Martin Dominick Abbott

Martin Dominick Abbott, the third son of John Joseph Abbott and Elizabeth "Lizzie" (Gallagher) Abbott, was born on 23 May 1878 at the family residence, located at 116 West 19th Street.¹

In the early stages of research into the history of the Abbott family, we had little to go on except for a few recollections about Martin by his niece, Dorothy (Abbott) Delaney, who is the daughter of Martin's brother, Jameson Francis Abbott. She recalled that Martin lived in Port Chester, New York and believed that he died relatively young, possibly from emphysema or other repiratory ailment. Dorothy recalled that her family, which was living in the Bronx, occasionally visited Martin.² The contact, however, was not as great as that with other members of the Abbott family who were living closer to the family home in the Bronx. As a result, she did not have as many memories of Martin.

In early 2007, Martin's World War I draft registration card was found and it provides some insight into his life when he was about 40 years old.³ Along with about 24 million other Americans, he registered for the draft on 12 September 1918. Information on the card includes his middle name, Dominick, which we had not known prior to finding the document. We also learn that Martin was employed as an electrician with the Liberty Electric Corporation in Port Chester, New York. Martin listed 31 Midland Avenue in Port Chester as his place of residence. For the question on the form about his nearest relative, Martin listed John Abbott of New York, New York. We also learn a few personal characteristics from the registration card, such as the fact that he was of medium height and had blue eyes and "black-brown" hair.

A record of Martin in the 1920 U.S. Census has not been found. However, from the 1930 Census we discover a bit more about him.⁴ By now, Martin is living with John and Hazel Eisler at 38 Victor Street in Yonkers, New York. He is listed as the step-father of someone in the Eisler household. No occupation is listed for Martin, who is 52 years old and widowed. We also learn that he was married at age 19. His birth place, as well as that of both parents, was New York. There are five children in the Eisler household: John, age 13; Elwood, 12; William, 10; Robert, 9, Richard, 8; Howard, 7; and Dorothy, 3 1/2. John, the head of the household is 33 years old and is a foreman at a carpet mill. He was born in New York. His wife Hazel, also born in New York, is 32 years old.

May 2007 Update: In late May, while searching records via Ancestry.com, I discovered that another individual had been researching Martin Dominick Abbott. I contacted the researcher, Karen (Thompson) Skinner, and we were able to confirm that we are 2nd cousins, with our mutual connection being our great-grandparents John Joseph Abbott and Elizabeth (Gallagher) Abbott.⁵ Karen and I have been trading family information since we made contact with each other. The information that follows, along with some marvelous photographs and documents, have been generously contributed by Karen and are included here with her permission. The story that continues below is based on Karen's research data and family stories.⁶

In order to understand the household recorded in the 1930 census, we must step back twenty-five years to the marriage of Martin and Bertha Underhill in 1905. This was Bertha's second marriage, the first having been to John Eisler. The Eisler marriage ended in divorce. Martin and Bertha's first child, Albert M. Abbott, was born 18 February 1906 in Yonkers, New York. The couple's second child, Gordon Richard Abbott, was born on 07 July 1908 in Mt. Vernon, New York.⁷ Their daughter, Grace May Abbott, was born in Port Chester, New York, on 09 December 1911.

At some point, Bertha contracted tuberculosis and apparently was being treated for it at Saranac Lake, New York, where she died in 1917. Bertha's death left Martin with a family of three young children. It's not known where Martin was residing after his wife's death since he hasn't been located in the 1920 census. However, we know from the census that Grace, who was eight years old, was residing with her step-brother John Eisler.⁸ The family, consisting of John (age 23), his wife Hazel (age 21) and their three young children, along with step-sister Grace May Abbott, was living at 31 Midland Avenue, Port Chester in the township of Rye, located in Westchester County, New York. That's the same address that Martin had listed two years earlier on his WWI draft registration card. Grace's brothers, Albert and Gordon, were boarding with Peter and Mary Witzel in the "Lake District" of Harrison Township, Westchester County, New York.⁹

Information from Karen about Bertha's previous marriage to an Eisler clarifies why we find Martin Abbott listed in the 1930 census, as noted above, with the John and Hazel Eisler household. John Eisler was Martin's step-son through his marriage to Bertha (Underhill) Eisler. By 1930, Grace is apparently no longer residing with the Eislers and her father.

Martin Dominick Abbott died at 1:45 a.m. on 15 April 1930 at St. John's Hospital in Yonkers, New York. The informant for data on Martin's death certificate was his brother, Henry L. Abbott (Harry Abbott). Harry apparently gave 16 May 1881 as Martin's date of birth, but we have a birth certificate for him that points to 23 May 1878. Also, from the 1930 census we know that Martin was 52 years old, which would have been consistent with an 1878 birth rather than one in 1881.

The cause of death provided by the physicain was "cardiac decompensation" with "edema of the lungs" as the contributory cause. We know from the death certificate that Martin had been employed in the building trade as a lather. Earlier in his career Martin had also worked as an electrician, the occupation he provided during the WWI draft registration process.

Martin was buried on 17 April 1930 at Calvary Cemetery, Queens, New York, where many other members of the Abbott family also are buried.

¹ N.Y.C. Return of Birth #233561, Manhattan, 1878.
² Personal conversations with her son Robert F. Delaney, the author and webmaster of this site; December 2000.
³ World War I Draft Registration Card - M1509, Roll 1819190, Westchester County, New York, Draft Board 6, September 12, 1918
⁴ 1930 U.S. Census, T626, Roll 1668, Page 17A, ED 34, Supervor's District 20, Yonkers, New York. Enumerated on April 12, 1930. Note: Indexed by Ancestry.com as Eesler instead of Eisler.
⁵ Karen (Thompson) Skinner is the daughter of Grace May (Abbott) and Edwin Lawrence Thompson, and the granddaughter of Bertha (Underhill) Abbott and Martin Dominick Abbott.
⁶ E-mail messages between Karen Skinner and Robert F. Delaney, webmaster of this site, May and June 2007.
⁷ Certificate and Record of Birth, New York State Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics.
⁸ 1920 U.S. Census, T625 Roll 1278 Page 12A ED 170 Sup Dist 6 - Port Chester, New York.
⁹ 1920 U.S. Census, T625 Roll 1275 Page 3B ED57 - Harrison, Westchester, New York.