Surname: ABBOTT Source: Biographical Review Life Sketches of Leading Citizens of Middlesex County, Massachusetts 1898 Biographical Review Publishing Company - Boston "Who among men art thou, and thy years how many, good friend?" - Xenophanes. p.109 John Abbott, a prominent machinist of Waltham, MA was born in Billerica, MA in 1805. He was the youngest son of James and Mehitable (Holt) Abbott, and a lineal descendant of George Abbott, who settled at Andover, MA in 1643, and the roll of whose numerous posterity in- cludes many distinguished names. George Abbott married Hannah Chandler; and their son, Nathaniel, the twelfth of a family of thirteen child- ren was the father of Joseph Abbott who married Deborah Blanchard, had fourteen children and spent his last days at Wilton, N.H. where he died in 1787. His son, Joseph Abbott, Jr., grandfather of the subject of our sketch, was a farmer at Andover, MA and later in life in South- ern New Hampshire. He married Mary Barker and was the father of seven children, the third being James Abbott above named, a merchant at Billerica, born at Andover, MA in 1768. James Abbott married Mehitable Holt, daughter of Daniel and Mehitable (Putnam) Holt, of Andover, MA. and Wilton, N.H. He was town clerk of Billerica in 1797 and Representative to the General Court of MA in 1803. He died in 1810, when his son John was about five years old. Mrs. Mehitable (Holt) Abbott who was a worthy and capable woman, removed after her husband's death to Milford, N.H. She lived to the age of ninety-nine years. John Abbott was educated in Milford, N.H., and learned his trade in Waltham. He eventually engaged in business for himself, employing at one time over one hundred work men, among his apprentices in his shop being Nathaniel Banks. Mr. Abbott was at a later period engaged in setting up machinery in several cotton-mills in Lowell; and he also superintended the equipment of mills in Orono, ME. He was recalled to Waltham by the offer of a large salary, and resided here until his death, which occurred in 1842, at the age of thirty-seven years. He was a Democrat in politics, was elected Representative to the legislature from Waltham in 1841 and served during the session of 1842. Failing health caused him to decline a renomination, and he was succeeded by Nathaniel P. Banks. Mr. Abbott was survived by his wife, the former Olive Haynes, whom he married in 1832, and a daughter, Clara. Mrs. Abbott was born in Sudbury, MA April 11, 1811, daughter of Josiah and Lydia (Conant) Haynes, her mother a native of Concord, MA. Mrs. Abbott's paternal grandfather, Jason Haynes, and his father, Josias Haynes took part in the famous Concord fight on the 19th of April, 1775; and her father, Josiah Haynes, who was then but a young boy, ever after remembered listening, with the anxious women and children of the neighborhood who had gathered at their house, to the distant firing. A gun that Jason Haynes took from a British soldier whom he had shot, was long kept at the homestead. After the death of her husband, Mrs. Abbott carried on the millinery business in company with her sister, for about fifteen years. In 1898 she still resided in Waltham, MA. Her daughter, Clara was educated in the public schools of Waltham, including the high school, and in the State Normal School at West Newton. She subsequently taught school in Waltham, Waverly and Newton, being thus engaged upward of twenty years. Miss Abbott was a member of the Emerson-Browning Club, and both she and her mother had been members of the corporation of the Leland Home for Aged Women since its organization. They were also connected with the Waltham Woman's Club and the Waltham branch of the Women's Alliance. They were members of the Unitarian Church as was the late Mr. Abbott. Transcribed by Janice Farnsworth

Hi Janice, In the 1980's, I had the pleasure of meeting and visiting with Sidney and Caroline ABBOTT who lived in Billerica for most of their lives (at least Caroline did). They also lived in the historic home, "The Sabbath Day House," in the Center.