Benjamin Abbott of Temple, Maine and his Descendants written by A. Louis Dennison printed in SPRAGUE'S JOURNAL OF MAINE HISTORY Vol XI pages 22-31 Contributed by Androscoggin Historical Society http://www.rootsweb.com/~meandrhs Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm BENJAMIN ABBOTT OF TEMPLE, MAINE, AND HIS DESCENDANTS (By A. Louis Dennison) At a meeting of the Nineteenth Century Club of Bangor in the winter of 1910, President Hyde of Bowdoin College spoke, on education. At the close of his address when questions were asked, Dr. Beach who was at the end of the table opposite the speaker, said, "President Hyde, I would like to ask you why it is, with all the improved methods, modern buildings, scientific apparatus, and curriculum, the colleges have sent out so few successful men compared with the red school-houses?" President Hyde replied briefly that it was not owing to the equipment or the curriculum of the district schools that they gave the world so many successful men, but it was due to the fact that those men when boys were brought up oil farms, where they had a routine of work to perform and were held to the rigid account of their time. Then when the world had need of men for difficult tasks, the young men who were fitted by character, strength, and intelligence crowded out those who were not. Their home training largely quali-tied them for successful action in life. Among the pioneer families of Maine representing most fully the class of men so pointedly characterized by President Hyde, the family of Abbott may well be chosen, for it has a, long line of noted descendants, men who by their ability and industry have excelled in law, literature, medicine, preaching, and teaching. Such as have received a college education, have in many instances been eminently successful arid have been respected leaders in the communities where they have lived. Butler, in his History of Farmington, says: "Few of the early families, with so numerous a posterity, have preserved so un-sullied a name as the family of Abbott. Not many have been called to important offices in the State (Maine), but in the quieter walks of literature and the pulpit they leave won en--via nd, their influence is cast on the ble fame. Wherever fou e of good morals and sound learning. The name probably sid occurs in college catalogues more frequently than that of any other New England family, and several hundred of the descendants of George Abbott are reckoned among the alumni American colleges. George Abbott, the emigrant, came to New England about 1642, and lived ill Rowley, Essex Company, Mass., till 1655, when he settled in Andover, Mass. Benjamin Abbott, a descendant of George Abbott in the sixth generation, was born March 17, 1770, in Wilton, N. H., In February, and afterwards resided in Greenfield, N. H. 1803, he moved to Temple, Franklin County, Maine, where he died Sept. 10, There was only one frame house in Temple at the time of his arrival. -Mr. Abbott was a man noted for veracity and fair dealing. His influence was always for the welfare of his town. Aa a matter of respect to his useful life and splebdid character he was called "the patri-arch." He married, Jan. 17, 1893, Phebe Abbott, fourth child of Jacob Abbott and Lydia (Stevens) Abbott of Brunswick, Maine, and a descendant of George in the sixth generation. Their fourteen children were: 1. Phebe Abbott (1794-1843) married in 1813, John Barker, M.D., of Wilton, Maine, and had four children: 1. John Abbott Barker (1814-1817). 2. Benjamin Fordyce Barker was born May 2, 1818, and died May 30, 1891. He married Eliza Dwight. He grad-uated from Bowdoin College in 1837, and received the degree of A.M. in M.D. course in 1841, same at Paris in 1845. He received the degree of LL.D. from Bowdoin in 1887, from Co-lumbia in 1878, from University of Edinburgh in 1884, and from that of Glasgow in 1888. He practiced in New York City, where he was Professor in Bellevue Hospital Medical College. He attended President Garfield when the best medi-cal skill in the country was demanded. 3. Phebe Florella Barker was born March 7, 1820. She married Charles Clark and lived in North Carolina. 4. Emily A. Barker was born May 10, 1824. She married A. Robertson, M.D., of Manchester, N. H. 2. Hannah Abbott was born in Greenfield, N. H., July 6, 1795. She married Reverend Enos Merrill, who was born in Falmouth, Maine, March 18, 1786, and died in Oxford, N. H., March 22, 1861. He graduated from Bowdoin College in ` there (1814-16), and from Andover Theologi, 1808, was tutor cal Seminary in 1813. Their seven children were: 1. Benjamin H. Merrill, born July 16, 1832. 2. Enos Abbott Merrill, (1824-1843) 3. Edward 1. Merrill was born July 15, 1826. He was a private in the Civil war, 17th Regt. Me. Vols. Inf., was mustered in August 18, 1862; was appointed Captain, and breveted Major of Vols. Ile served three years, four months. The Grand Army Post at Farmington, Maine, was named for Captain Merrill. 