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Last Name	Abbott Family
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Publication	The Eastern Gazette 3-28-1935 (LHC)
Obituary	LOCAL HISTORY COLUMN Edited by Mrs. Annie W. Murphy and Miss Mary R. Hamilton Contributors solicited Concerning Old Dexter Families ABBOTT:- The Paschal Abbott Branch concluded. We again quote Dr. Edward S. Abbott: "My grandfather, Paschal Abbott, started the second woolen mill in this country at North Andover, Mass. He failed in his business there and my father, Milton L. Abbott, came to Dexter when a young man and worked all his life in the office of the Amos Abbott Company. He was mar- ried about 1861 to Julia Sewall, daughter of Daniel Sewall who was a Congregationalist Minister. Daniel Sewall was one of the sons of Jotham Sewall of Chesterville, Maine, who was one of tlie"Pioneer Preachers" of the State, preaching not only in nearly all sections of Maine but also in several of the other New England States, traveling on horseback. In the story of his life it says that for three years he averaged to preach over 365 times each year, and that for seven years he never missed preach- ing on Sunday until one Sunday he was storm staid in Warren,Maine, in February, there being such a severe snow storm that he could not make his next appointment even on horse- back. It was his custom to preach three sermons each Sunday and they were not any little fifteen minute ser- mons, either. He says that one eve- ning he was much interested in his subject and found, much to his sur- piise, that he had talked two hours and forty-five minutes! Mother was a cousin of Prof. John Sewall, for many years connected with the Bangor Theological Semi- nary, and known to most of the stu- dents as "St.John." The marriage intentions between Mr. Milton L. Abbott and Miss Julia P. Sewall, both of Dexter, will be found in the Dexter records under date of October 28, 1861 and the cer- tificate was issued Nov. 2, of that year. "A few years after their mar- riage, they joined the Universalist Church, where they were both very devoted members all their lives, and father was Parish clerk for many years." Mr. and Mrs. Milton L.Abbott had two children, Edward Sewall Abbott, born in Dexter, July 22, 1863. Winnifred Wilson Abbott, born in Dexter, Dec. 28, 1867 and died in Biddeford, Feb. 7, 1912, aged 44 years 1 month and 7 days, a short life but beautifully lived. We quote Dr. Abbott again: "In 1868, father built the first house on Maple street, having to make a hole in an old stone wall to get the first load of lumber up, the land being a part of the ;Nathaniel Bryant farm." (This house is now owned by Henry P. Dexter.) "In the early eighties, father bought what was known as the "Bryant Woods" and cleared off the growth and cleared up the land, first as past- ure land and then as house lots on what is now Park street and Prospect street. In 1884 he built a large barn on the upper end of Park street and putting in a stock of cows run a milk farm there for several years. He also, in 1884, built the first cottage at Waldheim. He was the first President of the Dexter Loan and Building Associa- tion and held the office for many years. He was always very much in- terested in the Association. He was also a very loyal Odd Fellow." Milton L. Abbott died December 28, 1896. Julia P. Abbott died March 22, 1929. They are buried in the family lot at Mount Pleasant as is also the daughter, Winnifred. Edward S. Abbott entered the Maine State College, now the Uni- versity of Maine, in 1881, as a special student in Chemistry in the Class of 1884, and was there two years. In September 1883 he entered the Hahnemann Homeopathic Medical College of Chicago and was graduated in February, 1885. He went directly from there to Litchfield, Milinesota to locate. "Litchfield is about seven- ty five miles west of Minneapolis, and was in the wheat section, a county- seat and considered a well balanced Western town as it had eight Church- es and eight Saloons. It also had a brewery to back up the saloons but no Theological School to back up the Churches, so it always seemed to me that the saloons had a 'slight edge'on the Churches. Minnesota seemed a good ways off to my folks and they were anxious to have me nearer hone. So, father, hearing of an open- ing in Bridgton, Maine, did a little investigating and wired me that I better come East. So I was only in Litchfield about three weeks when I started for Bridgton, arriving March 25, 1885." Here Dr. Abbott was associated with Dr. Wesley B. Perkins for four years. Then Dr. Perkins decided that he would like to go to a larger place. He sold his house and his business tc Dr. Abbott and located in Malden, Mass. "In October, 1889, 1 was married to Grace Cook, the only daughter of Capt.Melville B. Cook and Annie Al- bee Cook of Friendship, Maine. My wife had been to sea nearly all her life, had rounded the Cape Horn seven times. The year before we were married she made a voyage around the world, sailing from New York in the Bark St. James to Japan and re- turning by way of Cape of Good Hope. On her father's side she was a direct descendant of Governor Brad- ord and her grandfather on her mo- ther's side was the Rev.Hiram Albee, a Methodist minister living in Hallo- well a good part of his life." Dr. Edward S. and Grace (Cook) Abbott have two daughters: Gladys Cook Abbott, born June 21, 1892, mar- ried Dr. Frank A. Chapman, a dentist, and their home is in Glen Falls, New York. She is a graduate of the Bridgton High School and Of Simmons College in Boston, where she took a four year course in Domestic Science. She also took a six months course Dietetics at the Peter Bent Brigham Hospital. Following this she was assistant Dietitian there for nine months and then went to the Glen Falls Hospital as Dietitian. After serving in this position a year she was married. Dr. and Mrs. Chapman have two childreii: Joyce Abbot Chap- man, born January 18,1919 and Frank Abbott Chapman, born May 30, 1922. The second daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Abbott, Charlotte Sewall Abbott, married Albert D.Norton and has one daughter, Barbara, born.oct. 18, 1918 Grace Cook Abbott died February 27, 1922, and since that time Char- lotte and her daughter,Barbara,have been housekeepers and homemakers for Dr Abbott. Dr. Abbott was granted the honor- ary degree of Master of Science in June 1897,by A.W.Harris,President of the University of Maine; and in 1912 the honorary degree of Bachelor of Science was conferred on him by President Robert J, Aley of the same University. Dr. Abbott says: "MY life has been just that of the country doctor for the last fifty years, during which time I have tried to make the passing easy for over five hundred going to the great beyond, and I have welcomed over seven hundred babies into this cold world." At different times Dr. Abbott has served as president and as secretary and treasurer of the Maine Homeo- pathic and Medical Society, also as president and treasurer of the Cum- berland and York Homeopathic Medi- cal Society. Dr. Abbott is a mem- ber of the American Institute of Homeopathy and the Cumberland County Medical Association, of which he has been Vice President. He is a member of the Maine Medical Asso- tion and at the present time he is a delegate to that Association from the Cumberland County Medical Asso- tion. He has served as President the local Board of Health and as school physician. However Dr. Abbott's interests have not been confined to the profes- sional side. He says "I was presi- dent of the,Abbott-Norton Company, Boots and Shoes, for about ten years. I was vice president, and for eight years president of the Bridgton Na- tional Bank, until it was bought by the Casco Mercantile Trust Co. For one year I was vice president of the Bridgton and Harrison R. R. I have been chairman of the Republican Town Committee for several years and am at the present time also vice president of the Forest-Pondicherry Woolen Company, a corporation that owns all the woolen mills in town. Am president of our local chapter of the Red Cross, president of the Bridg- ton Public library and president of the Northern Cumberland Memorial hospital. Am a member of the Ad- visory committee of the Casco Bank & Trut Company". Dr. Abbott adds: "And still one, of my friends from out of town wrote inquiring what I did in my spare time! Well, go fishing more than anything".