 1882-1920 list a "Male ABBOTT" who died 11/20/1897 in Seymour, Jackson Co, IN.

I found this at:
http://www.ingenweb.org/injackson/deaths/wpaa.htm

Thai has to be Percy. At least you know when and where he died. If you could find the newspaper and date on the note, I'll bet it tells who his parents were. Surely it's on microfilm *somewhere*.

Patti Browning said...

I am sure you've thought of it but you didn't mention it (so I thought I would just in case, ha!) but perhaps you could find a death certificate for Edna Catharine Abbott? Surely it would list her parents....

I am also sure you're aware that the courthouse in Cumberland County IL burned to the ground in 1885. If Cora and this Abbott were married in Cumberland County before then -- which is a bit of a stretch given she would have only been 15 -- then this might explain the missing marriage.

I enjoy your blog!

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