Gabriel W. Abell Biography


	This biography appears on pages 1585-1587 in "History of South 
	Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. II (1904) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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	GABRIEL W. ABELL, who is in charge of the South Dakota business of 
the extensive investment, banking and real-estate firm of Trevett, 
Mattis & Abell, of which he is an interested principal and which is one 
of the oldest and most solid and popular concerns of the sort in the 
Union, having had its inception in 1861 and having continued business 
consecutively since that time, with but few changes in the personnel of 
its principals, is established with headquarters in the city of Huron, 
Beadle county, while he controls a business extending throughout the 
entire eastern section of the state. He has at all times most attractive 
properties listed on his books and special attention is also given to 
the negotiation of financial loans on farm realty. Mr. Abell is an 
authority on land values in the northwest and elsewhere and stands as 
the local head of the firm of which he is a member, while he is known as 
one of the representative citizens of the state and as one worthy of the 
confidence and esteem in which he is so uniformly held. 

	Mr. Abell was born in Harding county, Kentucky, on the 7th of 
June, 1844, and is a son of Washington and Eleanor (Overall) Abell, who 
were likewise born and reared in that state, being representatives of 
old and prominent families of that favored section of the Union. Samuel 
Abell, the grandfather of the subject, was likewise born in Kentucky. 
The original American progenitors were three brothers of the name who 
emigrated hither from Wales in the colonial epoch, and the Kentucky 
branch of the family has been principally identified with agricultural 
pursuits during the several generations. The father of the subject 
followed this vocation and both he and his wife passed their entire 
lives in Kentucky. They became the parents of ten children, of whom 
three are living, while two of the number still maintain their home in 
Kentucky. 

	Gabriel W. Abell passed his youthful years on the homestead farm 
and received his educational discipline in the common schools of that 
section. At the age of seventeen years he removed to central Illinois, 
locating in Shelbyville, where he eventually engaged in the mercantile 
business and later in the farm, mortgage and bond business, becoming one 
of the prominent citizens of that section. There he continued his 
residence until November 11, 1882, when he came to South Dakota and 
located in Huron, which has since been his home and baste of business 
operations. He had previously become associated with the real-estate 
firm of Burnham, Trevett & Mattis, a large concern, with headquarters in 
Champaign, Illinois, and he came to Dakota territory as the 
representative of this firm, which already controlled an extensive 
business in the middle and western states. The firm was established in 
1861, as before noted, and at this time stands as one of the oldest 
banking and farm-loan concerns in the west, while the history of its 
business has since continued without interruption. On the death of Mr. 
Burnham, in 1897, the firm name was changed to its present form, and Mr. 
Abell continued in charge of the South Dakota branch of the business, 
having greatly expanded the interests of the firm in this section of the 
Union. He not only has jurisdiction in this state, but from the 
headquarters in Huron also controlled the business of the firm in a 
portion of North Dakota and the northern section of Nebraska. The 
business controlled now runs into the millions, and the subject has 
gained a high reputation as an executive, having ably and successfully 
protected the interests of his concern and those of its patrons in this 
section during the dark days of financial depression from 1893 to 1896, 
passing through the ordeal with flying colors and gaining new prestige 
for the old and reliable firm, whose entire history has been one of 
unqualified business integrity and honor. They own and control a large 
amount of valuable farming land in the state, as well as in Nebraska and 
North Dakota, while the Huron headquarters are established in a fine 
modern building of brick and stone, the same having been erected by the 
firm for the purpose, while in the structure are found the best of 
office accommodations for other business concerns and professional men. 
In politics Mr. Abell is a staunch supporter of the cause of Democracy, 
and he received the distinction of being nominated for governor of the 
state on the party ticket in 1902, but declined to make the campaign or 
to accept the nomination, feeling that his business interests would not 
permit him to give the requisite time to either the preliminary canvass 
or to the duties of the office in event of his election. He is a member 
of the Masonic fraternity, in which he has attained the Knights Templar 
degrees, and is distinctively popular in both business and social 
circles as well as in the coteries of public men in the state. He and 
his wife are identified with the regular Baptist church. 

	On the 22d of September, 1868, Mr. Abell was united in marriage to 
Miss Louisa Hughey, who was born and reared in Bracken county, Kentucky, 
being a daughter of Richard J. and Elizabeth (Fallin) Hughey. Of their 
children we incorporate the following brief record: Clara Elenor is now 
the wife of John L. Trincher, of Danville, Illinois; Pearl Louise is the 
wife of Rev. Marshall F. Montgomery, rector of St. John's church, in 
Aberdeen, who contributes the interesting chapter on the history of the 
Protestant Episcopal church to this work, being also chaplain of the 
First Regiment of the National Guard of the state.