Person Page - 176

     Sarah Jane ABNEY, daughter of Paul Collins ABNEY and Margaret Elvira Fullerton, was born on 24 November 1848 in Rankin County, Mississippi.

Sarah Jane ABNEY died on 2 December 1927 in Lufkin, Angelina County, Texas, at age 79.

Her obituary appeared 3 December 1927 in the The Lufkin Daily News, published in Lufkin, Texas. Mrs. Sarah Jane McMullen, widow of the late E. H. F. McMullen, died yesterday afternoon of heart failure while visiting in the home of her daughter, Mrs. Rosa Bonner. The deceased was a sister of the late W. A. Abney. She is survived by three daughters, Medsdames D. A. Singleton, Tom Bonner and Ellie Davis, all of Lufkin; two sons, Reed McMullen, vice-president of Trinity State Bank; Clarence McMullen, Seward, Alaska. She was buried in Glendale Cemetery.

     Cary Collins ABNEY, son of Paul Collins ABNEY and Margaret Elvira Fullerton, was born on 27 May 1871 in Homer, Angelina County, Texas.

Cary Collins ABNEY died on 15 February 1899 in Texas at age 27. He was buried in Oak Wood Cemetery, Whitesboro, Grayson County, Texas.

     Hampton Parton ABNEY, son of Paul Collins ABNEY and Margaret Elvira Fullerton, was born on 3 February 1869 in Lufkin, Angelina County, Texas. He was also known as Hamp. He was an attorney.

His obituary appeared 13 September 1938 in the Sherman Democrat, published in Sherman, Texas. The following is paraphrased from the obituary that appeared page 1.

A practicing attorney here for many years, Hamp Parton Abney, 69, died suddenly at 2:30 a.m. Tuesday at his residence, 918 South Travis, Sherman, Texas.

Funeral services will be held Wednesday at 3 p.m. at the Travis Street Methodist church, with Dr. V. A. Godbey of Henderson, a brother-in-law, officiating, assisted by Dr. H. G. Ryan, pastor. Interment will be in the mausoleum at the West Hill Cemetery, directed by Dannel-Scott. The body will be taken to the church at 1 p.m.

Surviving are his widow; two daughters, Mrs. William S. Bradley and Mrs. Ike P. Robinson, both of Dallas, Texas; three brothers, Dr. J. A. Abney of Brownwood, Texas. P. C. Abney of Dallas and Frank Abney, of Perrytown, Texas; one sister, Mrs. Addie Moore of Tyler, Texas and four grandchildren. A son, Hamp Abney Jr., died in 1935.

Mr. Abney was born Feb. 3, 1869, in Lufkin, Texas, the son of P.C. and Margaret Abney, who moved to Texas in 1852 from Mississippi. His father was a Confederate Soldier. Mr. Abney came to Grayson county June 30, 1895, residing for several years at Whitesboro, Texas, where he married Miss Jeanette Marshall, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Marshall of Whitesboro. With his family he had resided continuously in Sherman since 1903.

Mr. Abney was an alumnus of Southwestern University at Georgetown. He studied law in a private office and was examined and licensed to practice at Rusk. His first law partnership was with Judge Joseph I. Perkins at Rusk, under the firm name of Perkins and Abney. After coming to Sherman he was associated with the late Judge B. L. Jones, formerly judge of the court of civil appeals in Dallas, under' the name of Abney and Jones.

His next law connection was with the late Judge W. W. Wilkins' and Jeff. W. Hassell, now a practicing attorney of Dallas, the firm name being Wilkins, Abney and Hassell. At the death of Judge Wilkins the firm was known as Abney and. Hassell. For the past several years Mr. Abney, has conducted a private law office in Sherman.

A democrat, Mr. Abney in 1916 was an elector at large and served on the staff of Ex-Governor W.P. Hobby of Texas. He served the city of Sherman as attorney from 1916 to 1926.

Before coming to Grayson county Mr. Abney was associated with W. M. Imboden in publishing the Rusk Herald.

Mr. Abney was a member of the Travis Street church and had served as a member of the board of stewards for many years.

Mr. Abney in February 1934, was presented by Rep. Sam Rayburn of Bonham, Texas before the Supreme Court of the United States, and had the privilege of practicing before that body.

Hampton Parton ABNEY died on 13 September 1938 in Sherman, Grayson County, Texas, at age 69. He was buried in West Hill Cemetery, Sherman, Texas.

     Emily Zerphina ABNEY, daughter of Paul Collins ABNEY and Margaret Elvira Fullerton, was born on 3 August 1866 in Homer, Angelina County, Texas. She was also known as Emma.

Emily Zerphina ABNEY died on 23 February 1921 in Palestine, Anderson County, Texas, at age 54. She was buried in Glendale Cemetery, Lufkin, Angelina County, Texas.

