Joseph "Jo" Abbott (January 15, 1840 – February 11, 1908) was a lawyer, judge, Confederate Army officer, member of the Texas House of Representatives and a member of the United States House of Representatives from Texas.
Joseph Abbott
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Texas's 6th district | |
| In office March 4, 1887 – March 3, 1897 | |
| Preceded by | Olin Wellborn |
| Succeeded by | Robert E. Burke |
| Member of the Texas House of Representatives from the 20th district | |
| In office February 9, 1870 – January 14, 1873 | |
| Preceded by | William E. Estes |
| Succeeded by | Levi Gillette |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1840-01-15)January 15, 1840 Morgan County, Alabama, U.S. |
| Died | February 11, 1908(1908-02-11) (aged 68) Hillsboro, Texas, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Rowena Sturgis (m. 1868) |
| Profession |
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| Military service | |
| Allegiance | Confederate States |
| Branch/service | Confederate States Army |
| Years of service | 1861–1865 |
| Rank |  First lieutenant |
| Unit | 12th Texas Cavalry Regiment |
| Battles/wars |
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Joseph Abbott was born January 15, 1840, to William and Mary (née McMillan) Abbott in Morgan County, Alabama, near Decatur, and attended the public schools. His parents were both born near Petersburg, Virginia. His father William had been a soldier in the War of 1812, and was stationed at Norfolk, Virginia.[1] Joseph moved with his parents to Freestone County, Texas, in 1853.[2]
During the American Civil War, he served as a first lieutenant in Company B of the Twelfth Texas Cavalry Regiment.[3] He was wounded in the Battle of Yellow BayouinLouisiana, and was disabled for many months, later rejoining his command. He remained with his command until the end of the war.[1] With war over, he resumed his law studies, and after becoming licensed in October 1866 began his legal practice in Springfield, Limestone County, Texas.[2] He later moved to Hillsboro, Texas, where he continued his legal career. On December 15, 1868, he married Rowena Sturgis of Hillsboro, daughter of James W. L. and Martha Sturgis.[1]
He was a member of the Texas House of Representatives from 1870 to 1873[4] He was appointed a district judge in the Twenty-Eighth judicial district by Governor Oran M. Roberts. In 1880, he was elected for a full four-year term for that position. In 1886, he was elected as a Democrat to the United States House of Representatives, and served in that capacity through the end of Fifty-Fourth Congress in 1897.[5] Upon leaving Congress, he resumed his legal career in Hillsboro, Texas, where he died on February 11, 1908.[3]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Jo Abbott | 19,185 | 60 | |
| Independent | J. C. Kirby | 11,750 | 36.7 | |
| Republican | A. B. Norton | 1,069 | 3.3 | |
| Total votes | 32,004 | 100 | ||
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Johnson, Rossiter, ed. (1906). "Abbott, Jo". The Biographical Dictionary of America. Vol. 1. Boston: American Biographical Society. pp. 27–28.
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Texas's 6th congressional district 1887–1897 |
Succeeded by |
| Texas House of Representatives | ||
| Preceded by | Member of the Texas House of Representatives from District 20 (Hillsboro) 1870–1873 |
Succeeded by |