Thomas and Chloe (Case) Abell bought 22 Washington Avenue (as it was numbered at the time) in January 1875 with a $2,500 loan from Hugh Love (that’s about $53,000 in 2018 money).
Who witnessed the deed and loan? The original owner/occupant in the house to the east: Attorney Charles Adams Harrington!
The loan was due in one year with interest at 8%!
The conditions of the loan from Hugh Love to Thomas Abell
By the time January of 1879 came around, Hugh Love began foreclosure proceedings against Mr. Abell for a total of $2,972.80.
It’s difficult to say what event(s) resulted in this unfortunate situation.
According to census records, Thomas Abell was operating a planing mill with his brother, Simon, in 1870. In 1880, only Simon is recorded working there – Thomas lists his occupation as a life insurance salesman.
Maybe the mill wasn’t making enough to support both families. Simon had previously worked as a farmer, whereas Thomas had started and run the first shop in West Mecca (he listed himself as a merchant on the 1850 and 1860 census), so maybe he made the decision to find work elsewhere and let his brother run the mill, or maybe the mill burned down! (I’ll see if I can get to the bottom of that in time).
Hugh Love clearly gave Thomas Abell a considerable extension of time to repay the debt. The loan was due January 1876, but it was a further three years before the matter was finally taken to court.
Nathan W. Palmer was Thomas Abell’s assignee through the court case. Nathan Palmer was Thomas Abell’s brother-in-law (married Thomas’s elder sister, Lucretia Marea Abell).
September 1879 saw the court ordering that the property be deeded to Mr. Love, but the deed itself shows that Mr. Love assigned and transferred his “bid” for the deed to Chloe L Sperry.
Who witnessed the deed? Charles’ son, Frank (living with his parents next door to the east, and also an attorney)!
But who was Ms. Sperry? She was the Abell’s 71-year-old neighbor on the west at 20 Washington Avenue, and Chloe Abell’s Aunt.
Chloe Laura (Case) Sperry b. 30 December, 1808, d. 19 Mar, 1899. Simsbury, Conneticut.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/136714081/chloe-laura-sperry shows that she was affectionately referred to as “Aunt Laura”.
Chloe Laura (Case) Sperry was Chloe (Case) Abell’s aunt through Solomon Virgil Case.
Thomas Abell’s sister Lydia married Milton Sperry, son of George Sperry and his first wife, Malinda Wade. George’s second wife was Chloe Laura Case.
So Ms. Sperry was also Thomas Abell’s brother-in-law’s step-mother.
1880 Census image showing the Thomas Abell household with Chloe Sperry to the west, and Charles Harrington to the east. Jane F[lorilla] Case was one of Chloe Abell’s younger sisters, who married Oliver W. Swift later that year, and then moved to Ashtabula, OH)
Thanks to “Aunt Laura’s” intervention, Mr. and Mrs. Abell remained living in their home.
In 1887, Chloe Abell (Thomas’s wife) is recorded officially buying the property back from Chloe Sperry (aka. Aunt Laura).
After some 22 years, the Abells finally sold the house in 1897, soon after which they retired to their daughter Harriet’s house in Findlay.
Mrs. Abell passed away in December 8, 1900, and Mr. Abell followed on 06 Aug, 1908 (at an astonishing 85yrs 3months and 24days old!)
Mr. Abell’s passing was on the front page of the Tribune in a short article which credited him as being a “well known citizen of this city”.
Thomas Abell’s Obituary
Thomas Abell’s Funeral clipping
There is a further connection to consider – a ‘Mr. Sperry’ is recorded as having been one of the four pall bearers at Thomas Abell’s funeral in 1908. Maybe he was related to Milton Sperry?
The other three pall bearers were Mr. Case (Thomas’s wife’s maiden name was Case), and his brother Simon’s sons John and William.
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other notes:
Full name: Thomas Meech Abell
Born: 12 May 1822 to John Abell and Lucretia Meech in Conneticut
Died: 06 Aug, 1908
Occupation: Merchant in 1850, 60 (opened the first store in West Mecca), Lumber dealer in 1870 with Simon L. Abell, his brother, Life Insurance Salesman in 1880, Traveling Salesman in 1900.
Served as city assessor for a number of years according to obituary – listed as the enumerator for his area on the 1880 census.
(Simon (farmer in Howland in 1860, lumber dealer 1870 and 1880, retired lumber dealer in 1900)m. Jane
children: Ada A., Rhoda P., John L[athrop?](b.1856), William H(b.1860).
Simon’s sons John and William were pall bearers at Thomas’ funeral
Married: Chloe Jeanette Case (Mecca) 25 Nov 1842
– Julia born in 1848 (m. John W. Zeller)
– Hattie (Harriet) born in 1851 (m. Wesley G Heininger, a grocer, abt. 1884) became a school teacher
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