Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1916-04-12
Judge William Henry Abney of
Kentucky.

heDt uCKy on DeCeHloci !, A0lo.
has brought to The Advertiser re-
gret at his passing away, but 1t has
also brought back to this journal
pleasing recollections of the past.
For year or two prior to the war
and during the war he was one of
It's most valued contributors. While
Arthur Simkins was its editor, he
enjoyed publishing poetry and prose
from young Abney, who like him.
self, was an accomplished scholar
and writer; and when James I. ba-
con became the editor in 1868 he
too was delighted at anything COM
ing from his pen.
William Henry Abney was born
on Saluda river in Edgefeld dis
trict on June 81, 1887. His father
was William Thomas Abney, who
was first lieutenant in Capt. Denny's
company in the Florida war, and
had been elected senator for Edge
field district in the state legislature
but he bad not taken his seat when
he died in the latter part of the year
1886. His mother was also an Alb.
ney. She, Charlotte Madison Abney,
was one of the three daughters of
William Abney and his wife
Bathsheba Pope; and William Abb
ney was the third and youngest son
of Capt. William Abney of the
Revolution and his wife, Mary
Clark, who came down from Hall
fax county, Virginia, and settled
on lands about four miles south of
Chapel ferry on the Saluda
granted to him prior to that war.
A part of those lands were handed
dow to their son William and by
him to his daughter Charlotte. In
the old Abney graveyard there lie
the remains of Capt. William, his
son William, and their wives and
William Thomas. That resting
place of the old patriot and Zero is
just west of the juncture of the
road leading from Charleston to
Ninety Six fort and the road lead
ing from Coleman's Cross roads to
the ferry.
William Thomas Abney left two
sons. George Henderson and Lu-
Glen Buonaparte and one or two
daughters. William Henry was a
posthumous son, as we have seen.
The yoang widow, when William
Henry was about four years old,
was met, admired and won by Col.
David Patten of kentucky, who
took her and her children to his
home in Fleming county in that
state. William A. Strother bought
their lands on the Saluda, and the
money going to her children re-
manned in the hands of guardians
there, he becoming the guardian of
Wiligm Henry.
When the war with Mexico was
declared, George Henderson, then
only nineteen years old, joined a
company in Kentucky, but his STEP
father and mother, on account of
his youth, would not consent to his
going and his name was taken off
the rolls. He came back to South
Carolina and joined Capt. Preston
S. Brooks company. Again, how
ever, the youths military ardor was
nipped in the bud. This time, his
guardian, Richard Coleman, inter-
vened and objected. Not to be out
done, the embryonic soldier passed
over TO Newberry district and join.
ed its company commanded by
Capt, James B. Williams and went
on to the war as a corporal. In sew
eral of the battles> he was dis
tinguished for gallantry. He came
back to Saluda at the end Of the
war bearing the wounds he had re-
ceived, That endeared him to his
people, and not long afterwards he
was married to Ann Griffith, the
daughter of William Griffith, one
of the substantial citizens and plant
ers on that side of the district. A
few years more passed, and then he
and his young wife went to Ala
bama, where he planted and accu-
mulated a goodly fortune, when the
civil war came on. He fought
through that again to the end. In
the cavalry sent by that state, of
which he was an officer, none bore
himself more valiently; and he did
not escape the marks that dis
tinguished the hero. After the smoke
of battle had cleared away, and he
returned to his desolate home, he
could not bear the scene, and went
with his devoted wife to LANDS near
Clay, Miss, to begin life anew.