Long-Lived Sisters

Emily Abbot Everett and Anne Wales Abbot

Emily Abbot Everett (1799-1904) and Anne Wales Abbot (1808-1908) were sisters who both lived to be 100 years old. In the 1900 U.S. Census at age 101, Emily, pictured above, was still listed as the head of the household. Emily and Anne are sixth generation descendants of George Abbott and Hannah Chandler (Abiel5, Abigail Abbott Abbott4, Benjamin3, Benjamin2, George1).

Anne and Emily were daughters of Abiel Abbot (1770-1828) and Eunice Wales (1772-1831). Abiel and Eunice (Wales) Abbot were the parents of nine children. Abiel Abbot was a Harvard graduate and a well-known minister. When returning from a ministry trip to Cuba, he contracted yellow fever when passing through Charleston, South Carolina. He was quarantined on ship in New York and died in quarantine.

Emily Abbot married Stevens Everett in 1824. They had four children. Emily was widowed in 1833 and did not remarry. Anne Wales Abbot did not marry.

Anne Wales Abbot was a game designer, magazine editor, and author. Her first game was "Dr. Busby" which was published in 1843. Other games that she authored were "The Racers" and "Master Rodbury". She also did book reviews, and one of her reviews was of Hawthorne’s "The Scarlet Letter" which did not really appeal to her in terms of the subject matter although she had much praise for Hawthorne’s style of writing. She wrote children’s books and edited one volume of prose and verse designed for adult readers: Autumn Leaves: Original Pieces in Prose and Verse published in 1853. She contributed several of the items for Autumn Leaves. Other pieces were contributed by two of her sisters and her niece.

Here is the beginning of one of her poems:

The Sounds of Morning in Cambridge

I SING the melodies of early morn.

Hark! — 't is the distant roar of iron wheels,

First sound of busy life, and the shrill neigh

Of vapor-steed, the vale of Brighton threading.

Region of lowing kine and perfumed breeze.

Echoes the shore of blue meandering Charles.

Straightway the chorus of glad chanticleers

Proclaims the dawn. First comes one clarion note,

Loud, clear, and long drawn out; and hark! again

Rises the jocund song, distinct, though distant;

Now faint and far, like plaintive cry for help

Piercing the ear of Sleep. Each knight o' the spur,

Watchful as brave, and emulous in noise.

With mighty pinions beats a glad reveille.

All feathered nature wakes. Man's drowsy sense

Heeds not the trilling band, but slumbrous waits

The tardy god of day. Ah! sluggard, wake!

It is interesting to imagine living during the time of Emily’s life. She was alive during three centuries. Her father was born before the Revolutionary War and Emily died just 10 years before the start of World War I.

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