Abner Abercrombie

b. 22 January 1849, d. 21 December 1931
  • Abner Abercrombie was born on 22 January 1849 in Alabama.
  • His name was recorded as Bud or Buck in the 1850 census.
  • His name was recorded as Minton in the 1870 census.
  • His name was recorded as Harry on his his son John's death certificate.
  • John B. Abercrombie and Penny Francis Patterson appeared in the US federal census of 1 June 1850 in Montgomery County, Alabama, enumerated next to John's mother, and not far from Robert Ware and his family.. Other members of the household included Abner Abercrombie, John E. Abercrombie, Chesley W. Abercrombie, Mark E. Abercrombie and Albert Galiton Abercrombie.
  • John B. Abercrombie and Penny Francis Patterson appeared in the US federal census of 1 June 1860 in Montgomery County, Alabama. Other members of the household included Abner Abercrombie, Albert Galiton Abercrombie, George B. Abercrombie, Greenwood Abercrombie, Sarah E. Abercrombie, James Alford Abercrombie and Dora B. Abercrombie.
  • Penny Francis Patterson appeared in the US federal census of 1 June 1870 in Wetumpka PO, Elmore County, Alabama. Other members of the household included Abner Abercrombie, Albert Galiton Abercrombie, Greenwood Abercrombie, Sarah E. Abercrombie, James Alford Abercrombie, Dora B. Abercrombie and Robert Lee Abercrombie.
  • He married Josephine Register, daughter of James Register and Mary (?), on 19 January 1875 in Austin County, Texas.
  • Abner Abercrombie and Josephine Register appeared in the US federal census of 1 June 1880 in Rains County, Texas.
  • He was a farmer, according to the 1880 census.
  • Abner Abercrombie and Josephine Register appeared in the US federal census of 1 June 1900 in Rains County, Texas, enumerated not far from Abner's brothers Albert and Greenwood.. Other members of the household included John Quincy Abercrombie.
  • He was a farmer, according to the 1900 census.
  • The following appeared on 25 March 1901 in The Dallas Morning News: (Emory, March 24) Mistake That Cost a Life. Mistaken for a wire cutter, for whom he was lying in wait, Lee Abercrombie, a member of one of the most prominent families in Rains County, was shot and instantly killed last night.
         H. A. [Abner] Abercrombie, a brother of the man who was killed, had been making a wire fence. He had been warned that if he did not desist a party of men would cut the fence last night. In anticipation of this visit, H. A. Abercrombie, after dark, armed himself, and taking a position so as to command the road over which he expected the wire cutters would come, waited for them. He had not long to wait, for about 10 o'clock he heard the click of the wire nippers & fired toward the sound, being unable to see any one. The fire was returned and perhaps a dozen shots were exchanged, after which the men galloped off.
         Believing that the wire cutters would return, Abercrombie came to this city to noitfy Sheriff Osborn. Meantime a son [John] of H. A. Abercrombie had gone to the home of his Uncle, Lee Abercrombie, to tell him what had happened. Lee Abercrombie, dressing, armed himself and accompanied his nephew to a clump of brushes near the fence and lay in wait, thinking that perhaps the wire cutters might resume their depredations before his brother's return.
         Abercrombie's farm is only three and a half miles northwest of this place, and in less than an hour H. A. Abercrombie, accompanied by Sheriff Osborn and another officer, was approaching the fence. When they came within fifty yards of the fence the officers dismounted and continued slowly afoot. They had gone only a few yards when Sheriff Osborn saw a figure rise in the dark and he called on the man to throw up his hands. The only response was the click of a rifle being cocked. Immediately Sheriff Osborn fired. Then running forward the men found Lee Abercrombie's body prone on the ground, while his nephew was crouched in a clump of bushes. The boy explained that his uncle had mistaken the officers for wire cutters, whereas the Sheriff has mistaken Abercrombie for the wire cutter.
         With as little delay as possible search for the real wire cutters, whose depredations had occasioned the tragedy, was begun. Three officers from Wood County, Apell, Crutchburg and Nixon, have gone to the scene with bloodhounds.
         Two arrests have already been made, and others, it is thought, soon will be made.
  • Abner Abercrombie and Josephine Register appeared in the US federal census of 15 April 1910 in Rains County, Texas. Also in the household was one boarder.
  • He was a farmer, according to the 1910 census.
  • Abner Abercrombie became a widower at the 16 May 1914 death of his wife Josephine Register.
  • Abner Abercrombie appeared in the US federal census of 1 January 1920 in Bryan, Brazos County, Texas, at Reliance Road enumerated not far from his brother George's widow Minnie.
  • He was a retired farmer, according to the 1920 census.
  • It appears that Dora and William Vasser moved to College Station sometime between 1920 and 1923 to be near their daughter, Anna Vasser Smith, whose husband was teaching at A&M. Also, Dora's widowed brother Abner, and the widow of her brother George, were living in adjacent Bryan.
  • Abner Abercrombie appeared in the US federal census of 1 April 1930 in Bryan, Brazos County, Texas, at McRea Bridge Road.
  • Abner Abercrombie died on 21 December 1931 at age 82 in Bryan, Brazos County, Texas, . His death was officially witnessed by Bessie B. Abercrombie.
  • He was interred at Bryan City Cemetery, Bryan, Brazos County, Texas.
  • Last Edited: 4 May 2016

Family: Josephine Register b. 16 January 1856, d. 16 May 1914