Contents

Jo Abbott

Joseph Abbott
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	Lawyer judge politician
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	American Civil War Battle of Whitney's Lane Battle of Cotton Plant Battle of Pleasant Hill Battle of Yellow Bayou (WIA)

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.

Biography[edit]

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]

Electoral history[edit]

1886 election[edit]

References[edit]

1. ^ ^{a b c} A Memorial and Biographical History of Johnson and Hill Counties, Texas, Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company. 1892. p. 225–226. Retrieved November 29, 2023 – via University of North Texas Libraries.

^ ^{a b} Johnson, Rossiter, ed. (1906). "Abbott, Jo". The Biographical Dictionary of America. Vol. 1. Boston: American Biographical Society. p. 27. Retrieved October 20, 2020. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.

External links[edit]

• Joseph Abbott in the Handbook of Texas