Freestone County, Texas Biographies Biography of Joseph B. Abbott ( Jan. 15, 1840-Feb. 11, 1908, buried at Hillsboro City Cemetery) Source - A Memorial and Biographical History of Hill County, Texas Chicago, The Lewis Publishing Company, 1892 pages 268-270 Honorable Joseph Abbott HON. JO ABBOTT, an able statesman of Central Texas, is one of the popular citizens of hill county, and has made a record in the political history of the State in which his countrymen take just pride. In tracing his career it is to be found that he was born near Decatur, Alabam, January 15, 1840, and is a son of William and Mary (McMillan) Abbott, natives of Virginia; his father and mother were born near Petersburg, the father in 1773 and the mother in 1794; they were married in 1810, removed to Alabama in 1836 and resided there until 1853; thence they came to Texas and settled in Freestone county, where they remained until the mother's death in 184; in that year the father went to live with a married daughter in Limestone county, and made his home there until his death, which occurred in 1871; he was a soldier in the war of 1812, stationed at Norfolk. William and Mary (McMillan) Abbott had born to them a family of twelve children; two died in infancy, one at the age of twelve years, and the others grew to maturity; four of them are now living: Franklin C. resides in Callahn county, Texas; William L., at Rockport, Texas; Mrs. Margaret Adamson, in Williamson county, and Jo, the subject of this biographical sketch. Jo Abbott was reared in Freestone county, Texas, and was educated under the direction of the eminent scholar, Dr. Frank Yoakum, who then resided in Limestone county, and Prof. George F. Allison, who taught a classical school in Freestone county. He began reading law in 1859, and pursued this study until the beginning of the civil war, at which time he joined the Confederate army, enlisting in Company B, Twelfth Texas Cavalry; he was commissioned First Lieutenant of his Company upon its organization and served in the Trans- Mississippi Department; he was in the engagements at Searcy and Cotton Plant, Arkansas and Negro Hill, in Louisana, and Pleasant Hill and Yellow Bayou, Louisana. He was wounded at the last mentioned place and disabled for several months, but rejoinedhis command and was with it until the close of the war. He returned home after the surrendr and resumed his leal studies which had been for so long abandoned. He entered the office of Major L. J. Farrar, at Springfield, Limestone county, and received instructions from him and the Hon. D. M. Pendergast; in 1866 he was admitted to the bar by Judge Robert S. Gould, of the Thirteenth Judical District, who was afterwards Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. He began practice with his old preceptor, Major Farrar, remaining in Limestone county one year; at that time the courts of that county were disorganized under reconstruction measures; so he left, going to the western counties in search of other employment. He came to Hill county in 1867, and taught a school here for five months, having made a tour of four or five other counties. The courts of Hill county were disorganized only a short time, and he was enabled to resume the practice of his profession there in 1868. He devoted himself to legal work in Hillsboro for many years, and from the first enjoyed a lucrative practice. Recognizing his ability and peculiar fitness for legaislative labors, the people of his county elected him a member of the Assembly in 1869, and he served during 1870-71. He was chairman of the Democratic Executive Committee of Hill county for a number of years. In February, 1879, he was appointed by Governor O. M. Roberts, Judge of the Twenty-eighth Judical District, composed of the counties of Hill, Johnson and Bosque; he held this position until November, 1880, at which time he was elected to the same office for a term of four years, which he filled very acceptably. His appointment was to a newly created district. In 1886 he received the unanimous endorsement of his own bar and the bar of a number of the counties in Central and Northern Texas for a vacancy on the Supreme Bench caused by the death of one of the members of that body. Although he developed considerable strength and received a very flattering vote, he was unsuccessful before the Convention. A month later, however, in September, 1886, he received the nomination for Congress from his Congressional District, was elected, and has been twice re-elected. He received at his last election 29,982 votes against 5,001 for his opponents. Judge Abbott achieved a high reputation as a lawyer as well as a judge to which he has added in no small degree as a legislator. As a lawyer, he is noted for his patient and presevering industry; he is gentle and conciliatory in manner, is a skillful logician and a smooth and graceful speaker. Upon the bench he was distinguished for the same indsutry which he showed as a lawyer; his opinions were noted for their profound legal learning; his instructions were always full, accurate and delivered with a calmness and deliberation worthy of his high and responsible position. As a legislator he has steadily grown in favor with his constituents. His career in Congress is more or less familiar to the people of Texas, and has so far been very satisfactory, as is proven by the repeated endorsements which he has received. He is a Democrat and stands high in the councils of his party, being an able champion of its principles on the public platform. December 15, 1868, Judge Abbott was united in marriage with Miss Rowena Sturgis, a daughter of James W. L. and Martha Strugis, and a sister to George F. and W. W. Sturgis, of Hillsboro, sketches of whom appear in this work.