Nehemiah Abbott

Nehemiah Abbott (March 29, 1804 – July 26, 1877) was an American attorney and politician from Maine. Originally active in politics as a Democrat, he became a Republican when the party was founded in the mid 1850s. Among the offices in which he served were member of the Maine House of Representatives (1842–1844, 1845–1846), member of the United States House of Representatives (1857–1859), and mayor of Belfast (1865–1866).

Nehemiah Abbott
1859 sepia tone head and chest photo of Nehemiah Abbott, facing left, looking slightly left
From 1859's McClees' Gallery of Photographic Portraits of the Senators, Representatives & Delegates of the Thirty-Fifth Congress
Member of the United States House of Representatives from Maine's 3rd congressional district
In office
March 4, 1857 – March 3, 1859
Preceded byEbenezer Knowlton
Succeeded byEzra B. French
Mayor of Belfast, Maine
In office
1865–1867
Preceded byAlbert G. Jewett
Succeeded byAlbert G. Jewett
Member of the Maine House of Representatives from Belfast
In office
1845–1846
In office
1842–1844
Personal details
Born(1804-03-29)March 29, 1804
Sidney, Maine, U.S.
DiedJuly 26, 1877(1877-07-26) (aged 73)
Belfast, Maine, U.S.
Resting placeGrove Cemetery, Belfast, Maine, U.S.
Political partyRepublican (from 1856)
Other political
affiliations		Democratic (before 1856)
Spouse
Caroline Williams Belcher
​
​
(m. 1836⁠–⁠1877)​
Children6
EducationLitchfield Law School
ProfessionAttorney

Biography

Abbott was born in Sidney, Maine on March 29, 1804, a son of Asa Abbott and Hepzibah (Brooks) Abbott.[1][2] He attended Litchfield Law School, was admitted to the bar in 1836 and began to practice in Calais, Maine.[1] In 1839, he moved to Columbus, Mississippi, where he continued the practice of law.[1] In 1840, he returned to Maine and settled in Belfast.[1]

Originally a Democrat,[3] in 1842, 1843, and 1845 he was elected to the Maine House of Representatives.[1] Abbott became a Republican when the party was founded in the mid-1850s.[4] In 1856, he was elected to the United States House of Representatives.[1] He served one term, March 4, 1857 to March 3, 1859.[1] During his U.S. House service, Abbott was a member of the Committee on Revolutionary Pensions.[5] He did not run for reelection in 1858, and resumed the practice of law.[1]

During the American Civil War, Abbott supported the Union.[6] In 1864, he was appointed temporary chairman of the National Union Party nominating convention for Maine's 5th congressional district.[7] He served as mayor of Belfast from 1865 to 1866.[1]

Abbott died in Belfast on July 26, 1877.[1] He was buried at Grove Cemetery in Belfast.[1]

Family

In 1836, Abbott married Caroline Williams Belcher.[2] They were the parents of six children— Caroline Belcher, Howard, Emma Fuller, Clifford Belcher, Annie Gill, and Henry Fuller.[2]

References
  1. Joint Committee On Printing, United States Congress (1971). Biographical Directory of the American Congress, 1774-1971. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 490 – via Google Books.
  2. Butler, Francis Gould (1885). A History of Farmington, Franklin County, Maine, from the Earliest Explorations to the Present Time, 1776-1885. Farmington, ME: Knowlton, McLeary, and Co. pp. 351, 381 – via Internet Archive.
  3. Williamson, Joseph (1877). History of the City of Belfast in the State of Maine. Vol. I. Portland, ME: Loring, Short, and Harmon. pp. 358–359 – via Google Books.
  4. "Republican State Convention". Bangor Daily Whig and Courier. Bangor, ME. February 24, 1855. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. "Thirty-Fifth Congress: First Session; Standing Committees of the House". The National Era. Washington, DC. December 17, 1857. p. 4 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. "Union State Convention". Bangor Daily Whig and Courier. Bangor, ME. July 2, 1863. pp. 1–2 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. "Union Congressional Convention, Fifth District". Ellsworth American. Ellsworth, ME. July 29, 1864. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com.


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