Leonard Anderson Abercrombie

b. 15 April 1875, d. circa 1958
  • Leonard Anderson Abercrombie was born on 15 April 1875 in Huntsville, Walker County, Texas.
  • Leonard Anderson Abercrombie and Lavinia Afton Chilton appeared in the US federal census of 1 June 1880 in Walker County, Texas. Other members of the household included Leonard Anderson Abercrombie, Lavinia Chilton Abercrombie, Ella Hadyn Abercrombie, Frances Amelia Abercrombie, William Chilton Abercrombie and Corinne Afton Abercrombie.
  • Robert Scott Lovett and Lavinia Chilton Abercrombie appeared in the US federal census of 1 June 1900 in Houston, Harris County, Texas, at 2019 Main Street. Other members of the household included Leonard Anderson Abercrombie, Robert Abercrombie Lovett and Ruth Lovett Finch. Also in the household were three domestic servants. Niece Ruth Finch also is enumerated with her parents in Huntsville.
  • He was a lawyer, according to the 1900 census.
  • He married Daisy Cox, daughter of Leonard Cox and Saphronia Stedman.
  • The following appeared on 18 November 1909 in The Brownsville Daily Herald: (Huntsville, Texas, Nov. 18) In this city, on Wednesday afternoon at 5 o'clock, at the residence of the bride's mother, Mrs. Mary A. Finch, was solemnized the marriage of Miss Ruth Lovett Finch to Mr. Ralph Eskye Hollland of Brownsville, Texas. The beautiful ceremony was conducted by the Rev. Elbert P. Poole of the Baptist Church.
         The Event is of unusual interest here as both parties by a residence of years are well known to the community. The young ladyis granddaughter of Col. and Mrs. L. A. Abercrombie, and this descent is a priceless legacy. No name in the history of this city has ever been more highly honored as standing for all the qualities that characterize the true gentlemen, the trusted citizen, the loyal patriot than the name of Col. L. A. Abercrombie.
         The young lady, besides her inheritance of gifts, has her own peculiar graces of mind and person. By training and by choice she is eminently suited to be the gracious presiding genius of a home. Mr. Holland is known and respected among us as a young man of education, energy and talent, and of much promise in his chosen profession of law, in which he has already attained rapid success.
          The wedding was private, there being present a few of the immediate relatives: Lieut. Henry A. Finch, Mr. F. B. Holland of Gainesville, Texas, Mr. Baxter Finch, Mr. and Mrs. Leonard A. Abercrombie of Houston, and Mr. and Mrs. E. B. Parker and Miss Zoe Blount also of Houston.
         Mr. and Mrs. Holland are expected to arrive in Brownsville tonight. They will go tomorrow to Santa Maria where they will spend a brief honeymoon at the plantation of C. E. Lewis.
         Mr. and Mrs. Holland will be at home in Borwnsville after December 10.
         [A similar article appeared in The Galveston Daily News on the 21st.]
  • Leonard Anderson Abercrombie and Daisy Cox appeared in the US federal census of 15 April 1910 in Houston, Harris County, Texas, at 615 Webster Avenue. Other members of the household included Lovett Anderson Abercrombie and Leonard Corydon Abercrombie. Also in the household were Daisy's brother Cornelius B. Cox, and nephew Baxter Finch.
  • He was a real estate agent, according to the 1910 census.
  • The following appeared on 29 October 1917 in The Philadelphia Inquirer: William C. Abercrombie, lawyer and brother-in-law of Judge Robert S. Lovett, who has been contesting the lunacy proceedings begun by his brother, Leonard Abercrombie, has been adjudged incompetent by Justice Goff in the Supreme Court and ordered committed to an institution for treatment. During the proceedings the respondent conducted his own case and endeavored to show that a conspiracy had been evolved by Judge Lovett and hhis wife to send him to an institution.
  • The following appeared on 8 July 1918 in the Middletown Times-Press: (Goshen, July 8) William C. Abercrombie, a brother-in-law of Judge Robert Scott Lovett, chairman of the board of directors of the Union Pacific Railway, has failed in an attempt made through his wife, Mrs. Annie S. Abercrombie, to secure his release from Interpines, here, where he was committed as an incompetent by Justice Goff in the Supreme Court on October 27, 1917. Mrs. Abercrombie obtained a writ of habeas corpus for her husband, but after a hearing Justice Greenbaum ordered it dismissed.
         The court ruled that the proceeding was not one which raised the question of whether or not Abercrombie had recovered his mental poise.
         Mrs. Lovett is Abercrombie's sister. At a hearing last year he declared that she was in conspiracy with Leonard Abercrombie, a brother, and Judge Lovett to get him "out of New York" and committed to some institution. He admitted that he had asked them for money when he was under the influence of liquor.
         Abercrombie, who had been a practicing lawyer here for twelve years, conduct[ed] his own hearing and the court decided that what he stated as "facts" were in reality "delusions."
  • The following appeared on 25 August 1918 in The Sunday Oregonian: (New York) A fight of almost two years to free William C. Abercrombie, lawyer and brother-in-law of Judge Robert S. Lovett, from an insane asylum ended successfully recently.
         Supreme Court Justice Guy sustained a writ of habeas corpus. He said in his opinion the proceedings which committed Abercrombie were irregular from their beginning in the Magristrate's Court.
         Frederick Hendrick, lawyer and classmate of Abercrombie at Harvard, fought his battle for him. Mrs. Abercrombie persisted that her husband was entirely rational when his brother and his sister, Mrs. Robert S. Lovett, testified against him.
         In Justice Guy's chambers after the writ was signed, Mr. Hendrick said:
