William Henry Abbott
(1838 - 1898)
There were several photographers named Abbott in the cabinet card era.
The one who worked in Little Falls, NY was William Henry Abbott. He
started in about 1863 in Buffalo, NY but soon moved to Little Falls,
NY, and remained there until his death in 1898. In Little Falls, NY,
he engaged in two partnerships, first with Mr. Gavin and then with
Fletcher W Law
Timeline sources: US census, city directories, newspaper items
1838 Nov 07
Shapleigh, ME, W H Abbott is born to Milo and Maria Abbott
1863
Little Falls, NY, US civil war registration as Daguerrian and artist;
res Elm below High
1870
Little Falls, NY, state business directory as photographer (no
address)
1874
Little Falls, NY, state business directory, as photographer
1875
Little falls, NY, NY state census as “Dentist” (probably a misprint)
1880
Little Falls, NY, US census as photographer; res 285 Monroe
1886
Little
Falls, NY city directory as photographer at 128 Main; res 318
Monroe
1889
Little Falls, NY, city directory as photographer with Abbott and
Fletcher W Law at 547 e Main; res 609 Monroe
1892
Little Falls, NY, NY state census as photographer; no addresses
1893
Little Falls, NY, city directory as photographer at 547 e Main; res
609 e Monroe
1897
Little Falls, NY, city directory as photographer at 547 e Main; res
609 e Monroe
1898 Oct 01
William Abbott dies at age 59
The studio name and same address were carried on by his son Fred E.
Abbott at least until about 1925 and then he moved the studio. He died
in 1944.
Records are fairly thin for W H Abbott. It appears he was partnered
with Fletcher Law in 1889 but it could possibly have been from 1887 to
1892. The cabinet cards here, imprinted Abbott and Law, would have
been finished at that time.
His obituary says William Abbott was also partnered with a “Mr Gavin”
but no documents were found to tell when this was.
The two cards imprinted with W H Abbott were probably done after that
time. The gold lettering and edge would indicate 1890 or after.
Some other photographers found named Abbott
Abraham Abbott of Manchester, NH
Benjamin Smith Abbott of Maine
Charles Abbott of Oswego, NY
Fred Abbott of Little Falls, NY (William’s son)
Jacob L Abbott of Albany, NY
Jordan H Abbott of Chicago, IL
Lida M Abbott (Miss) of Denver, CO
P E Abbott of Huntington, WV
Ralph R Abbott of Union Springs & Syracuse, NY
Robert A Abbott of Lincoln, OH
Robert L Abbott of Adams & Madison, OH
Sylvester C Abbott of Herkimer, NY
Walter V Abbott of Boston, MA
Wesley A Abbott of Lakeport, NH
And there are several others.
Not the one you were looking for? Here's the photographer's
INDEX by name.
All the Cabinet Card photographers of the 19th
century found in LOST GALLERY are listed there.
This is a work always in progress.
Additional information and new examples are always welcome. Any
additional information will help narrow the time that these precious
antiques were made.
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shadows.
Do not crop.
Leave a border around each card. The edges are
sometimes an important clue to the age of the card.
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use on this page, just let me know and they will be immediately
removed.
I am a descendent of Jacob L. Abbott, photographer from Albany NY and also Jordan H. Abbott who was in NY, but moved to Chicago. My great-great grandfather was "W.R. Abbott" (William Robb Abbott) a photographer in Opelika, AL, and I think the son of Jacob L. I am trying to connect the dots between my Abbott family members who were in Maine and New York and then moved to other areas of the country. I am curious if William Henry Abbott of Little Falls is a relative.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment. I always build a detailed tree on Ancestry.com for each photographer that I research. Of course, I look more at WHEN they were WHERE rather than WHO they were related to. I went back to that tree just now and found no mention of a W R Abbott or Jordan H Abbott. That does not mean there isn’t a connection; it just means I didn’t find the names during my search. Perhaps they are distant cousins. Good luck in your search. I know how frustrating it can be.
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