Birth: February 15, 1844
Death: May 4, 1912
Location: Lot 17, Section 2, Row 2, Old Cemetery- NW
Grand Island (Nebraska) Daily Independent
Tuesday, 7 May 1912, page 8
The funeral services of M. R. Abbott were held yesterday from his late residence four miles south of Wood River village. The attendance was very large and the services were conducted under the auspices of the Masonic fraternity and were very impressive. Robert French of Kearney had charge of the ritual. There was quite a large attendance from here besides the relatives.
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Marcus R. Abbott was the third in a family of seven children born to Abiel B. and Sabra (Young) Abbott. Siblings were Edward K., Othman A., Mrs. Luella Stokes, Ali H., Mrs. Martha North and Edgar P.
The family moved from Canada to Illinois when Marcus was yet a boy and he completed his education at Belvidere, in Boone county, where he graduated from high school.
He served 3 years in the Civil War, and was a corporal in Company G, 95th Illinois volunteer infantry, that participated in the battles of Shiloh and Vicksburg.
In 1867 he came with his brother, Othman, to Hall County, Nebraska. While Othman settled in Grand Island, Marcus continued west and for a time worked on a ranch in California. He returned to Hall County in 1872 and took up a homestead four miles south of Wood River. Marcus added to his income by clerking in the general store of James Jackson in Wood River, and also taught school in District No. 5, where old Wood River started in 1867. He remained on his farm for thirty-five years, adding to his holdings until he had acquired 480 acres of land. He was also a charter member of the Masonic Lodge in Wood River.
He was married to Miss Carrie E. Weldon on November 26, 1876 in her father’s home southwest of Wood River. Two children were born of this union.
An Obituary in Belvidere, Boone co. Illinois paper.