John H. Abbot, 1856?- [RG5403.AM]

NEBRASKA STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY MANUSCRIPT FINDING AID

RG5403.AM:  John H. Abbot, 1856?-

Correspondence:  1887-1898
Big Springs, Deuell County, Neb.:  Merchant, farmer
Size:  0.5 cu.ft.; 1 box

BACKGROUND NOTE

John H. Abbot was born and raised in Massachusetts. He came to Nebraska where from 1879-1883 he was a druggist in Osceola. Here he married Jessie L. Gunnell, May 16, 1883. After selling the drugstore, the couple moved to Big Springs, Nebraska, to homestead. John Abbot and Walter Kimball were proprietors of the business Abbot and Kimball General Merchandise in Big Springs, and Abbot was also a farmer. He was involved in politics and in establishing irrigation in this area.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

This collection is comprised of correspondence, 1887-1898, written by John H. Abbot to his sister Lucy Amelia Abbot Stevens (referred to as Amy in the letters), and to her husband Samuel D. Stevens. John also wrote incidental letters to George Abbot(?). Letters written by Abbot’s wife, Jessie L. Abbot, and daughter, Amy Abbot are also part of the collection.

John Abbot wrote descriptions of his observations of life around him. Topics include family; business and farming; economic and social life in Big Springs; what he was reading; weather conditions and their effects on business and farming; local, county, and state politics; establishing irrigation in his district; and his part in the selection of the county seat in 1889 for the newly established Deuel County.

RELATED MATERIALS

RG2351.PH – see photo 081:2-3 for a photo of the “John H. Abbot Druggist” establishment.

INVENTORY

Box 1
Folder

1. Correspondence, 1887
2. Correspondence, 1888, Jan.-Apr.
3. Correspondence, 1888, May-Dec.
4. Correspondence, 1889, Jan.-June
5. Correspondence, 1889, July-Dec.
6. Correspondence, 1890
7. Correspondence, 1891
8. Correspondence, 1892
9. Correspondence, 1893-1894
10. Correspondence, 1895
11. Correspondence, 1896
12. Correspondence, 1897-1898

Subject headings:

Abbot & Kimball (Big Springs, Neb.)
Abbot, Amy
Abbot, Jesse L. Gunnell
Abbot, John H., 1856?-
Abbot family
Big Springs (Neb.) — History
Big Springs (Neb.) — Social life and customs
Deuel County (Neb.) — History
Droughts — Nebraska
Farming — Nebraska — Deuel County
Frontier and pioneer life — Nebraska — Deuel County
Irrigation — Nebraska
Kimball, Walter
Local Irrigation Association (Big Springs, Neb.)
Pioneers — Nebraska — Deuel County
Politics — Nebraska
Stevens, Lucy Amelia Abbot

MJR/kfk   10-24-2002
Revised 10-28-2009   TMM