Stephen Bliss Abell

Regions: Schenectady Co., NY; Walworth Co., WI

From History of Walworth County Wisconsin by Albert Clayton Beckwith, Vol. II, Publ. 1912 - Page 806-808 STEPHEN BLISS ABELL. One of the leading citizens and representative agriculturists of Walworth county is Stephen Bliss ABELL, proprietor of beautiful "Aloha Heights" farm. His has been an eminently active and useful life, but the limited space at the disposal of the biographer forbids more than a casual mention of the leading events in his career, which, in our opinion, will suffice to show that earnest endeavor and honesty of purpose rightly applied and persistently followed will lead to unqualified success. He is a man of influence in local affairs and he is looked upon as a man thoroughly in sympathy with any movement looking toward the betterment or advancement in any way of his community, where he has always been regarded as a man of sterling honesty and worthy of the utmost confidence and respect which his fellow citizens have been free to accord, owing to his upright, public-spirited and industrious life. Mr. ABELL was born in Bloomfield township, this county, January 22, 1854. He is the son of Alfred Henry ABELL and Mariett (CARPENTER) ABELL, who came from Schenectady county, New York, and located in Bloomfield township, this county, in 1852, and there Mr. ABELL entered part of his land from the government, buying the balance, and there he established the family home, and remained there until just a short time before the death of the father. They had two children, Stephen Bliss, of this review, and a daughter, Amelia, who now lives in DeKalb county, Illinois, with her uncle. Politically, Alfred H. ABELL was a Republican and he took an active interest in public affairs. In 1878 he was a member of the Assembly of Wisconsin and he was a leader in the affairs of his home community, holding various township offices. On May 26, 1881, he sold his farm, which he had developed as a pioneer, and bought another in section 11, Geneva township, and moved thereto, dying about a month later, his wife following him to the grave in October of the same year. He was a good and useful man and widely and favorably known. Stephen B. ABELL, of this sketch, grew to manhood on the home farm and received his education in the local schools. He has devoted his entire life to agricultural pursuits. Mr. ABELL was married in January 1879, to Laura M. STANFORD, daughter of John Russell and Laura Flora (HART) STANFORD, an excellent old family. She was born and reared in Lake Geneva, this county, and received a good education here. John Russell STANFORD, was of English parentage and he came here from Crawfordville, Pennsylvania, locating at Lake Geneva in 1836, being thus one of the earliest pioneers of the county. He had for neighbors red men and wild beasts, but, being a great hunter, keeping hounds and all necessary paraphernalia for a sportsman, he greatly enjoyed his life here, despite the hardships and deprivations. He became quite influential among the Indians with whom he was always very just and they called him their white brother. The settlers depended on him to deal with the Indians for them. He came here as a young man, unmarried. Later he returned East to persuade his people to come here, where hunting and fishing were good. His father was dead and his mother refused to change to the new country. While in Pennsylvania he met and married Laura Flora HART, a native of Connecticut, a family well-known there, Mrs. ABELL being the youngest of three small children. The father was greatly affected over the death of his estimable life companion, and, pining away, died in a few years. The sister and brother of Mrs. ABELL are: Emma, who married George Putnam CONANT, of Lake Geneva, where she now resides. His father was also an early settler; he is well-to-do. Frank Altomont, brother of Mrs. ABELL, lives at Groton, South Dakota. Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. ABELL: Earl Russell, who married Lulu Mary WALES, of Elkhorn, lives in that city, and they have one son, Arthur Stephen; and Alice May ABELL, who is at home. Mr. ABELL is active in public affairs and has held various township offices, always with much credit to himself and with satisfaction to the community. Mrs. ABELL's father left ample means for the education of his children, and their guardian cared for them after his death. Mrs. ABELL attended the schools of Lake Geneva, embracing the high school, also the Young Ladies' Seminary under the tutelage of Prof. and Mrs. E. S. WARNER, well known educators of that day. Stephen B. ABELL's farm is known as "Aloha Heights," this being an Hawaiian name, meaning "Welcome." It is one of the "show places" of the township, being an attractive, well kept and well-improved farm, with a tastily furnished and pleasant dwelling and substantial outbuildings, surrounded by fine shade trees. From the home one can see across a broad valley with Lake Como visible in the distance - a truly inspiring panorama. Submitted by Carol