The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-01-08
WHAT A WOMAN DID.
The Remarkable Career of Emma Abbott
Her Purity OF Character.

The IomnTl,nblo Career Of Emma AbbOtt
Her Purity Of Character.
Et,s York Herald
The life Of Mics Emma Abbott Mrs.
Wethorell) was in its way a remarkable
one and she was perhaps more popular
and more widely known than any native
singer except Clara Louise Kellogg.
Miss Abbott, whose husband, Eugene
Wetberell. to whom size was deeply at
toched and married in Paris, died Just
Two years ago to-day, was born in Oni'
csgn In 1850. She early showed that she |
had a voice that would bring her into
prominence If IL was properly cultivated. !
Her parents, however-the father being |
a mpsic teacher-were unable to do what
they wished, and 1t was thfo1gI ehe
friendship Of Miss Kellogg that tne
Young singer made her hrst great steP
forward III her career by getting the ap'
p0tutment OF soprano in Dr.. .Uhapln,s
church, in this city, after she had stud;
led under Errani. She had appeared
with her father on local concert stages
since her eighth year. ,c.
IL was at Toledo in 1870 that Miss
Kellogg found Miss Abbott. The latter 8
family had moved there after some
yeara spent in Monmouth and Peoria,
| III. At DE- Chapin's the young singer
became very popular, and in 1877 the
congregation sent her to Europe 10
fin,sn her musical education. She went
To Milan and studied under San Gio-
vsnni. Hard study and the climate
impaired the young singers heaitn ana
she left Italy for London. With sIength
rega,ned Miss abbott left London lof
Paris, where she studied under Nilsson 9
teacher, Wartel, and Albert James, and
met Patti and the Baroness Solomon de
Rothschild, in whom she found friends.
After declining an engagement, "a she
did not consider herself sufficiently pre-
pared, at the st. Petersburg Opera House
Miss Abbott finally made ner euccesstul
oneratjc debut ct Covent Garden as
Maria in ''The Daughter OF the Regi,,
mgnt." She then accepted a three years.
enearement from Colonel Mapleson, OF
Her Maiesty's, and made tour OF Eng.
tiand and Ireland, singing in opera and
concert and winning particular praise as
Marguerite.
During this engagement occurred the
first sensational incident in Miss ADootts
career. Setting herself announced to
sipg Violetta in ia Traviata" she re-
insed, making the somewhat startling
excuse that she would not appear in any
mart which made vice alluring. The re-
tult was that tie contract was Cancelled,
and Misc Abbott halted Oh the threshold
~ ber carepr hecause OF what she thought
ngr duty, Peculiar as her action may
seem, and ridiculed both at home and
abroad as it was at the time, 1t at least
mad The merit Of steadiastness. AS o re.
suit the singer returned to this country;
In after years she sang in La Iray!ste.
Miss Abbott made her inst puohG ap'
pearance after her return to New YORK
al p concert for the benefit OF charity
At DR.. Chapin's church. She had
warm friend in the merchant Mr.. George
IG Lake. with whose family she Tor
wars made her home when in this city.
Soon Miss Abbott was singing with the
ABBOTT and Hess Opera Company, and
al the head Of the English opera com
psny which for years has borne her
name and was managed first by her hus'
band and later BY Mr.. James W. motifs
sey. She made many trips abroad Tor
her costumes. ,oo- ~. ,,;..
Abbott made second great sensation IN
Nashville by rising in her seat IN the
Mex endree Methodist Episcopal church
during the sermon OF the Rev. W. a.
Gambler and defending the stage from
the attacks he had made upon IT, wnlch
alluded to her own performances. Her
spirited reply brought prolonged and
hearty applause from the congregation,
and the citizens OF Chattanooga two
DAYS later presented her with a silver
Yacht in honor OF her action.
When Wetherell, who married the
singer, died he left her over 100000
She saved every cent possible and made
a great deal Of money, but Mr.. hamlin
saws this was not wherein her great sue
GEES in piI!ng up riches lay. She was
WON IN OF uncommon shreTdness and a
very successful Spectator.
She studied the market very closely
and whenever she saw the opportunity
for q good inveatment she at once tele.
graphed her agent to make it for her.
She owns property in Chicago, which
is her native city; in Minneapolis, Dem
yer and other places, all OF which IS APP
preciatiug in value. Her mother, sister
and brother are her hers.
l