* They met while both being members of the "Nashua Symphony Orchestra." They were a well-educated, well-read, very talented, very hospitable couple. Unfortunately, I never got to visit them a second time (due to my stressful life). I'm not recalling Caroline's "heritage" at this second (6:30 am RAINY Sunday), but she came from Andover families. This is mentioned in a 2-page document they published on the "Sabbath Day House." But, I have never come up with a page describing Sidney ABBOTT's "heritage." I "assume" he was from a local family. (They have both now passed, and one of their children continues to live in the home. But, they do not have the interest in history that Sidney and Caroline did !) Betty (near Lowell, MA) ----- Original Message ----- From: <Farns10th@aol.com> To: <MAMIDDLE-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, May 13, 2006 11:11 AM Subject: John Abbott b. 1805 Billerica, Mass. son of James & Mehitable Holt Abbott. > Surname: ABBOTT > Source: Biographical Review > Life Sketches of Leading Citizens of Middlesex > County, Massachusetts 1898 Biographical Review > Publishing Company - Boston > > "Who among men art thou, and thy years how many, good > friend?" - Xenophanes. > p.109 > John Abbott, a prominent machinist of Waltham, MA > was born in Billerica, MA in 1805. He was the youngest > son of James and Mehitable (Holt) Abbott, and a lineal > descendant of George Abbott, who settled at Andover, MA > in 1643, and the roll of whose numerous posterity in- > cludes many distinguished names. > > George Abbott married Hannah Chandler; and their son, > Nathaniel, the twelfth of a family of thirteen child- > ren was the father of Joseph Abbott who married Deborah > Blanchard, had fourteen children and spent his last days > at Wilton, N.H. where he died in 1787. His son, Joseph > Abbott, Jr., grandfather of the subject of our sketch, > was a farmer at Andover, MA and later in life in South- > ern New Hampshire. He married Mary Barker and was the > father of seven children, the third being James Abbott > above named, a merchant at Billerica, born at Andover, > MA in 1768. James Abbott married Mehitable Holt, > daughter of Daniel and Mehitable (Putnam) Holt, of > Andover, MA. and Wilton, N.H. > > He was town clerk of Billerica in 1797 and Representative > to the General Court of MA in 1803. He died in 1810, > when his son John was about five years old. Mrs. > Mehitable (Holt) Abbott who was a worthy and capable > woman, removed after her husband's death to Milford, > N.H. She lived to the age of ninety-nine years. > > John Abbott was educated in Milford, N.H., and learned > his trade in Waltham. He eventually engaged in business > for himself, employing at one time over one hundred work > men, among his apprentices in his shop being Nathaniel > Banks. Mr. Abbott was at a later period engaged in > setting up machinery in several cotton-mills in Lowell; > and he also superintended the equipment of mills in > Orono, ME. He was recalled to Waltham by the offer of > a large salary, and resided here until his death, which > occurred in 1842, at the age of thirty-seven years. He > was a Democrat in politics, was elected Representative > to the legislature from Waltham in 1841 and served > during the session of 1842. Failing health caused him > to decline a renomination, and he was succeeded by > Nathaniel P. Banks. > > Mr. Abbott was survived by his wife, the former Olive > Haynes, whom he married in 1832, and a daughter, Clara. > Mrs. Abbott was born in Sudbury, MA April 11, 1811, > daughter of Josiah and Lydia (Conant) Haynes, her > mother a native of Concord, MA. Mrs. Abbott's paternal > grandfather, Jason Haynes, and his father, Josias Haynes > took part in the famous Concord fight on the 19th of > April, 1775; and her father, Josiah Haynes, who was then > but a young boy, ever after remembered listening, with > the anxious women and children of the neighborhood who > had gathered at their house, to the distant firing. A > gun that Jason Haynes took from a British soldier whom > he had shot, was long kept at the homestead. > > After the death of her husband, Mrs. Abbott carried on > the millinery business in company with her sister, for > about fifteen years. In 1898 she still resided in > Waltham, MA. Her daughter, Clara was educated in the > public schools of Waltham, including the high school, > and in the State Normal School at West Newton. She > subsequently taught school in Waltham, Waverly and > Newton, being thus engaged upward of twenty years. > Miss Abbott was a member of the Emerson-Browning Club, > and both she and her mother had been members of the > corporation of the Leland Home for Aged Women since > its organization. They were also connected with the > Waltham Woman's Club and the Waltham branch of the > Women's Alliance. They were members of the Unitarian > Church as was the late Mr. Abbott. > > Transcribed by Janice Farnsworth > > ______________________________