William Abney, 77, one of the oldest residents of Barbour County since 1834, died at his residence. (From Montgomery Advertiser, 19 Jun 1879, page 1.)
In the fall of 1832 Abney married the widow Stevens, a daughter of Colonel Wilson. A young gentleman from Newberry married another at the same time. Mrs. Stevens, who was famous for her beauty, had gone to Florida, where her husband died, leaving her a widow with three little girls. A dashing young colonel, who wore a gaudy uniform, made her an offer of marriage; but she told him if a lady like herself, with three little daughters, ever married again, she ought to try and get a man like Mr. Abney, who knew how to make corn and potatoes. Mr. Abney heard of the remark and afterwards courted and married her. It is said that when the time of the marriage came on and Mr. Abney went to the house to be married, his modesty overcame him in the yard and he could proceed no further. He found it impossible to go into the house. His mother-in-law discovering his predicament, and sympathizing with him in his embarrassment, walked out to him and said very kindly: "Come in, Billy, the girls are waiting." This relieved him of his embarrassment. Mr. Abney afterwards sold the Mount Willing place to Jacob B. Smith, a grandson of the original settler and removed to Alabama, where he prospered and all went well with him. The epithet of "Mad Bill" was applied to him on account of the grumness of his countenance, and not on account of any harshness, nor violence, nor irritability of temper. This William Abney was a son of Azariah Abney and, grandson of Captain Nathaniel Abney and Isabella Madison, who came from Virginia about the year 1761. I never saw Mad Bill, nor his brother Hardy. I was at their father's house at the funeral of their sister, Miss Elizabeth Abney, but I do not remember seeing them there. The funeral sermon was preached by Dr. John Bolger, a great Baptist preacher at that time, living on Turkey or Mountain Creek, or somewhere in that region of country. Dr. Bolger was a connection of the family, he having married a widow Wills, a sister of Azariah Abney, and who was also my own great-grandmother. Dr. Bolger was English by birth, and came to this country in his youth or boyhood. He raised a family here in Edgefield, but after his death they all moved away and, I think, Dr. Bolger has no descendants now living in Edgefield. Newberry's much respected citizen, Warren G. Peterson, is a nephew of Mad Bill Abney. So is Joel Abney, of Saluda.
In the fall of 1832 Abney married the widow Stevens, a daughter of Colonel Wilson. A young gentleman from Newberry married another at the same time. Mrs. Stevens, who was famous for her beauty, had gone to Florida, where her husband died, leaving her a widow with three little girls. A dashing young colonel, who wore a gaudy uniform, made her an offer of marriage; but she told him if a lady like herself, with three little daughters, ever married again, she ought to try and get a man like Mr. Abney, who knew how to make corn and potatoes. Mr. Abney heard of the remark and afterwards courted and married her. It is said that when the time of the marriage came on and Mr. Abney went to the house to be married, his modesty overcame him in the yard and he could proceed no further. He found it impossible to go into the house. His mother-in-law discovering his predicament, and sympathizing with him in his embarrassment, walked out to him and said very kindly: "Come in, Billy, the girls are waiting." This relieved him of his embarrassment. Mr. Abney afterwards sold the Mount Willing place to Jacob B. Smith, a grandson of the original settler and removed to Alabama, where he prospered and all went well with him. The epithet of "Mad Bill" was applied to him on account of the grumness of his countenance, and not on account of any harshness, nor violence, nor irritability of temper. This William Abney was a son of Azariah Abney and, grandson of Captain Nathaniel Abney and Isabella Madison, who came from Virginia about the year 1761. I never saw Mad Bill, nor his brother Hardy. I was at their father's house at the funeral of their sister, Miss Elizabeth Abney, but I do not remember seeing them there. The funeral sermon was preached by Dr. John Bolger, a great Baptist preacher at that time, living on Turkey or Mountain Creek, or somewhere in that region of country. Dr. Bolger was a connection of the family, he having married a widow Wills, a sister of Azariah Abney, and who was also my own great-grandmother. Dr. Bolger was English by birth, and came to this country in his youth or boyhood. He raised a family here in Edgefield, but after his death they all moved away and, I think, Dr. Bolger has no descendants now living in Edgefield. Newberry's much respected citizen, Warren G. Peterson, is a nephew of Mad Bill Abney. So is Joel Abney, of Saluda.
