David Conger ABBOTT was a Wheelright, Carriage-Maker, and Wharfinger, but was he a Minister?

David Conger Abbott

I have always heard that my great-great-great grandfather, David Conger ABBOTT, was a Baptist minister in Bakersfield, California. I even have a picture of him standing at a pulpit.

I have been researching for forty years and have found some interesting pieces of information about D. C. ABBOTT, but I've never found "proof" that he was (or was not) a minister. And to me, the lack of evidence does not necessarily disprove a theory, it just leaves it as a possibility.

I recently came upon a piece of evidence which indicates he indeed may have been a minister. Along the way, I've uncovered some additional information, like two short-lived marriages, and a brief stint as a collector, or wharfinger, on the wharves of San Francisco.

 Here is a brief summary of the life of David Conger ABBOTT:

• David was born in Morristown, Morris County, New Jersey, on 9 Jun 1836. He was the ninth of eleven children born to Abijah ABBOTT and Elizabeth CONGER.

• He left home at age 17 (about 1853) and moved to Ohio where he mastered the wheelright trade (wheel/wagon making), learning from his older brother Ira, who was a carriage maker in Reynoldsburg.

• About 1857 Ira moved his family to Mahomet, Champaign County, Illinois; however, David chose to continue west. He settled in Oroville, Butte County, California, where he set up business as a carriage and wagon maker.

• It was in Oroville, in 1861, that he married Mary Thomasita ESCUDARO, born in Jalisco, Mexico. (According to a researcher from Mexico, her name was probably Maria Tomasa ESCUDERO). She was the daughter of a Doctor ESCUDARO (ESCUDERO).

• About 1866, David and Mary moved to Santa Clara County, where he established a carriage and wagon business in the town of  Santa Clara. It was here Mary died in 1879, leaving David to care for their eight surviving children. Their children were:
1. Clara S. (b. c1863) who married Tom MOAR in 1882.
2. Abijah A. (b. c1864)
3. Florence M. (b. c1865) who died in 1880 and is buried near her mother at Mission Park Memorial Park, in Santa Clara.
4. William K. (b. c1867)
5. Mary "Minnie" T. (b. 8 Apr 1869) who later married John Franklin WALTON. Her son, Jim H. WALTON, insisted her name was Mignonette "Minnie" Thomasine.
6. David A. (b. Dec 1869) who died 6 Sep 1891.
7. a daughter (b. 17 Nov 1872) who died 11 Dec 1872
8. Reed Wilson (b. 30 May 1875) who died 31 May 1907.
9. Vida S. (b. abt 1878) who married J. S. PFEIFFER and died Jan 1907.

• It appears David may not have been making enough money in Santa Clara, as in 1880 he took a position as "collector" or "wharfinger" on the wharf in San Francisco (50 miles to the north). In 1880 he was staying in the International Hotel, at 848 Kearny. He worked in San Francisco until 1883, living at 116 Eleventh (1881), 217 Eighth (1882), 1017 Folsom (1883).

• Sometime after Aug 1880, David is supposed to have married Mary "Minnie" A. SCHIEBER. All I know about her is she was born in France. I have found no evidence of this marriage. There is also a report that he had a child by Minnie named Elijah, but no Elijah has been found (yet).

• On 8 Jun 1882, in San Francisco, he married Mrs. Mary A. RICHMOND. (Her maiden name may have been SCHIEBER and Minnie is a common nickname for Mary.) The 27 Jun 1882 issue of the Daily Alta California newspaper contained the following notice on page 2:

MARRIED. San Francisco, June 8–Rev. D. C. Abbot to Mrs M. A. Richmond.

This is the first and, so far, only mention that he was a minister.


• The marriage between David and Minnie did not last long. On 14 Aug 1882 the Daily Alta California contained the following notice on page 2:

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT MY WIFE, MARY A. ABBOTT, having left my bed and board without cause or provocation, I will pay no debts of her contracting. San Francisco, August 9th 1882. (Signed)                 D. C. ABBOTT.

The 27 Sep 1883 issue of the (San Francisco) Evening Bulletin contained a notice that "Judge Sullivan has granted David C. Abbott a divorce from Mary A. Abbott on the ground of desertion." 

• After leaving his job in San Francisco he moved back to Santa Clara County, living in San Jose. On 25 Feb 1885, in San Jose, David married a nurse named Katherine "Kate" KLINE. The 28 Feb 1885 issue of the San Jose City Item contained the following notice:

Marriage certificates Filed During the Week. D C. Abbott, aged 48 and Kate Kline, aged 48, both of San Jose.

Again, this was a short lived marriage.

• David owned Abbott Carriage Factory in Santa Clara until 1886, when he moved Delano, about 30 miles north of Bakersfield, in Kern County. Apparently he was unable to persuade Kate to move to Delano with him and in 1888 he filed for divorce. The newspaper article in the 7 Apr 1888 issue of the San Jose Daily News is long, but interesting:

A SUIT FOR DIVORCE HUSBAND SAYS HE CANNOT PAY ALIMONY     The divorce suit of D. C. Abbott against his wife, Kate Abbott, transferred from Kern County, came up before Judge Spencer yesterday on defendant's motion for alimony. A physician's certificate was presented to the effect that Mrs Abbott was too ill to attend and a continuance on that ground was asked. The plaintiff wanted the case to proceed owing to heavy expenses incurred in waiting, and Judge Spencer decided to hear the petition as far as possible in the absence of Mrs. Abbott.     The complaint alleged desertion and cruelty as grounds for divorce; the alleged cruelty consisting in the abuse of one of Abbott's children by a former wife; and the defence consisted of denials and a cross complaint where in (sic) defendant alleged desertion. Mrs. Abbott's affidavit in support of her claim for alimony set forth that the parties were married in San Jose, February 25th, 1885; that prior to March 1st, 1887, plaintiff without cause of explanation deserted and has since continued to reside apart from her without making any provisions for her support; that she is in poor health and without means; that plaintiff is a skillful mechanic, proprietor of a carriage factory in Kern county, with a prosperous business, the owner of more than 200 acres of valuable land and at least $1,000 worth of personal property. She prays for $25 per month, $75 for expenses and $100 for counsel fees.     Mr. Abbott testified that he was worth $1,200 or $1,500 when he married, that he tried for six months to induce his wife to go to Delano, Kern county, but she refused. At Delano he owned a lot with cheap improvements assessed at $700 or $800, mortgaged for $500, and he was unable to pay the interest; was indebted in large sums to various parties, had himself and four children to support and his shop had not paid expenses for nine months past. He had borrowed money to commence this suit and to come to San Jose, and if the court ordered the alimony paid he would have to borrow again. The case was continued.

I have not yet obtained the final decree of the divorce.

• At the 1892 Fifteenth Agricultural District Exhibition, D. C. Abbott, of Delano, exhibited a "Roadster" horse, named "Delano Chief, by Solano Chief; dam Nellie A." He received a second place award of $10 for the District (Kern and Tulare Counties).

• The 1900 census of Kern County listed David C. ABBOTT, age 64, widowed. He was a wheelwright, owned his home, and was living with his son, Reed W. ABBOTT, age 25, who was a blacksmith.

• D. C. ABBOTT, carriage maker, died at the Bakersfield Sanitorium on 6 Jul 1907, at the age of 72. According to his death certificate he was married. Perhaps the informant, his daughter Minnie WALTON, meant he "had been" married... several times.

The research continues...