Leon Abbett
Encyclopedia
Leon Abbett was an American Democratic Party
politician, and lawyer, who served two separate terms as the 26th Governor
of New Jersey
, from 1884 to 1887 and from 1890 to 1893. He was a member of the New Jersey General Assembly
, New Jersey Senate
, a democratic
candidate for the U.S. Senate, and a Justice
of the New Jersey Supreme Court
.
.
In 1864, Abbett entered politics and was elected as a Democrat to the New Jersey General Assembly
, where he served from 1864 to 1866; and 1869–1870 when he was also the Speaker. He also served one term in the New Jersey Senate
from 1875 to 1877 and was Senate President in the 1877 session. Abbett was elected Governor of New Jersey
in 1883 (defeating Jonathan Dixon
in 1883 and Civil War hero E. Burd Grubb in 1889) and served two non-consecutive terms from 1884 to 1887 and again from 1890 to 1893.
Abbett was endearingly known as the "Great Commoner," and he was well liked by the impoverished urban lower class as well as the poor, agrarian community. Abbett was a natural leader and he successfully arouse enthusiasm among the lower classes who had been demoralized by big business and concentrated wealth, due to labor unrest, ethnic conflict and a generation of agricultural malcontent. He worked to voice the concerns of the common man who had been oppressed by unrestrained capitalism and special privilege. A series of laws were initiated by Abbett, designed to better industrial employment conditions. The use of Pinkerton detectives
in strikes and yellow-dog contract
s were outlawed. He also banned convict and child labor and established wage, maximum hours, and occupational health and safety standards.
The most significant act of Abbett's career was his effort to tax the railroads. This was a risky venture for Abbett and although he succeeded, he paid a heavy price. Using their political influence, the powerful railroads defeated him when he ran for U.S. Senate in 1887. In 1893, he was appointed a judge on the state supreme court
after again, unsuccessfully running for Senate. Abbett died in 1894, in his Jersey City, New Jersey
home after an attack of diabetes. He was buried in Green-Wood Cemetery
in Brooklyn
, New York.
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
politician, and lawyer, who served two separate terms as the 26th Governor
Governor of New Jersey
The Office of the Governor of New Jersey is the executive branch for the U.S. state of New Jersey. The office of Governor is an elected position, for which elected officials serve four year terms. While individual politicians may serve as many terms as they can be elected to, Governors cannot be...
of New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, from 1884 to 1887 and from 1890 to 1893. He was a member of the New Jersey General Assembly
New Jersey General Assembly
The New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature.Since the election of 1967 , the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts for a term of two years, each representing districts with average...
, New Jersey Senate
New Jersey Senate
The New Jersey Senate was established as the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature by the Constitution of 1844, replacing the Legislative Council. From 1844 until 1965 New Jersey's counties elected one Senator, each. Under the 1844 Constitution the term of office was three years. The 1947...
, a democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
candidate for the U.S. Senate, and a Justice
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
of the New Jersey Supreme Court
New Jersey Supreme Court
The New Jersey Supreme Court is the highest court in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It has existed in three different forms under the three different state constitutions since the independence of the state in 1776...
.
Biography
He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the son of Ezekiel and Sarah (Howell) Abbett. He attended Central High School and graduated in 1853. He was admitted to the Philadelphia bar in 1858. In April 1861, he moved to New York to open a law firm and formed a partnership with William Fuller. Abbett married Mary Briggs of Philadelphia in 1862 and the couple moved to Hoboken, New JerseyHoboken, New Jersey
Hoboken is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population was 50,005. The city is part of the New York metropolitan area and contains Hoboken Terminal, a major transportation hub for the region...
.
In 1864, Abbett entered politics and was elected as a Democrat to the New Jersey General Assembly
New Jersey General Assembly
The New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature.Since the election of 1967 , the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts for a term of two years, each representing districts with average...