     John Edgar ABNEY, son of Paul Collins ABNEY and Margaret Elvira Fullerton, was born in August 1865 in Homer, Angelina County, Texas. He was a farmer and stockman.

John married Clara P. Easter on 2 July 1890 in Robertson County, Texas.

John Edgar ABNEY died on 16 September 1907 in Denison, Grayson County, Texas, at age 42. He was buried in Oak Wood Cemetery, Whitesboro, Grayson County, Texas.

     Adaline Juliette ABNEY, daughter of Paul Collins ABNEY and Margaret Elvira Fullerton, was born on 12 June 1863 in Homer, Angelina County, Texas. She was also known as Addie.

Adaline Juliette ABNEY died on 19 January 1958 in Smith County, Texas, at age 94. She was buried in Rose Hill Cemetery, Tyler, Smith County, Texas. Section E, Lot 167.

     Almonta Huling Bartlett was born on 3 December 1846 in Jasper County, Texas.¹

Following the Civil War in 1865, Monte's father, Thomas B. Huling, an early settler and one of the citizens who signed a petition to make Lampasas a county, died. His widow, Elizabeth, was left with six children and a large estate to administer. A daughter, Almonte ‘Monte’ (1846-1922) had two older sisters: Isabella ‘Bell’ and Rebecca, and four younger brothers: William ‘Dick’, John, Mark, and Proctor.

In 1859, Monte and her older sisters were sent to school in Austin, and Bell wrote to her mother in Lampasas complaining of Monte’s conduct. Bell wrote, “I want you to write to her and tell her she must behave herself. She quarrels here before the boarders and will disgrace herself if she don’t quit it, and I have told her of it and talked to her and it don’t do any good.”
:TAB:When Monte was a young girl, one of her favorite things to do was ride horseback and race with her brother, Dick. One of these rides turned into a life-threating event when they went riding up Pitt Creek, northwest of the Huling ranch house. Monte was on her favorite horse and was considered a good rider. That particular day, Dick was riding a young horse that had not been “broken” long. They reached Pitt Creek, a waterhole about 1 ½ miles from their house, and were letting their horses drink, when Dick saw a small band of Indians aroaching from the west. He told Monte to ride as fast as she could for the house. She started off and looked back to see Dick’s horse bolting. She came back to him, and he told her to hurry and he was sure his horse would follow[. It did, and they were chased right up to the ranch house by the Indians.

The two older sisters had already married when members of the Townsen family introduced Almonte to a handsome young blade named Robert S. Randolph. Against her mother’s best judgement, they were married. Her mother had him investigated and found he was part of a San Saba gang who robbed and murdered in surrounding counties. He began to demand that Almonte receive a large portion of her inheritance. When her mother, Elizabeth, refused, he encouraged his friends to intimidate her by crawling under the house at night and beating on the floor. They even went so far as to threaten harm to Almonte’s three younger brothers.

In the middle of the night, Elizabeth and Morgan Jordan, a freed Negro man who had been overseer of her property for years, harnessed up the buggy and drove her young sons to Salado. In Salado she entered them in Salado Academy. Elizabeth and Morgan hurried home so that no one would know they had gone.

At home, Dick, then twenty, had become head of the household and was doing his best to protect the family. One night he was coming down the hall and looked through the door into his mother’s bedroom, where he saw Mr. Randolph holding a knife at his mother’s throat. He was demanding that she sign a land deed over to him. Almonte was locked in an upstairs bedroom, so it was left to Dick to protect his mother. He pulled out his gun and shot Mr. Randolph to death. Almonte, her mother, and brother decided that they would report that Randolph accidentally shot himself while cleaning his gun.

Fearing revenge from the “San Saba Gang”, the family staged an elaborate funeral complete with grieving widow, mother-in-law, and brother-in-law. He was buried in November 1870 in the Huling family cemetery plot, and a tombstone was erected.

Several years later, when Almonte consented to become the bride of J.C. Bartlett, a local lawyer, she took Morgan Jordan out to the family cemetery where they rolled Mr. Randolph’s tombstone over the side of the hill and flattened the grave even with the ground.

Mr. Bartlett died in 1891, and was buried in the Huling cemetery. Almonte then married Dr. James A. Abney, and they lived in Brownwood. – Written by Charlene Nash and Evelyn Smith. Contributed by Peggy Smith Wolfe, Technology Chair of Lampasas County Historical Commission. Several other members of the Huling family and some of their former slaves also have stories well worth reading in this book, Lampasas County Texas, Its History and Its People, Vol. I.²

Almonta married Dr. James Addison ABNEY, son of Paul Collins ABNEY and Margaret Elvira Fullerton, in 1893 in Texas. In 1895 Abney moved his new family to Brownwood to be near the 2,000-acre ranch estate in Blanket, Texas, Brown County, which Almonta brought into the marriage. James continued his medical practice there and later became owner of a 10,400-acre ranch on Brady Creek, near Eden, Texas, Concho County.