4. Hannah M. Merrill, (1828- 5. Israel W. Merrill was born December 16, 1830. He resided in Farmington, Maine, where he was treasurer of the Franklin County Bank for many years and an honored citizen. 6. George D. Merrill, (1833- 7. John S. Merrill, (1836-1840) 3. Dorcas Abbott was born in Greenfield, N. H., Febru-ary 25, 1797. She married December 30, 1817, Lafayette Per-kins, who was born in Boston, 1786, and graduated from Har-vard, M.D. course in 1814. He was in civil practice in Weld, Maine, (1815-36). He died May 9, 1874. Perkins Plantation was named for Dr. Perkins. Their six children were: 1. Charles James Perkins, (1818-43), was a gradu-ate of Bowdoin College in 1839 and practiced as a dentist in Upperville, Va., until his death. 2. John Warren Perkins was born March 17, 1820; he married Margaret Hunter, June 17, 1845. She died in 1860. He married (2d) Eliza Bellows, October 29, 1861. He was a clerk in his uncle's store in Farmington in his early life, and in 1843 was a member of the firm of J. W. Perkins & Company, Wholesale Druggists, Portland, Maine. He had six children, four by the First -wife, who (lied young, and two by the second. 3. Emiline Weld Perkins, (1822-58), was a teacher in Farmington. 4. Benjamin Abbott Perkins was born October 26, 1823. He married Augusta Bellows, who died in 1850. He married (2d) Sarah W. Beals of Portland. He was a drug-gist at Bangor, New York City and Portland. He had two children, Charles and Willis. 5. George A. Perkins was born in Weld, Maine, June 24, 1827, and died May 15, 1895. He married, 1854, Sarah E. Farrington. He graduated from Bowdoin in 1849, and from Bangor Theological Seminary in 1853. He was a Missionary to Marash, Turkey, (1854-59), was professor of Natural Science at Robert College, Constantinople (1863-65). He had three children, William A. Perkins, born in Brewer, November 26, 1861. He graduated from Bowdoin College in 1883, Andover Theological Seminary in 1888. Herbert F. Perkins, born October 18, 1864, graduated from Yale in 1887. Carroll A. Perkins was born November 17, 1870. 6. Samuel Edward Perkins was born November 7, 1830. He married in 1855, Alice T. Kendrick and lived in Farmington, Maine, where he was a druggist. 4. Salva Abbott was born in Wilton, N. H., Nov. 12, 1798, and died in Limerick, Maine, in 1867. She married Charles Freeman of Limerick, a graduate of Bowdoinin the class of 1812. He was pastor of the Congregationalchurch of Lim-erick 34 years. He died September 19, 1853. He had one son, Samuel Freeman, born March 17, 1830,graduated from Bowdoin in 1854, and was a druggist in Chelsea, Mass., for many years. 5. Benjamin Abbott was born in Wilton, N. H., August 10, 1800. 6. Lucy Abbott was born in Wilton, N. H., May 6, 1802. She was the second wife of Reverend John A. Douglas of Waterford, Maine. Their children were John A. Douglas, a physician of Amesbury. Mass., and Harriet E. Douglas, who was a teachers 7. A son born and died in infancy, 1804. 8. Lydia Abbott was born in Temple, February 19, 1805, and died in Farmington, December 26, 1883. She married John Titcomb of Farmington, February 19, 1828. He was a druggist and insurance agent at Farmington, held various town offices and died October 1, 1861. Their four children were: 1. Elizabeth Titcomb was born Nov. 28, 1828 and died in Brooklyn, December 9, 1891. She married her second cousin Benjamin Vaughn Abbott, brother of Reverend Lyman Abbott of Brooklyn, and son of the late preacher, teacher and author, Reverend Jacob Abbott of Farmington and New York City. In Butler's History of Farmington appears the following "Jacob Abbott passed his early life in Brunswick and Hallo- well. He fitted for college at Hallowell Academy. Ile en-tered the sophomore class of Bowdoin College when fourteen, and was graduated in the class of 1820. After leaving col-lege he taught a year in Portland and subsequently entered Andover Theological Seminary to prepare for the Congrega- tional ministry, and with the exception of several months in which he taught school in Beverly, remained at Andover till 1824. In the fall of 1824 he became a tutor of mathematics at Amherst College. The next year he became professor of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy, which position he held until 1829. From 1829 to 1832 Mr. Abbott was connected with the famous Alt. Vernon School for girls in Boston. In 1834 he became pastor of the Eliot church at Roxbury, where he remained two years. In the year 1832, he became interested in writing and publishing books to bring the facts of Christian life within the grasp of the young. These publications met with success and 9000 copies were sold the first year. 