         "My old classmate and client and fellow practitioner is not now and never has been insane. Although for some months he was under restraint unjustly, in institutions for persons not able to care for themselves, he is possessed of one of the keenest minds that I have ever known and he knows how to use it.
         "It is possible for a perfectly sane man to be committed to an institution, if proper certification is obtained from alieniests. When he has been committed it is possible for friends to try in vain at the County Courthouse where the commitment papers were signed to find out what has become of him. This is so because no record need be kept there of the commitment.
         "Friend, wife or sister, can only find the lost one by going from one to another of the institutions in the state where insane or allegedly insane persons are detained. Fortunately, my client was not lost sight of in that way. But the whole subject is one that calls for prompt and effective action to safeguard the citizens of the state.
         Abercrombie, who had long lived in Virginia, came to New York in October, 1916, and was arrested, charged with intoxication. On the petition of his brother, Leonard A. Abercrombie, he was committed to Bellevue Hospital for observation as to his sanity.
         Mr. Hendrick asserted yesterday that "some one had been hired to get Abercrombie drunk." Abercrombie alleged he was the victim of a conspiracy among his relatives.
         Saying that "passion had taken the place of reason," Justice Goff last October refused to upset the commitment to Bellevue. The Justice's decision rebuked Abercrombie's "delusions" that he was the victim of a plot by his brother, his sister, Mrs. Lovett, and Judge Lovett.
         "He demonstrated implacable hatred of his kindred, who, as the testimony discloses were at all times kindly, helpful and solicitous of his welfare," Justice Goff said.
         Abercrombie has been out on bail for several months and living with his wife, Mr. Hendrick said.
  • Leonard Anderson Abercrombie registered for the draft on 9 September 1918 in Douglas County, Nebraska, while living with his wife Daisy on Drake Court in Omaha, employed there as a special investigator with the legal department of Union Pacific Railroad.
  • He married Jean M. Smith circa 1920.
  • Leonard Anderson Abercrombie (and Jean M. Smith) appeared in the 1924 Denver, Colorado, City Directory at 515 11th Avenue his occupation listed as "ins.".
  • Leonard Anderson Abercrombie (and Jean M. Smith) appeared in the 1928 Tulsa, Oklahoma, City Directory at 1612 South Quaker Avenue listed as Special Representative, Equitable Life Assurance Society of the US, 318 Mid-Continent Building..
  • The following appeared on 3 December 1928 in The Dallas Morning News: (Houston, Dec. 2) Leonard Corydon Abercrombie, 19, Rice Institute student, was shot and wounded fatally about 11 a. m. Sunday when a shotgun accidentally discharged while the youth was on a hunting trip.
         The accident occurred about nine miles from Tramell as a group of four boys, including young Abercrombie, were unloading their guns preparatory to returning to Houston from their hunting trip.
         Mr. Abercrombie is survived by his father, L. A. Abercrombie, Tulsa, Ok; his mother, Mrs. B. C. [sic] Abercrombie, and one brother, Lovett Abercrombie of Houston.
  • The following appeared on 3 December 1928 in the Omaha World-Herald: Corydon Abercrombie, 19, son of Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Abercrombie, former Omaha residents, died Sunday at Houston, Tex., from gunshot wounds received in a hunting accident. Telegrams to relatives here said a charge from an accidentally discharged shotgun struck him in the leg, severing an artery.
         Preceding the family's moving to Houston eight years ago, young Abercrombie was a pupil in the Dundee school. He had been a student at Rice Institute for the last two years.
         The accident victim was a nephew of Mrs. Charles Rich and Mrs. Gentry Waldo of Omaha.
  • Leonard Anderson Abercrombie and Jean M. Smith appeared in the US federal census of 1 April 1930 in Mission Township, Johnson County, Kansas, at 4941 Glendale Road. Other members of the household included Leonard Anderson Abercrombie Jr.
  • He was an insurance agent, according to the 1930 census.
  • Leonard Anderson Abercrombie (and Jean M. Smith) appeared in the 1933 Salina, Kansas, City Directory at 102 South College Avenue listed as an agent of Farmers & Bankers Life Insurance Company..
  • In 1935, Leonard Anderson Abercrombie and Jean M. Smith were living in Boulder, Colorado, according to the 1940 census.
  • Leonard Anderson Abercrombie (and Jean M. Smith) appeared in the 1937 Denver, Colorado, City Directory at 1549 Logan listed as a draftsman with the State Highway Department..
  • Leonard Anderson Abercrombie and Jean M. Smith appeared in the US federal census of 1 April 1940 in Denver County, Colorado. Other members of the household included Leonard Anderson Abercrombie Jr.
  • He was an insurance salesman, according to the 1940 census.
  • Leonard Anderson Abercrombie (and Jean M. Smith) appeared in the 1945 Denver, Colorado, City Directory at 1554 Logan listed as a salesman for J. R. Watkins Company..
  • Leonard Anderson Abercrombie (and Jean M. Smith) appeared in the 1948 Denver, Colorado, City Directory at 1554 Logan listed as a salesman..
  • Leonard Anderson Abercrombie (and Jean M. Smith) appeared in the 1951 Denver, Colorado, City Directory at 1554 Logan listed as a salesman..
  • Leonard Anderson Abercrombie (and Jean M. Smith) appeared in the 1958 Denver, Colorado, City Directory at 785 Glencoe he with no occupation listed, and she as a clerk with the Internal Revenue Service..
  • Leonard Anderson Abercrombie died circa 1958.
  • His wife Jean M. Smith became a widow at his death.
  • Last Edited: 31 Jan 2013

Family 1: Daisy Cox b. 12 April 1873, d. 7 February 1964

Family 2: Jean M. Smith b. 18 July 1894, d. 2 August 1988