As a ranch owner, Dr. Jim worked in conjunction with the St. Louis and San Francisco Railroad Company (Frisco) to establish the town of Winchell, Texas. He organized the Citizens National Bank with his son, Frederick, in Brownwood in 1906. Dr. Jim spent the remainder of his career in the banking business.

Almonta Huling Bartlett died on 27 January 1922 in Brownwood, Brown County, Texas, at age 75. She was buried in Greenleaf Cemetery.

     Henry Orlando Abney, son of Henry Madison ABNEY, was born in 1829 in Alabama.

He was probably one of the two males under age 5 listed in the household of his father, Henry Madison ABNEY, in the 1830 Federal Census of Monroe County, Alabama. He was also known as Orlando.

Henry Orlando Abney was named an heir in the will of Henry Madison ABNEY dated 30 November 1830 in Claiborne, Monroe County, Alabama. His father's estate was divided between he and his brother, Orlando Henry Abney.¹

From September 1847 Monroe county Orphan Court Edmund W. Roberts was appointed guardian Ad Litem for Henry O. Abney, a minor. Other records show the annual settlement of account of minor, Henry O. Abney. The sum of $12,735.52 was charged to administrator. Submitted cost of $5,703.07 for minor.^2,3

Henry saw military service on 22 September 1849 in Monroe County, Alabama, when he was commissioned quartermaster in the 11th Division, 8th Brigade, 26th Regiment.

Henry married Ann Maria Randle on 17 December 1849 in Lowndes County, Mississippi.⁴

On this day, 1 Aug 1850, came Edmund W. Roberts, guardian of Henry Orlando Abney, a minor, for settlement. Also came HO Abney in his own proper person. This was when Henry reached adulthood and the guardianship ended.

Orlando Abney and Ann Maria Randle appeared as head of household on a census enumerated 11 November 1850 in Monroe County, Alabama. The household was listed as H. O. Abney, a 21 year old farmer with property valued $3500; his wife Ann, age 22, born South Carolina; and Mary Morri(or Moore), age 90, born South Carolina. They owned 20 slaves.

Orlando Abney was named an heir in the will of Dabney Palmer ABNEY dated 29 September 1857 in Mobile, Alabama. "To Henry O. Abney of Monroe Co. in trust of 3 children of Joel Boyles and Elizabeth Abney, late wife of said Boyles, and named Martha Lucinda Boyles, Salome Boyles, and Thomas H. Boyles. To Henry O. Abney in trust for children of Hugh Rankin and Clarissa Jane Abney, his wife." He was the administrator of Dabney Palmer ABNEY's estate on 29 November 1858 in Monroe County, Alabama. Dabney was a son of Lark Abney.

Henry Orlando Abney purchased a government land patent 1 November 1858 in Monroe County, Alabama. He bought 120 acres in township 9 north, range 7 east, section 22 in the River Ridge community. He also purchased 80 acres in the southeast quarter of section 2, township 8 north, range 8 east which is located along the ridge road near the Axle community.³

Orlando Abney was a state senator for Monroe County between 1859 and 1860. He was also a merchant operating H. O. Abney & Co. in Claiborne. An ad in the Southern Champion published in Cliaiborne, dated 27 January 1860, stated that they had bought out S. M. Pettibone & Co. and would do business in "the old stand of S. M. P. & Co.where a large and desirable stock of Dry Goods, Groceries, Crockery, Hardware, Boots & Shoes, Clothing, etc. may constantly be found at prices as low as the lowest."

In a 15 Jan 1945 article in the Montgomery Advertiser, Peter A. Brannon quoted from period correspondence of Dr. John Watkins of Burnt Corn. Mr. Brannon writes, "H. O. Abney and Company, at Claiborne, who sold bacon, fine liquors, hats, hardware, groceries, rope, and baggage, also sold Miss Sarah Watkins, daughter of the doctor, corset laces at fifteen cents each. She paid 35 bits for a yard of belt ribbon and six bits for a bottle of cologne. Mr. B. F. Watkins, the old doctor's son, bought a fine pair of boots, it was a pair of fine boots as well, and paid ten dollars for them."

Henry Orlando Abney and Ann Maria Randle appeared as head of household on a census enumerated 25 September 1860 in Burnt Corn, Monroe County, Alabama. The household was listed as Orlando Abney, a 31 year old merchant born in Alabama with property valued $40,000. Also in the household was his wife, Ann, age 31, born North Carolina, and children: Sally 9, Mary 3, and Henry 2. There was also Salam Boyles, a 13 year old female born Alabama. Note: Elizabeth Lark Abney (1816), daughter of Lark Abney, married Joel Boyles. They had a daughter, Salome Boyles.