, where he served from 1864 to 1866; and 1869–1870 when he was also the Speaker. He also served one term in the New Jersey Senate
New Jersey Senate
The New Jersey Senate was established as the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature by the Constitution of 1844, replacing the Legislative Council. From 1844 until 1965 New Jersey's counties elected one Senator, each. Under the 1844 Constitution the term of office was three years. The 1947...
from 1875 to 1877 and was Senate President in the 1877 session. Abbett was elected Governor of New Jersey
Governor of New Jersey
The Office of the Governor of New Jersey is the executive branch for the U.S. state of New Jersey. The office of Governor is an elected position, for which elected officials serve four year terms. While individual politicians may serve as many terms as they can be elected to, Governors cannot be...
in 1883 (defeating Jonathan Dixon
Jonathan Dixon (judge)
Jonathan Dixon was an American jurist and Republican party politician from New Jersey. He was an Associate Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court and was the Republican nominee for Governor of New Jersey in 1883....
in 1883 and Civil War hero E. Burd Grubb in 1889) and served two non-consecutive terms from 1884 to 1887 and again from 1890 to 1893.
Abbett was endearingly known as the "Great Commoner," and he was well liked by the impoverished urban lower class as well as the poor, agrarian community. Abbett was a natural leader and he successfully arouse enthusiasm among the lower classes who had been demoralized by big business and concentrated wealth, due to labor unrest, ethnic conflict and a generation of agricultural malcontent. He worked to voice the concerns of the common man who had been oppressed by unrestrained capitalism and special privilege. A series of laws were initiated by Abbett, designed to better industrial employment conditions. The use of Pinkerton detectives
Pinkerton National Detective Agency
The Pinkerton National Detective Agency, usually shortened to the Pinkertons, is a private U.S. security guard and detective agency established by Allan Pinkerton in 1850. Pinkerton became famous when he claimed to have foiled a plot to assassinate president-elect Abraham Lincoln, who later hired...
in strikes and yellow-dog contract
Yellow-dog contract
A yellow-dog contract is an agreement between an employer and an employee in which the employee agrees, as a condition of employment, not to be a member of a labor union...
s were outlawed. He also banned convict and child labor and established wage, maximum hours, and occupational health and safety standards.
The most significant act of Abbett's career was his effort to tax the railroads. This was a risky venture for Abbett and although he succeeded, he paid a heavy price. Using their political influence, the powerful railroads defeated him when he ran for U.S. Senate in 1887. In 1893, he was appointed a judge on the state supreme court
State supreme court
In the United States, the state supreme court is the highest state court in the state court system ....
after again, unsuccessfully running for Senate. Abbett died in 1894, in his Jersey City, New Jersey
Jersey City, New Jersey
Jersey City is the seat of Hudson County, New Jersey, United States.Part of the New York metropolitan area, Jersey City lies between the Hudson River and Upper New York Bay across from Lower Manhattan and the Hackensack River and Newark Bay...
home after an attack of diabetes. He was buried in Green-Wood Cemetery
Green-Wood Cemetery
Green-Wood Cemetery was founded in 1838 as a rural cemetery in Brooklyn, Kings County , New York. It was granted National Historic Landmark status in 2006 by the U.S. Department of the Interior.-History:...
in Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, New York.
Further reading
- Richard A. Hogarty, Leon Abbett's New Jersey: The Emergence of the Modern Governor, Memoirs of the American Philosophical Society, Vol. 243, 2002. ISBN 0-87169-243-0
- Who Was Who in America, Historical Volume, 1607–1896. Chicago, IL: Marquis Who's Who, 1967.
- Hogarty, Richard A.. "Abbett, Leon. "Encyclopedia of New Jersey. 2nd ed. 2004.
External links
- Biography of Leon Abbett (PDF), New Jersey State LibraryNew Jersey State LibraryThe New Jersey State Library, based in Trenton, New Jersey, was established in 1796 to serve the information needs of New Jersey's Governor, Legislature and courts. The State Library is also responsible to assist in the provision of library and information services to all New Jersey...
- New Jersey Governor Leon Abbett, National Governors AssociationNational Governors AssociationThe National Governors Association , founded in 1908 as the National Governors' Conference, is funded primarily by state dues, federal grants and contracts and private contributions. NGA represents the governors of the fifty U.S. states and five U.S. territories The National Governors Association...
- Dead Governors of New Jersey bio for George C. Ludlow