Wednesday, June 11, 2014

George Rufus Abbott - Ship's Mate - What became of him?

   This week I have spent some time researching the family of James and Azubah (Ruggles) Abbott.  I had a tough time finding accurate information about their son, George.   While I do not have proof, I think I now have an indication of how he lived his life.  This information was first found without a source in an Ancestry Tree. I have likely located the tree owners' source by doing a Google search for "George Abbott died Peru 1872."
   George Rufus Abbot was born 19 Apr. 1834 or 1835 in Brookfield, Massachusetts.  His parents were James Abbott, a yeoman, and Azubah (Ruggles) Abbott.  George left home, and went to work as a ship's mate.  His whereabouts were unknown at the time of his father's death in 1864.  He was enumerated as being "at sea"  in the 1870 US Census taken in West Brookfield.  On the list of lawful heirs in the probate file of his mother Azubah, who died in 1871, his address was indicated as West Brookfield.
   What happened to George?  According to an entry in,  Descendants of George Abbott, of Rowley, Mass., Vol 2, pg. 583, George was thrown from a horse in Callao, Peru, and died on May 30, 1872.  The information was most likely contributed by his sister Eliza.  Also cited was Spooner/Ruggles family reg.

Sources:
1. Ancestry.com. Vital Records of Brookfield, Masschusetts to the end of the year 1849.
2. Ancestry.com. U.S. Federal Census, 1870, West Brookfield, MA.
3. Familysearch.org, Worcester County, Massachusetts, Probate Records for James Abbot, and Azubah Abbott
4. Maj. Lemuel Abijah Abbott. Descendants of George Abbott, of Rowley, Mass., of his joint descendants with George Abbott, sr., of Andover, Mass.; of the descendants of Daniel Abbott, of Providence, R. I.; of some of the descendants of Capt. Thomas Abbott, of Andover, Mass.; of George Abbott, of Norwalk Ct.; of Robert Abbott, of Branford Ct.; with brief notes of many others of the name, original settlers in the United States. By Major Lemuel Abijah Abbott .. (1906). Archive.org