From Alabama Pioneers: "Mr. Orlando Abney was a resident of Claiborne in its heyday, his home, a one and one-half story building. with well cared for grounds shaded by large water oaks, and further beautified with myrtle and native yewpon, was located on Abney avenue, one-half mile off Main street. Abney avenue ran westward from Main street, and at right angles to that thorougfare. Mr. Abney was a slave owner, and a prominent man in the civic and social life not only of Claiborne, but of the entire county."⁵

Henry saw military service on 13 September 1861 in Monroe County, Alabama, when he served as captain of the Sandy Williams Guards, Company H, 1st Alabama Cavalry. On that date he posted a letter in the Claiborne Southerner seeking men to enlist in the cavalry company being raised in Claiborne. The company was to be armed and equiped entirely by private individuals. He resigned 26 Jun 1862 as captain and was replaced by James Hightower. The 1st had fought at Shiloh 6-7 Apr 1862 with light loss and at Blackland 4 Jun 1862. Perhaps his resignation was a result of a wound or illness. It could also explain his death the following year.

On 31 Aug 1911 Mr. Q. Salter wrote to the Monroe Journal, "In July 1861 I came home from school a 16 year old boy and joined Captain H. O. Abney's cavalry company. We left Claiborne with about 50 men, mostly boys under 18 years of age, but after reaching Montgomery our company was filled up from other counties and mustered into the First Alabama Cavalry. We commenced our fighting operations two days before the battle of Shiloh and from then on we followed Gen. Joe Wheeler in all of his raids and battles which ended in North Carolina. I reached home the last of May or first of June, 1865. I do not remember which."

In 1863, H. O. Abney bought one acre of land containing lots 23 and 24 within the town of Claiborne for $1250.⁶

Henry Orlando Abney died in 1863 in Claiborne, Monroe County, Alabama. His estate was probated on 27 August 1863 in Monroe County, Alabama. The General Assembly of Alabama approved an act to authorize M. McCorvey, Monroe County judge of probate, to settle the estate of Henry O. Abney, deceased. His estate was inventoried 14 Oct 1863 and Ann M. Abney was administratrix.

Henry Orlando Abney appeared in a newspaper article 5 January 1867 in the The Monroe Journal, published in Monroeville, Alabama. Sale of Valuable Property -- By virtue of the decrees rendered by the Probate Court of the County of Monroe, the undersigned, as administrator of the estate of Henry O. Abney, deceased, will sell at public auction, in the town of Claiborne, in said county, on Tuesday the 1st day of January 1867, all the real estate of said decedent subject to sale, and consisting of a tract of land of thirty five acres, with the buildings thereon, situated on Perdieu Hill near Claiborne. Also a lot of land lying and fronting on Monroe street in said town of Claiborne.-- Terms of sale cash. D. K. Smith, adm'r.

     Polly ABNEY, daughter of Jonathan ABNEY and Rachel Elizabeth LARK, was born on 4 October 1790 in Edgefield County, South Carolina.¹

     Elizabeth ABNEY, daughter of Jonathan ABNEY and Rachel Elizabeth LARK, was born on 15 January 1797 in Edgefield County, South Carolina.¹

Elizabeth ABNEY died in 1850.

     Ann ABNEY, daughter of Jonathan ABNEY and Susan Nunn, was born on 24 March 1811 in Edgefield County, South Carolina.¹

     Ann Maria Randle was born in 1829 in South Carolina.

Ann married Henry Orlando Abney, son of Henry Madison ABNEY, on 17 December 1849 in Lowndes County, Mississippi.¹

Ann Maria Randle and Orlando Abney appeared as head of household on a census enumerated 11 November 1850 in Monroe County, Alabama. The household was listed as H. O. Abney, a 21 year old farmer with property valued $3500; his wife Ann, age 22, born South Carolina; and Mary Morri(or Moore), age 90, born South Carolina. They owned 20 slaves.

Ann Maria Randle and Henry Orlando Abney appeared as head of household on a census enumerated 25 September 1860 in Burnt Corn, Monroe County, Alabama. The household was listed as Orlando Abney, a 31 year old merchant born in Alabama with property valued $40,000. Also in the household was his wife, Ann, age 31, born North Carolina, and children: Sally 9, Mary 3, and Henry 2. There was also Salam Boyles, a 13 year old female born Alabama. Note: Elizabeth Lark Abney (1816), daughter of Lark Abney, married Joel Boyles. They had a daughter, Salome Boyles.