'The Young Christian' was sold in large numbers in Scotland, Eng-land, France and Germany. Three other volumes followed in the series with equal success. To these Young Christian books, thousands are indebted for their Christian faith. "In 1837, Mr. Abbott moved with his family to Farming-ton, Maine, where he purchased the Little Blue property and built a cottage. For six years he was engaged in literary work. His Rollo books. Lucy books and Jonas books were written there. Frorn 1843 to 1851, Mr. Abbott was a teacher in New York City. Between 1848 and 1872 one hundred and thirty books were written and published by him. He wrote and pub-lished in all two hundred eleven books. In 1870, Few Acres which had been his summer home, became his permanent resi-dence. The last years of his life he retired from active work. He died in October, 1879." The brief outlines of his outward life can do no justice to the strength and beauty of his inner life. He was a man of such a rounded character- that leading characteristics would be difficult to name. It may be said of him that he had a re-markable judgment, unbiased by prejudice or emotion. His success as a teacher was due largely to the fact that he could not be unjust to anyone. In his intercourse with his fellow-townsmen, he was a man of marked modesty, slow to express his opinions, but always receiving the opinions of others with deference. He was a good listener and made others feel that he was their debtor- foi- some fact or thought. He did not Mingle freely with the people of the village but people who came to his home were always welcome. Mr. Abbott married in 1828, Harriet Vaughn of Hallowell. She died in 1843 and he married in 1853, Mrs. Mary Dana Woodbury who died in 1866. His six children were all by' his first marriage. The eldest of them was the distinguished legal writer who married Elizabeth Titcomb. 1. Benjamin Vaughn Abbott graduated from the Univer- sity of New York in 1850, was at Harvard Law School 1851-52, was admitted to the New York bar in 1852. He personally drafted the penal code in 1865, which became the basis of the permanent code. He was appointed by General Grant, one of the commissioners to revise the U. S. Statutes, and in three years condensed the work of sixteen volumes of U. S. Statute Laws into one large volume. He compiled many digests of State and National laws, and alone or with his brother was the author or compiler of nearly one hundred Volumes.He lived quietly and took no part in public life. He united with the Plymouth Church, Brooklyn, N. Y. in 1854. He died in 1890, 59 years old. Mrs. Abbott was a graduate of Mt. Holyoke Seminary and had taught three years. Their four children were: 1. Arthur V. Abbott, born 1854, graduated from Brooklyn Polytechnic School as a civil engineer, and lived in cities where his work called him. 2. Edwin Dane Abbott, (1859-60). 3. Alice Dane Abbott, born 1861, was a teacher in Brooklyn. 4. Florence Vaughn Abbott, (1863-65). 2. Mary Titcomb was born December 9, 1830. She grad-uated from Mt. Holyoke Seminary in 1850, was a teacher there (1850-56), and taught at Rutgers Institute until 1861. She worked for the Educational Department of Harper Brothers, (1865- 80). 3. John Abbott Titcomb was born October 27, 1832, and died August 20. 1904. He married in Brooklyn, December 7, 1869, Virginia Chandler. He studied in Farmington Academy and Bowdoin College, but did not graduate. lie was a whole-sale druggist at Portland, Maine, until 1867. Then he went to Brooklyn, N. Y., and was a dealer in flour and grain. Their three children were: 1. Charles Chandler Titcomb, (1871- 2. Harold Abbott Titcomb, (1874- 3. Lelia White Titcomb, (1876- 4. Charles Titcomb was born October 22, 1835. He (lied at Farmington, September 4, 1859. He graduated from Bow-doin in 1855, and received the degree of A.M. He studied law and was admitted to the bar. 9. John Stevens Abbott was born in Temple, Maine, June 6, 1807. 10. Rhoda Abbott was born in Temple, September 26, 1808, and died there March 29, 1809. 11. Jacob George W. Abbott was born in Temple, Febru-ary 22, 1813. He married Mary Alden of Union, Maine. He was a lawyer, residing in Thomaston. His son, G. P. Abbott, was a Captain in the Civil War. 12. Abiel Abbott was born in Temple, December 28, 1809. 