Independence, sufficiently shows. Three of Judge Abbott's sons served in
the army during the war of the Rebellion, and two of them fell in
battle, thus showing that they, too, inherited the martial spirit of
their ancestors.

Judge Abbott had just reached his majority, when he was chosen as
representative to the Legislature. In 1841, he was elected State
senator. During his first term in the Senate he served on the railroad
and judiciary committees; and during his second term, as chairman of
these committees, he rendered services of great and permanent value to
the State. At the close of his youthful legislative career he returned
with renewed zeal to the practice of his profession. His ability as a
legislator had made him conspicuous and brought him in contact with
persons managing large business interests, who were greatly attracted by
the brilliant young lawyer and law-maker, and swelled the list of his
clients.

At this period General Butler was almost invariably his opposing or
associate counsel. When they were opposed, it is needless to say that
their cases were tried with the utmost thoroughness and ability. When
they were associated, it is equally needless to say that there could
hardly have been a greater concentration of legal ability. In 1844,
Judge Abbott was a delegate to the National Democratic Convention at
Baltimore, which nominated James K. Polk as its presidential candidate;
and he has been a delegate, either from his district or the State at
large, to all but one of the Democratic National Conventions since,
including, of course, the last one, at Cincinnati, which nominated
General Winfield S. Hancock. His political prominence is shown by the
fact that he has invariably been the chairman of the delegation from his
State, and, several times, the candidate of his party in the Legislature