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     James Clay ABNEY, son of Enoch ABNER and Anna Price, was born on 24 August 1836 in Bourbon County, Kentucky.¹

James Clay ABNEY died on 21 February 1899 in Cheyenne, Laramie County, Wyoming, at age 62.¹

His obituary appeared 25 February 1899 in the Cheyenne Daily Sun-Leader, published in Cheyenne, Wyoming. James Clay Abney, one of the first settlers in Wyoming and one of the pioneer and highly respected citizens of Cheyenne, died of heart failure some time between 1 and 5 o'clock this morning at his home on Ferguson street. Though Judge Abney has been very ill at times during the last few weeks, death was very sudden and the news falls severely on his many friends, who were informed yesterday that his condition was greatly improved. Dan Fallon sat up with the patient until midnight and when he left him, Mr. Abney was apparently getting along nicely. His voice was strong and he said he was feeling quite well and would be down to his office today. A faithful wife, very ill herself, remained at his bedside constantly and fearful lest every move should awaken the patient, who was much in need of rest, not having slept for several days. She kept very quiet and as a sequence to her exhausted condition, was soon in a sound sleep. Awakening early in the morning, Mrs. Abney again exercised every precaution not to disturb the slumber of her husband, little suspecting that her life's companion was in his last, sweet sleep, not amenable to early disturbances. The grim and silent reaper had called while both slept, the spirit of the patient had taken its departure for the other shore. Mrs. Abney last saw her husband alive when shortly after midnight he got up and took a sleeping powder.


James Clay Abney was born in Bourbon county, Kentucky, on Aug. 24, 1836, and was therefore 62 years of age. His youth was spent in Savannah, Mo., and in the early sixties he moved to Nebraska City, later going to Julesburg, Colorado, where with Heck Reel as his partner, he opened a livery stable in 1867 and both gentlemen have resided in Cheyenne since.

Judge Abney was a member of the first territorial house and has the honor of being one of the foremost workers for woman suffrage when the measure was anything but popular in many circles. Judge Abney made the first speech in favor of woman suffrage in the house and cast the first ballot for the measure. He was always justly proud of his participation in the debate and his labors for a measure that he rightly regarded as being of worldwide importance.

Mr. Abney was twice elected justice of the peace, and was one of the three Democrats elected on the county ticket at the last election. Deceased leaves a wife and daughter. The latter is in Denver and has been telegraphed for. A nephew, James Abney of Douglas, and niece, Margaret Abney of the same place, have also been notified of the death.

     Jackson ABNEY, son of Enoch ABNER and Anna Price, was born on 4 March 1826 in Lexington, Fayette County, Kentucky.¹

Jackson married first Margaret Moody on 14 September 1847 in Andrew County, Missouri. They had ten children, including Frances, Charles, Julia Emmeline, Anna Grace, Mary Alice, James, and Fannie Margaret.¹

Jackson married second Laura A. Hawley in 1889 in Denver, Colorado. Her first husband was a Mr. Coburn.¹

Jackson ABNEY died on 16 March 1896 in Denver, Colorado, at age 70.¹ He was buried in Lakeview Cemetery, Cheyenne, Laramie County, Wyoming. Lot 208, section A.

His obituary appeared 17 March 1896 in the Wyoming Tribune, published in Cheyenne, Wyoming. The death of Jackson Abney in Denver on Saturday evening brings to the memory of many old timers in Cheyenne recollections of early experiences in the new West. More than thirty years ago Jackson Abney was an active contractor, freighter and Indian fighter over those stretches of country now occupied by railroads, ranches and irrigated homes.

The Denver Republican prints the following interesting sketch of his life both before he came west in 1863, and after his arrival upon the plains, which were populated by buffalo and coyotes and terrorized by savages.

Few westerners have had a more thrilling and interesting life experience than Jackson Abney. He was a Kentuckian, being born in Lexington on March 4, 1826. For nineteen years he resided there and received the best education that Lexington could afford and this was very good. When 20 he moved to Missouri to engage in the dry goods business and afterward in stock raising. In the course of his migrations he arrived at St. Joseph, where he carried on the same business but he lived in Savannah, some miles down the Missouri river, where he conducted a large plantation, employing 150 slaves. Those were the times of the abolitionists.

Nowhere did they fight with more zeal in and about Kansas. Owning so many slaves naturally made Mr. Abney a mark for abolitionists and he had great difficulty in keeping them. The abolitionists would make frequent raids on his plantation and haul away the slaves to Kansas. By and by he had none left. In all that border warfare he took little part, having no inclination to fight his fellow men in such a cause. When matters became even more serious after the civil war broke out and his family was unsafe when he was away - as he was frequently absent on western expeditions - he moved to Denver with his wife and six children in 1863.