13. Abigail Abbott was born in Temple, June 20, 1815, and died in Waverley, Mass., June 1, 1857. She married in Temple, February 5, 1835, Hannibal Hamlin of Waterford. He lived in Waterford until 1840, in Union until 1842, and in Boston until 1861. He then entered the government U. S. Treasury department at Washington, D. C., where he died, November 16, 1862. He was a man of high character and a writer both in prose and poetry for the periodicals of his day. Their four children were: 1. Abbie Frances Hamlin, was born in Waterford, Oct. 22, 1837. She married in Waverley, October 14, 1857, Lyman Abbott, D.D. of Brooklyn, who was born in Roxbury, Mass., December 18, 1835. He was the son of Reverend Jacob Abbott and Harriet Vaughn Abbott. Dr. Lyman Abbott united with the Mercer Street Presbyterian church in New York City when 18 years of age. He graduated from Uni-versity of New York City in 1853, was admitted to the New York bar and practiced law with his brothers, Benjamin and Austin, but afterward studied Theology with his uncle, J. S. C. Abbott, the historian. He was ordained in the Congregational try in Farmington in 1860. The same year he became minis pastor of the First Congregational church in Terre Haute, Ind., where he remained till 1865. He was Secretary of the American Union Freedman Commission in New York (1866-69), and was also pastor there of the New England Congrega tional church. lie removed to Cornwall on the Hudson, where he devoted much time to literary work, supplying the pulpit of a Presbyterian church in the vicinity. From 1868-78, he edited the Literary Record of Harper's Magazine. From 1871-76,he was editor of the Illinois Christian Weekly after which he becamejoint editor of the Christian Union with Henry Ward Beecher. The paper changed to the Outlook in 1893. In Dr. Abbott's long career on the Outlook he was associ-ated with many famous men, among whom Theodore Rossevelt was perhaps the most notable. Those who were with Dr. Abbott say that his capacity for work was wonderful. His temperament, however, was one of moderation and sanity. He commanded attention by his sincerity and by a gift of clear and persuasive statement. Dr. Abbott was an ardent advocate of peace, but was no less an advocate of preparedness as a means of keeping peace. In 1913 the American Peace Society ousted him from membership because of articles that appeared in the Outlook and because he belonged to the Army and Navy League. He strongly backed war policies with Colonel Roosevelt and others. He signed a petition to Presi-dent Wilson to the effect that he was opposed to peace negotia-tions with an unbeaten and unrepentant Germany. He was decorated with the insignia of the French Legion of Honor in recognition of his services to France and the allies. He has been editor since the death of Mr. Beecher in 1887, and also succeeded him as pastor of the Plymouth church in Brooklyn, N. Y. Dr. Abbott was the author of a number of religious books, among them a "Life of Christ." He also wrote "The Result of Emancipation in the United States," "Dictionary of Re-ligious Knowledge," "A Study in Human Nature," "The Theol-ogy of an Evolutionist," "The Evolution of Christianity," "In-dustrial Problems," "The Spirit of Democracy," "America ill the Making," and 'Reminiscences" and "What Christianity Means to Me," published last year. He received the degree of LL.D from the University of the City of New York in 1877 and from Harvard in 1890, and Yale in 1900'. Dr. Abbot died October 22, 1922. Their six children were: 1. Lawrence Frazer Abbott, who was born June 25, 1859. He married Mary Campbell Valentine. He graduated from Amherst in 1881, was business manager of the Century and Christian Union until 1893. He is now President of the Outlook Company. He has one child, Dorothea Valentine Ab-bott, born October 25, 1894. 2. Harriet Frances Abbott, was born October 15, 1860, and resides in Brooklyn. 3. Herbert Vaughn Abbott was born January 3, 1865, graduated from Amherst College and is a teacher'He was instructor in Harvard (1888-98). Then he became Pro-fessor in Columbia University, and is now Professor in Smith College. 4. Ernest Hamlin Abbott was born April 18, 1870. He graduated from Harvard in 1893, and from Andover Theo-logical Seminary in 1896. He is assistant editor of the Out-look. 5. Theodore Jacob Abbott was born July 20, 1872. He graduated from Harvard in 1896. He took the M.D. course in College for Physicians and Surgeons in New York City. 6. Beatrice Vail Abbott was born February 15, 1875. She graduated from Vassar College. 2. Ellen Maria Hamlin, (1839-40). 3. Hannibal Hamlin, (1841-44). 4. Cyrus Hamlin was born in Boston, December 24, 1843. He married Lydia S. Hari-is. He studied in Farming-ton Academy and at Wabash College, Ind., and graduated from Union Theological Seminary, New York City. He was a pas-tor of the Congregational church, Bellows Falls, Vermont, 1868-73; Bedford Congregational church, Brooklyn, 1873-77: Council Bluffs Congregational church, 1877-84; Congrega- tional church, Beloit, Wisconsin, 1885-95. He has one son, Winthrop Abbott Hamlin, bornAugust 17, 1891. 14. Ezra Abbott was born in Temple, September 18, 1817, and died in Richmond, Maine, December 28, 1859. He studied at Bowdoin College, was admitted to the bar at Thom-aston, 1842. He never married. This completes the list of descendants of Benjamin Abbott The descendants of Asa Abbott who settled in Farming-ton, Maine, will be given in the next issue.