William Abney, 77, one of the oldest residents of Barbour County since 1834, died at his residence. (From Montgomery Advertiser, 19 Jun 1879, page 1.)
In the fall of 1832 Abney married the widow Stevens, a daughter of Colonel Wilson. A young gentleman from Newberry married another at the same time. Mrs. Stevens, who was famous for her beauty, had gone to Florida, where her husband died, leaving her a widow with three little girls. A dashing young colonel, who wore a gaudy uniform, made her an offer of marriage; but she told him if a lady like herself, with three little daughters, ever married again, she ought to try and get a man like Mr. Abney, who knew how to make corn and potatoes. Mr. Abney heard of the remark and afterwards courted and married her. It is said that when the time of the marriage came on and Mr. Abney went to the house to be married, his modesty overcame him in the yard and he could proceed no further. He found it impossible to go into the house. His mother-in-law discovering his predicament, and sympathizing with him in his embarrassment, walked out to him and said very kindly: "Come in, Billy, the girls are waiting." This relieved him of his embarrassment. Mr. Abney afterwards sold the Mount Willing place to Jacob B. Smith, a grandson of the original settler and removed to Alabama, where he prospered and all went well with him. The epithet of "Mad Bill" was applied to him on account of the grumness of his countenance, and not on account of any harshness, nor violence, nor irritability of temper. This William Abney was a son of Azariah Abney and, grandson of Captain Nathaniel Abney and Isabella Madison, who came from Virginia about the year 1761. I never saw Mad Bill, nor his brother Hardy. I was at their father's house at the funeral of their sister, Miss Elizabeth Abney, but I do not remember seeing them there. The funeral sermon was preached by Dr. John Bolger, a great Baptist preacher at that time, living on Turkey or Mountain Creek, or somewhere in that region of country. Dr. Bolger was a connection of the family, he having married a widow Wills, a sister of Azariah Abney, and who was also my own great-grandmother. Dr. Bolger was English by birth, and came to this country in his youth or boyhood. He raised a family here in Edgefield, but after his death they all moved away and, I think, Dr. Bolger has no descendants now living in Edgefield. Newberry's much respected citizen, Warren G. Peterson, is a nephew of Mad Bill Abney. So is Joel Abney, of Saluda.
In the fall of 1832 Abney married the widow Stevens, a daughter of Colonel Wilson. A young gentleman from Newberry married another at the same time. Mrs. Stevens, who was famous for her beauty, had gone to Florida, where her husband died, leaving her a widow with three little girls. A dashing young colonel, who wore a gaudy uniform, made her an offer of marriage; but she told him if a lady like herself, with three little daughters, ever married again, she ought to try and get a man like Mr. Abney, who knew how to make corn and potatoes. Mr. Abney heard of the remark and afterwards courted and married her. It is said that when the time of the marriage came on and Mr. Abney went to the house to be married, his modesty overcame him in the yard and he could proceed no further. He found it impossible to go into the house. His mother-in-law discovering his predicament, and sympathizing with him in his embarrassment, walked out to him and said very kindly: "Come in, Billy, the girls are waiting." This relieved him of his embarrassment. Mr. Abney afterwards sold the Mount Willing place to Jacob B. Smith, a grandson of the original settler and removed to Alabama, where he prospered and all went well with him. The epithet of "Mad Bill" was applied to him on account of the grumness of his countenance, and not on account of any harshness, nor violence, nor irritability of temper. This William Abney was a son of Azariah Abney and, grandson of Captain Nathaniel Abney and Isabella Madison, who came from Virginia about the year 1761. I never saw Mad Bill, nor his brother Hardy. I was at their father's house at the funeral of their sister, Miss Elizabeth Abney, but I do not remember seeing them there. The funeral sermon was preached by Dr. John Bolger, a great Baptist preacher at that time, living on Turkey or Mountain Creek, or somewhere in that region of country. Dr. Bolger was a connection of the family, he having married a widow Wills, a sister of Azariah Abney, and who was also my own great-grandmother. Dr. Bolger was English by birth, and came to this country in his youth or boyhood. He raised a family here in Edgefield, but after his death they all moved away and, I think, Dr. Bolger has no descendants now living in Edgefield. Newberry's much respected citizen, Warren G. Peterson, is a nephew of Mad Bill Abney. So is Joel Abney, of Saluda.
Family Members
Advertisement
Advertisement
