Abbott

ABBOTT, BOSWELL

Posted By: Peggy Webster Volunteer (email)
Date: 4/17/2014 at 12:33:31

HUGH FRANKLIN ABBOTT
By Duane Abbott

Hugh Franklin Abbott was born May 21, 1911, to J. Elmer and Sarah Abbott on the Abbott farm in Adair County where his father and all his siblings were born, as well as four of Franklin's siblings.

Franklin was a fast runner. He's bring his lunch pail and do chores until he heard the five-minute bell ring at the school, then he's grab his pail and run across the field and be there by nine o'clock. When his twin brothers were born, he ran and told a neighbor lady, Fairy Rechtenbaugh, to come and help.

While he was a freshman, the family lived near Orient, Iowa. The school paid Elmer to see that his kids were brought to school, so Franklin drove himself, six siblings and a neighbor boy to school by car. Later in life he drove a school bus for several years. One year he took the family to a Halloween party with a team of horses and bobsled.

Franklin married Violet Boswell July 26, 1935. They had three sons, Gerald, Duane and Cleo. Franklin was a good horseman. He had one special horse he called Babe and a matched team he called Doc and Dan. Franklin had a love for sports and saw to it that his sons had baseballs, bats and gloves to play with.

Violet was an excellent cook. She did turn out a batch of hard biscuits once as a result of having put in plaster of Paris in a baking powder can.

Franklin and Violet farmed, then Franklin worked on road construction. After his heart became a problem. he did woodworking and sharpened saw blades in his garage. He made beautiful birthday cake trays that many family members still have as a remembrance of him. Franklin passed away October 9, 1971.

Transcribed from Adair County Iowa Sesquicentennial Edition 1851-2001
Page 185