Individual Details

Biography

ORLANDO ABBOTT, born at Andover, 21 September 1809 son of Charles and Dorcas (Hart) Abbott;1 Orlando died at Lawrence (resident of North Andover), 20 November 18772 and is interred at Ridgewood Cemetery in North Andover; married first at Andover, 16 April 1834,3 LERETETIA4 ADAMS, born at Andover, 29 October 1813 daughter of John and Susanna (Cutter) Adams;5 Leretetia died at Andover, of consumption, on 12 September 18376 and is interred at Second Burying Ground.7 Orlando married second at Andover, 20 September 1838,8 CHARLOTTE VERSTILLE STEVENS, born at Andover, 21 June 1816 daughter of Phineas and Rebecca (Farnum) Stevens;9 Charlotte died at Lawrence (resident of North Andover), 20 November 187710 and is interred at Ridgewood Cemetery in North Andover.
In 1850, Orlando Abbott aged 41 and occupation given as farmer headed a household of nine persons at Andover. Real property was given a value of $3,500. Other household members were Charlotte B. aged 34, George W. aged 11, Sarah S. aged 9, Charles E. aged 7, Emma aged 5, Lucy aged 3, and Rebecca F. aged 3 months. Also in the household was Bridget Keep aged 11.11

In 1870, Orlando Abbott, aged 60 years, headed a household of seven persons at North Andover. His occupation was farmer and real property value was given at $5,000. Other household members were Charlotte V. aged 53, George W. aged 31, Lucy aged 22, Rebecca F. aged 20, Charlotte M. aged 17, and Susan U. aged 13.12
Orlando and his wife Charlotte were killed on 20 November 1877 while attempting to drive across the track in a horse wagon at the Portland Street crossing in Lawrence. They were struck by a locomotive of the Boston and Maine Railway. Orlando and Charlotte were killed instantly, and their horse was also killed.13 An inquest held the following day with Judge Harmon ruling that the deaths were not the result of an unlawful act by any person. It was noted that the “Osgood Crossing”, the site of the collision, was a dangerous one.14

Orlando Abbott did not leave a will and his estate entered probate 3 December 1877 with Richard M. Abbott as administrator. The heirs identified at the initiation of probate were George W. Abbot, a son of Andover, Sarah S. Abbott, a daughter of Andover and wife of Richard M. Abbott; Emma Reynolds of Sidney, Maine, a daughter and wife of Judson Reynolds; Lucy Abbott of North Andover, a daughter; Rebecca F. Abbott of North Andover, a daughter; Charlotte Abbott of North Andover, a daughter; and Susan U. Adams of North Andover, a daughter and wife of Edward Adams. The heirs-at-law approving the estate accounting of 2 March 1883 were George W. Abbott, Sarah S. Abbott, Emma A. Reynolds, Judson E. Reynolds, Rebecca F. Knapp, George F. Knapp, Lucy Abbott, Susan U. Adams, Edward Adams, Lottie M. Symonds, and Fred Symonds. Personal estate was valued at $1,031. The bulk of the personal estate, $600.25, went to pay a note owed to E. J. Abbott. Real estate was valued at $7,398.15

1 Abbot, Orlando, s. Charles and Dorcas, Sept. 21, 1809. Andover Vital Records, Volume 1, p 21, https://archive.org/details/vitalrecordsofan01ando/page/20/mode/2up
2 "Massachusetts State Vital Records, 1841-1925", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N7B8-9NL : 17 November 2022), Orlando Abbott, 1877.
3 "Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPZH-NTMJ : Thu Mar 07 09:10:49 UTC 2024), Entry for Orlando Abbot and Latitia Adams, 16 Apr 1834.
4 The first name has multiple spellings in records, Lititia, Latitia, Leutitia, but is Leretetia on the gravestone
5 Andover Vital Records, Volume 1, p 35, https://archive.org/details/vitalrecordsofan01ando/page/34/mode/2up
6 Andover Vital Records, Volume 2, p 372, https://archive.org/details/vitalrecordsofan02ando/page/372/mode/2up
7 Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/54301794/leretetia-abbott: accessed March 31, 2024), memorial page for Leretetia Adams Abbott (unknown–12 Sep 1837), Find a Grave Memorial ID 54301794, citing Second Burying Ground, North Andover, Essex County, Massachusetts, USA; Maintained by John Glassford (contributor 47271570).
8 "Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPZH-D8HR : Thu Mar 07 22:14:29 UTC 2024), Entry for Orlando Abbot and Charlotte V Stevens, 20 Sep 1838.
9 Andover Vital Records, Volume 1, p 342, https://archive.org/details/vitalrecordsofan01ando/page/342/mode/2up
10 "Massachusetts State Vital Records, 1841-1925", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N7B8-9N5 : 17 November 2022), Charlotte V. Stevens Abbott, 1877.
11 "United States Census, 1850", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MD9G-5ZY : Sun Mar 10 17:13:58 UTC 2024), Entry for Orlando Abbott and Charlotte B Abbott, 1850.
12 "United States Census, 1870", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MD39-35P : Tue Mar 05 06:00:25 UTC 2024), Entry for Orlando Abbott and Charlotte V Abbott, 1870.
13 “Fitchburg Sentinel”, Fitchburg, Massachusetts, Wed, Nov 21, 1877, Page 2
14 “The Boston Globe”, Boston, Massachusetts, Thu, Nov 22, 1877, Page 8
15 Essex County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1638-1881.Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2014. Case 30884