Josiah Gardner Abbott

Josiah Gardner Abbott (November 1, 1814 – June 2, 1891) was an American politician who served in the Massachusetts General Court and as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Massachusetts. Early life Abbott was born in Chelmsford, Middlesex County, Massachusetts on 1 November 1814. He was the son of Caleb Abbott (1779–1846) and Mercy Abbott (1782–1834). His first American ancestors, George Abbott and William Fletcher, were English Puritans, who settled in Massachusetts in 1640 and 1653, respectively. He attended the Chelmsford Academy in Concord and graduated from Harvard University in 1832 with high honors, the youngest of his class, and then attended Williams College in Williamstown. In 1862, Williams conferred on him the degree of LL.D. Career Following his schooling, Abbott worked as a teacher and a lawyer, then became a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives in 1836. In 1837, he was admitted to the bar and began practice in Lowell, the same year, he was elected to the house of representatives of his state, the youngest member of that body. He became a member of the Massachusetts State Senate from 1841 to 1842. He was an aide to Governor Marcus Morton in 1843. From 1850 to 1855 he was a master in chancery. He also served as a member of the Massachusetts state constitutional convention, justice of the superior court for Suffolk County, an overseer of Harvard University, and several times was the unsuccessful Democratic candidate for United States Senator.