The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-09-18
fort ar C llones16

The Abncy fam " az this country claim
descent from the panhisne's OF France.
who came To England with the Conqueror,
and took the anslf clzed name. ilrst or
Dabncy, then Of Ahncy.
Il There are Two families of Abncy given
by Burke in his Landed BGentry one from
Wellesley Dorby, and tho other Leicester g,
X Derby: the latter IL that from which the
American branch are descended. Tho
coat-of-arns. which Is here presented has
& been handed down In the family for many
generations. One member OF the English
family was Sir Thomas Abncy. Lord
Mayor OF London. He lived near Dlrby,.
ON Il fine estate called Abney Park. which
was the ancestral home In England be-
Ing just outsidc4of London. There was. a
few years ago, q Canon OF Derby 3iialned
5Abncy, who lived there, and his daugn-s
ter. who survives him, also now lives
there. i may he Interesting TO state
THAT tho celebrated Isaac Watts also.
lived there for thirty years Attached to
+ The place lis Abney Park Cemetery, where.
Z the Abneys have been buried for seven
hundred years.
There were two brothers and a COUSIN
who first came 10 America and settled
in Virginia. Aftcrwa eds one OF the broth-.
srs and the cousin moved to South Caro-
q Una, locating IN tho aaluda8 section OF
Edgeflcid county. With them went the
\ Gritlths. colemans. Wills. Marshalls and
Z other Virginia famil es with %hornathe
intcrmarricd. One OF these Abneys, Ma
a thunicl. married Martha Madison said
To- be sister of President Madison This
Nathaniel Was q captain In the Revolu-l
t.onnry army Chupmans History of
Edgcfield county, s. ~ c., speaks OF the
family since living there, and mentions
X the names OF James Madison --oney,
Martha Madison. and Eleanor Abney.i
fN,,.i J. IF lpfa Al hv,.v u
Paul bney. whose son. John Abney, mar
rIcd Martha Wills. the granddaughter OF
4 Martha Madison. They had three chill
dren. of whom the youngest one, Dir. n:
W.. Abney, OF Edgrfcld s. c.. Is still
+ living. HE secohti v:fe was Agntha Grif-
aged and respected citizen Of Edgeheld
county. Agatha e;riffitll was school
mata and early friend of Governor NJ,
z Butler who said Of her: She WAS the
most beautiful woman u except one, he
had ever aecn.'' With all this lpvelfness
of person she comb ned the greatest de-
csion OF character, enforced by a systc-
matte regularity In the control Of her
family, commanding universal respect
ind affection. One OF the sons by the
marriage OF John Abney was Joseph ABB,
b ncy who became quite noted during the
d, Mexican War He was born 18th Of De-
ccmber. 1874. at Saluda, old town. Edge,
field county. and died February 9. lsIl.i
Il The following sketch of him has been
sent us; Ills father dy NE while he MAS
y quite young. and his mother marrying
again. lie was thrawn upou hIs own re-
sources. lie obtained an education by
his own exertions going to Greenwood
Academy, where lie made rapid progress
and attracted marked attention, not only
OF his teacher. Professor James Leslin,l
3 but OF Governor McDuftie, who attended
his examination. Many of his friends or
tSf II, Fiji I,p4 M ia
education, but which he proudly refused,
and entered the law Office Of Mr.. Perrin
at Abbeyille Courthouse, whore he lifted
himself for the law. and being admitted
y to the bar, opened an Office at Edgcfield
Courthouse in lSi3. s}t q
At the beginning of the Mexican War.
when the call was made for volunteers,
! l,e entered the army as lieutenant in
s Captain Brookss company ofSS.'9S Boys. =
OF the far-famed Palmetto Regiment,
commanded by Colonel p NJ. Butler
u He fought iii every battle Nnd suffered
was engaged. winning q most heroic
and dauntless name among the officers
and men. Though u mere boy only
twenty-five. he won the friendship and
became confidential secretary OF Colonel
Butler, Ills commander, who entrusted
Y 10 hin, all the financial AFFAIRS Of the reg
mcnt. At the bloody battle OF Chess,
the captain being absent. he commanded
the Old ..9G Boys" and while leading and
cheering on the men, .whcre the death
pilsSwcre deadlicst,' 4 he received U severe
wound In his left shoulders On his re-
entire county admirlng his bravery and
y Knowing him SO web, presented HIM,
through Colonel Arthur Sinclair, with y
handsome sword of the finest Steel with
yolid silver seaDbard most handsomely
carved In gold, bearing tho following IN
scr;ption:
'.l'o Lieutenant Joseph Abncy. for his
gallant conduct IN tho battle IN which
q the Palmetto Regiment was honornDly
distinguished IN Mexico.
Upon the return of peace he again ere-
sumed his profession or the law, ana soon
gained q most lucrative practice II 9
was then elected as representative OF
Etlgefield in the State Legislature,
n During the Confederate MAR Major
Abney was In command OF one&of Inc
South Carolina regiments, which did yen-
man service throughout tlle Wal,s atter
which he retired to his old home al 81 [
luda with the rank OF colonel, 9y wmfh
he was always lattcrly ..no VII, His tlea' ]
WIS renl ya caused by a bullet through
the loft lung at the battle Of Drewry's
Bluff, VA; he lived Tor. a few years ter
ward, but never entirely recovering from
&, In 1879. ut an annual decoration Of the
soldiers graves, the old veterans Of
Isdgcneld county unveiled n monument
over his grave erected to his memory
The following poem was then read by
tho Rev. Dir. J.. r.; Gwaltney. Of Viz.
giniu, which was written by Mrs, Sue
NJ. Abney,e whose TALENTED Writings ars
4 known under tho nom do 5pluWe OF l'eurl
ID Aublgnc:" 8.
nAlonumentum Aerle Pcrepnum,''
Soldier brave. upon Thy cold breast
bearing F&3 ..I
Thy sacred southern sod, thy REQUIEM
hearing.
We. thy sad friends. colfpanloiis' bow
In utter helplessness Of SORROW NOW.
! Why need for thee Il laurel wreath be
g N woven, {sB .t 81
Whose deeds recorded are in highest
heaven? '5 MI
Nly4tsl! tAeeln ny low and marrow bed