Willis Abney (abt. 1827 - aft. 1875)

Born about 1827 in Kentucky

Ancestors

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Biography

Willis "Doc" Abney, possibly the son of Charles Abney and Elizabeth Willis, was born about 1827 in Kentucky. ^[1] The date of his death has not been determined but he was alive in 1874.

The first record of Willis Abney is the 1850 census enumeration of Quincy, Adams County, Illinois, where he was called "Doc" Abney, 23, steam boat engineer, born in Mo. The only other member of his household was Elizabeth Abney, 20, born in Virginia. This census microfilm was very faded and difficult to read. The surname may have been Abner. Ancestry.com indexed the name as Abmer. Elizabeth Abney/Abner (Charles' widow) was recorded on the same page of the census.^[2]

Another Willis - Wilis Abner- appeared on the 1850 census of Saline County, Illinois. He was the son of Abner Abney and grandson of Paul Abney and Rhoda Norman. He remained in Saline County where he is found on the 1860, 1870 and 1880 census of Saline County.

Willis Abney of Quincy, Illinois, appeared on the "Monthly list of letters remaining in the Post Office at Quincy, at the close of the month ending February 28, 1851." (The Quincy Daily Whig, Tuesday, March 18, 1851, p. 4.)

Willis Abney, engineer, was found on the 1859-60 Quincy city directory.^[3]

His connection to Elizabeth Abney, in addition to his presence on the same page of the 1850 census, occurred when Dr. Willis Abney, Elizabeth Abney, Sr. and Elizabeth Abney, Jr. were called as witnesses in a divorce case tried in Adams County court on 5 March 1855. Apparently the clerk or judge, unaware that he was not a doctor, only knew that he was called "Doc." However, Willis signed his deposition with an "X"-- hardly the way an educated man would have signed his name. His name, "Willis Abney," was written by the clerk on the deposition. Elizabeth Abney, Jr., who also signed her name with a mark, likely was the wife of Willis Abney. She is enumerated in his 1850 household. Although called as a witness, no deposition by Elizabeth Abney, Sr., was found in the file.^[4]

His name next appears on the Williams' Quincy Directory for 1859-60, as "Abney, Willis, engineer, n w c Oliver and Spring." Other Abner/Abney's on this city directory were "Abner J, pilot, boards Broadway Hotel; Abney Chas. engineer, n e c Spring and Oliver; and Abney David, engineer, boards 48 6th." ^[5]

In 1860, Willis and his family were enumerated in Fabius Township, Marion County, Missouri, post office, Palmyra.^[6]

The household members were:

Willis Abney, 34, born in KY, fisherman

Elizabeth Abney, 24, born in Virginia

Joshua J. Abney, 8, born in Illinois

Wm H. Abney, 7, born in Illinois

Charles Abney, 1, born in Illinois

Willis was not located on the 1870 census. A family on the 1870 census of Palmyra, Marion County, Missouri, supposedly included Abner children Missouri, had a son William Abner but a correction was made. The Abner's were really Lafore's.^[7]

Willis Abney probably was Dock Abney who appeared in the Langdon & Arntzen's Quincy City Directory and Reference Book for 1873-74. The Abner/Abney's were:

Abner, Joshua, laborer, res 309 Delaware.

Abney, Dock, fisherman, 200 Vermont.

Abney, Joshua, fisherman, res Nelson Court ns 3 w Third.

Abney William W., engineer, res 252 N Fifth, rear.

Joshua Abney, fisherman, probably was his son. He appears in subsequent Quincy records.

No further trace of Willis "Doc" Abney was found. If another researcher knows what happened to him, please add your information.

Sources

1. ↑ 1850 census of Quincy, Adams County, Illinois, cited below.
2. ↑ 1850 U.S. Census, Adams Co., IL, Quincy, p. 207, dwelling 136, family 137, Doc Abmer.
3. ↑ Williams' Quincy Directory for 1859-60, O. S. Williams, transcribed by Kim Torp. http://genealogytrails.com/ill/adams/dir/index.htm
4. ↑ Divorce file, Box C-26, Case #649, Gerard Lock vs. Susannah nee Ricks, Adams County, Illinois, Divorce Case Files, FHL microfilm 1845492.
5. ↑ Williams' Quincy Directory for 1859-60, O. S. Williams, transcribed by Kim Torp. http://genealogytrails.com/ill/adams/dir/index.htm
6. ↑ 1860 U.S. census, Marion County, Missouri, Fabius Twp., p. 967, dwelling 606, family 596, Willis Abney, NARA microfilm M653, roll 632; viewed on Ancestry.com.
7. ↑ 1870 U. S. census, Marion County, Missouri, Palmyra, p. 645, dwelling 367, family 381, Elizabeth McClure; NARA microfilm M593, roll 791.