Robert Sengstacke Abbott (abt. 1870 - 1940)

Born about 24 Nov 1870 in St. Simons Island, Glynn, Georgia, United States [uncertain]

Ancestors

Husband of Helen (Thornton) Pryce — married 10 Sep 1918 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois, United States

Husband of Edna Rose (Brown) Abbott — married 7 Aug 1934 in Lake, Indiana, United States

Died 29 Feb 1940 at about age 69 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois, United States

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Biography

Robert Abbott is Notable.

Robert Abbott was a Freemason and a member of Oriental Lodge No. 68, Chicago, Illinois.

In 1905, Robert Sengstacke Abbott, son of former slaves, founded the Chicago Defender, a newspaper that attained the highest circulation of all Black-owned newspapers and revolutionized African-American journalism. He fought to abolish Jim Crow laws and establish a non-discriminatory society. The Chicago Defender played a major role in initiating the Great Migration (1915-1919) of approximately 1.3 million blacks to northern cities.^[1]

Robert Sengstacke Abbott, son of Thomas Abbott (~1845 - <1875) and Flora (Butler) Sengstacke (1847 - 1932), was born in November of 1868 or '69^[2] or 1870 in St. Simons Island, Georgia.^{[3] [4]} Robert's father died of tuberculosis not long after Robert's birth.^[2] Robert, as "Robbin Abbott, age 1," was counted on the census in June of 1870 with his mother, Flora Abbott, and others in Glynn County, Georgia in 1870.^[5] His mother remarried John Herman Sengstacke, of German and African heritage, raised in Germany, who raised Robert as his own and gave him his middle name. Robert's mother and step-father had seven additional children, half-siblings to Robert.^[3] They were:

1. John Sengstacke Jr.^[2]
2. Herman Alexander Sengstacke (1875-1934)^[2]
3. Mary Millard Sengstacke (1877-1920)^[2]
4. Charlotte Rebecca Sengstacke (1879-1971)^[2]
5. Eliza Sengstacke (1882-1947)^[2]
6. Susan Sengestacke(c.1884- )^[2]
7. Johanna Sengstacke (1886-1905) (but Robert's Family Papers call the last child John^[2])

The historical marker in front of his home says:

From 1878 to 1889, Robert Sengstacke Abbott lived in the parsonage of Pilgrim Congregational Church, once located on this site. His stepfather, John H. H. Sengstacke, minister of the church, published the Woodville Times. Robert Abbott learned the printing trade here and developed his commitment to equal rights for African-Americans.^[1]

Robert Abbott married twice: first to Helen Thornton Morrison (1893 - 1942) on 10 September 1918 in Chicago, Illinois.^[6] They divorced in 1933. He married Edna Brown Denison in 1934.^[7][3] No known children were born to either marriage.

In the 1930s Robert Abbott commissioned a monument in loving memory of his aunts, Celia Abbott, Mary Finnick Abbott, and his father, Thomas Abbott, located at Fort Frederica National Monument Park in St. Simons Island, Georgia.^[8]

Robert Abbott died on 29 February 1940 in Chicago, Illinois, aged 69,^[9] and was buried at Lincoln Cemetery in Blue Island, Cook County, Illinois.^[10]

In 2017, Robert Abbott was chosen as one of the "Undefeated 44," a compilation by a panel of editors, senior writers, contributors and other stakeholders at The Undefeated as part of its month-long Black History Month content initiative.^[11]

Research Notes

• Conflicting dates and information:

The Georgia Encyclopedia states that Robert Abbott was born 24 November 1868, although it does not source this claim. Notably, the biography in his family papers says 28 or 29 November 1868, though no author credit or sources are given.^[2]

Robert's gravestone says that his date of birth was 24 November 1870; his death certificate says 22 November 1870. If he is the one-year-old "Robbin" living with Flora Abbott on the June 1870 Census for Brunswick, Glynn County, Georgia, then he was probably actually born in 1868 or 1869, though it is possible that this was an older sibling who died. (The biographical note in his family papers mentions that Robert was the second child of his parents-- but also gives his DOB as 1868 or '69, which could suggest either that an older child had died by the time of the census-- or that "Robert" wasn't yet born.^[2]) Robert's passport lists his birth date as 28 Nov 1870 and his birthplace as Savannah, Georgia.^[4] Robert's father, Thomas Abbott, was not present on the June 1870 census record with Flora, lending credence to the theory that he was already deceased and young Robbin is indeed this Robert. However, confusingly, a Thomas Abbott, age 30, farm worker, was enumerated at the house next door. (Could he have moved out of the house to protect his infant son from his consumption?)

The June 1870 U.S. Census also raises a question about his father's death. On the page with Robert and Flora, the last member of the next household is a Thomas Abbot, age 30.^[12] But, also in Brunswick, Glynn County, Georgia, there is a Thomas Abbott, age 30, who is included on the Federal Census Mortality Schedule (his marital status is "widowed." He died of consumption in April 1870.^[13]

• Source to be explored: Roi Ottley, The Lonely Warrior: The Life and Times of Robert S. Abbott, Founder of the Chicago Defender, (Independently published, 2020).

