Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History/James B. Abbott

Abbott, James B., one of the pioneer settlers of Kansas, was born at Hampton, Conn., Dec. 3, 1818, and grew to manhood in his native state. He was a member of the third party of emigrants from New England, which reached Lawrence on Oct. 10, 1854, and soon become recognized as one of the stalwart advocates of the free-state cause. Maj. Abbott took up a claim about half a mile south of Blanton's bridge, on the road to Hickory Point, and his house was a favorite meeting place of the free-state men in that neighborhood. As the pro-slaveryites grew more and more agressive, one of the crying necessities of the settlers was arms and ammunition with which to defend themselves against the predatory gangs which infested the territory. Maj. Abbott was one of those who went east to procure arms, and through his efforts there were sent to Kansas 117 Sharp's rifles and a 12-pounder howitzer. He was one of the party that rescued Branson from the sheriff of Douglas county; was a lieutenant in command of a company at the first “battle” of Franklin; commanded the Third regiment of free-state infantry during the siege of Lawrence in 1856; fought with John Brown at Black Jack, and was the leader of the expedition that rescued Dr. John Doy. He was a member of the first house of representatives elected under the Topeka constitution, and in 1857 was elected senator. Upon the adoption of the Wyandotte constitution, he was elected a member of the lower house of the first state legislature, which met in March, 1861. In that year he was appointed agent for the Shawnee Indians and removed to De Soto, Johnson county. At the time of the Price raid he led a party of Shawnees against the Confederates. In 1866 he retired from the Indian agency, and in the fall of that year was elected to the state senate. He was influential in securing the establishment of the school for feeble minded youth. Maj. Abbott died at De Soto on March 2, 1879. The howitzer he brought to Kansas in the territorial days is now in the possession of the Kansas Historical Society, of which he was a director for twelve years immediately prior to his death.