The emigration to Denver in '63 was not Mr. Abney's first appearance here: he had been on several visits before that. His business had latterly become that of a "freighter" and many were the long caravans he led across the plains. At least sixteen times he crossed them and almost each time at the peril of his life from Indians.

Mr. Abney built a residence on Arapahoe street where the Cooper-Hagus store now is and maintained an extensive corral and outfitting place at Blake and Fifteenth street. He was a conspicuous figure in the great Cherry creek flood in 1864 and was especially daring in the rescue of four negroes out of a tree. In all the city's Indian troubles he took a leading part and there was no more valiant defender of women and children and property than he.

In 1864 he was for a brief time in Nebraska, he became a contractor of the Union Pacific railway and followed the road as far as Cheyenne. After that he went into the business of stock raising in Wyoming conducting it with his brother, James C. Abney, and he was at one time offered $150,000 for his interest in it. His ranch was in the Pine Bluffs region. He built one of the first houses in Cheyenne.


He was married twice. In 1847 he married Miss May(Margaret) Moody of Missouri and in 1889 Mrs. L.A. Lawley of Denver. He had in all ten children, seven girls and three boys. Mrs. Florence Small of New Mexico, Mrs. Dr. Anna Grace Corey of Denver, James Abney, Mrs. C.B. Clay of Washington and Miss Margaret Abney survive him, and also his second wife.

Mr. Abney died of an acute attack of stomach trouble at the age of 70 years.

     Rev. Paul Colby ABNEY, son of Joshua ABNEY and Patsy PHELPS, was born on 7 September 1801 in Butler County, Kentucky.

Rev. Paul Colby ABNEY died in 1867 in Butler County, Kentucky.

     John MARSHALL, son of Robert MARSHALL and Mary Penny, was born in 1697.

John married Sarah Norwood circa 1718.¹

John MARSHALL died in 1732.

     Sarah Norwood was born in 1702.

Sarah married John MARSHALL, son of Robert MARSHALL and Mary Penny, circa 1718.¹

Sarah Norwood died in 1733.

     Robert MARSHALL, son of John MARSHALL and Jane McCarthy, was born in 1626.

Robert married Mary Penny in 1693 in Isle of Wight County, Virginia.¹

Robert MARSHALL died in 1698.

     Mary Penny was born in 1669.

Mary married Robert MARSHALL, son of John MARSHALL and Jane McCarthy, in 1693 in Isle of Wight County, Virginia.¹

Mary Penny died in 1739.

     Ellen Clerke Cecilla Abney, daughter of Edward Abney and Ellen Rose Holden, was born on 27 February 1833 in Lichfield, Staffordshire, England.^1,2

Ellen married Perce Eustace Barron in 1864 in Mexico.¹

Ellen Clerke Cecilla Abney died on 21 April 1914 in France at age 81.¹

     Albreda deWivileslie Abney, daughter of Edward Abney and Ellen Rose Holden, was born on 1 May 1836 in Aldridge, Staffordshire, England.¹

Albreda deWivileslie Abney was baptised on 6 June 1836 in Erdington, Staffordshire, England, daughter of Edward Abney and Ellen Rose Holden.¹

Albreda married Richard Playne Smith on 13 January 1859 in Syndenham, Kent County, England.¹

Albreda deWivileslie Abney died in 1907 in Stone, Staffordshire, England.¹

     John married Elizabeth (?).¹

John Abney died in March 1595.¹ He was buried on 17 March 1594/95 in St. Cuthbert's Churchyard, Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England.¹

     Elizabeth married John Abney.¹

Elizabeth (?) died on 27 November 1588 in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England.¹ She was buried in St. Cuthbert's Churchyard, Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England.¹

     John Abney died in August 1563 in South Yorkshire, England.¹ He was buried on 7 August 1563 in St. Cuthbert's Churchyard, Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England.¹

     Robert married Margaret (?).

Robert Abney died in March 1567 in South Yorkshire, England.¹ He was buried on 27 March 1567 in St. Cuthbert's Churchyard, Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England.¹

     Margaret married Robert Abney.

Margaret (?) died in March 1585 in South Yorkshire, England. She was buried on 30 March 1585 in Fishlake, West Riding, Yorkshire, England.¹ She was buried on 30 March 1585 in St. Cuthbert's Churchyard, Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England.

     Thomas Abney was born circa 1619 in Derbyshire, England.

     Thomas Abney was born circa 1657.

Thomas married Jane Twig on 8 October 1678 in Lichfield Cathedral, Lichfield, Staffordshire, England.¹