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Historical Marker Database, "Robert Sengstacke Abbott Boyhood Home, Founder of the Chicago Defender, Historical Marker," Marker Number 25-33, located in Garden City, Chatham County, Georgia, erected 2008 by Georgia Historical Society and the City of Savannah.
2. ↑ ^{2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10} "Biographical Note," Abbott-Sengstacke Family Papers, Chicago Public Library, Woodson Regional Library, Vivian G. Harsh Research Collection of Afro-American History and Literature.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} Wikipedia contributors, "Robert Sengstacke Abbott," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Robert_Sengstacke_Abbott&oldid=1122278612 (accessed January 8, 2023).
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} 1922 Passport Application: "U.S., Passport Applications, 1795-1925"
   National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington D.C.; NARA Series: Passport Applications, January 2, 1906 - March 31, 1925; Roll #: 2155; Volume #: Roll 2155 - Certificates: 239476-239849, 27 Dec 1922-29 Dec 1922
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 1174 #167817 (accessed 8 March 2023)
   Name: Robert Sengstacke Abbott; Gender: Male; Age: 52; Birth Date: 24 Nov 1870; Birth Place: Savannah, Georgia; Residence Place: Chicago, Illinois; Passport Issue Date: 28 Dec 1922; Father: Thomas Abbott; Spouse: Helen Abbott; Has Photo: No; Certificate Number: 239805.
5. ↑ "United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MC33-VMS : 28 May 2021), Robbin Abbot in entry for Flora Abbot, 1870, Glynn County, Georgia.

   Flora Abbot Female 22 Georgia

   Robbin Abbot Male 1 Georgia

   Thomas Lawrence Male 16 Georgia

   John Lawrence Male 16 Georgia

   Judah Forshear Female 32 Georgia

   Anna Maxwell Female 10 Georgia

6. ↑ "Illinois, Cook County Marriages, 1871-1920", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N783-RJV : 10 March 2018), Robert S Abbott and Helen D Morrison, 10 Sep 1918.
7. ↑ "Indiana Marriages, 1811-2019," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV9M-C85X : 3 August 2022), Robert S Abbott and Edna R Denison, 07 Aug 1934; citing Lake, Indiana, United States, Marriage License, Indiana Commission on Public Records, Indianapolis; FHL microfilm 007578290.
8. ↑ See photos #6, 7, and 8 at https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=15782
9. ↑ "Illinois, Cook County Deaths, 1878-1994," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2M6-XTB3 : 18 March 2018), Robert S Abbott, 29 Feb 1940; citing Chicago, Cook, Illinois, United States, Cook County Courthouse, Chicago; FHL microfilm.
10. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/8215138/robert-sengstacke-abbott: accessed 08 January 2023), memorial page for Robert Sengstacke Abbott (24 Nov 1870–29 Feb 1940), Find A Grave: Memorial #8215138, citing Lincoln Cemetery, Blue Island, Cook County, Illinois, USA; Maintained by Find a Grave.
11. ↑ The Undefeated's 44 Most Influential Black Americans.
12. ↑ "United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MC33-VMC : 28 May 2021), Thomas Abbot in entry for Richard Richardson, 1870.
13. ↑ "U.S., Federal Census Mortality Schedules, 1850-1885," Ancestry.com, Thomas Abbott, Race: Black, Marital Status: Widowed, Estimated Birth Year: 1840, Birth Place: Georgia, USA, Age: 30, Death Date: Apr 1870, Census Place Glynn, Georgia, USA

See also:

• "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M8LF-T4Z : 22 August 2017), Robert Sengstacke in household of John Sengstacke, District 8, Chatham, Georgia, United States; citing enumeration district ED 36, sheet 746C, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), FHL microfilm 1,254,139.

• "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MSSG-3GT : accessed 20 July 2020), Robert S Abbott in household of Andrew Bell, Precinct 4 South Town Chicago city Ward 4, Cook, Illinois, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 83, sheet 5B, family 77, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,240,247.

• "United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MKHR-9R5 : accessed 20 July 2020), Robert S Abbott in household of Heinrietta P Lee, Chicago Ward 2, Cook, Illinois, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 197, sheet 9A, family 162, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 242; FHL microfilm 1,374,255.

• "United States Census, 1920," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MJSG-CRJ : accessed 20 July 2020), Robert Abbott, Chicago Ward 6, Cook (Chicago), Illinois, United States; citing ED 297, sheet 7A, line 16, family 125, NARA microfilm publication T625 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1992), roll 309; FHL microfilm 1,820,309.

• "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XSTQ-DSK : accessed 20 July 2020), Robert S Abbotts, Chicago (Districts 2377-2626), Cook, Illinois, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 2431, sheet 5B, line 89, family 120, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 420; FHL microfilm 2,340,155.

• Freedman's Bank Records, "United States, Freedman's Bank Records, 1865-1874," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NST5-2QJ : 9 March 2018), Flora Abbott in entry for Robert, citing bank Savannah, Chatham, Georgia, United States, NARA microfilm publication M816 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1970); FHL microfilm 928,579.

• Myiti Sengstacke Rice, Chicago Defender (Charleston, South Carolina: Arcadia Publishing, 2012) Overview
• Wikipedia: Robert Sengstacke Abbott
• Wikipedia: John Herman Sengstacke
• Wikidata: Item Q7349688, en:Wikipedia
• Ingham, John N., and Lynne B. Feldman, "Robert Sengstacke Abbott," African-American Business Leaders: a Biographical Dictionary, (Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press, 1994) pp. 1-17.