The Elisamon Saga, provided by Andy Straw, as a PDF file.

The Straws of Lincolnshire, provided by Andy Straw, as a PDF file.

The Descendants of George Straw, provided by Andy Straw, as a PDF file.

The Descendants of Walter Straw, provided by Andy Straw, as a PDF file.

The 1853 Immigration Passenger Lists for the Gilby families. Port of departure: Liverpool, England. Ship Name: William Tapscott. Port of arrival: November 9, 1853, in New York. Family Origin: England. Family Destination: ? An Emily Straw seems to have been traveling with the Gilbys.

The 1853 Immigration Passenger List for George Gilby (age 24). Port of departure: Liverpool, England. Ship Name: Star of the West. Port of arrival: November 4, 1853 in New York. Family Origin: England. Destination: United States.

Gravestone in Oakville, Ontario, Canada

ABNER ABBEY 

Among the pioneers of North Dakota the subject of this article deserves mention in any work purporting to be a history of the progress and development of the state, and especially of Grand Forks county. He became one of the first settlers of Gilby township, on section 24, in 1880. In 1889 he removed to section 27, where he has resided continuously since.

Mr. Abbey was born in the province of Ontario, Canada, August 9, 1849. His parents were Abner and Mary (Nugent) Abbey, the former being a Pennsylvanian by birth, and the latter a native of the north of Ireland. The father moved to Canada, where he spent the last years of his life. Five sons and two daughters were born of this union, of whom four sons and one daughter are now living, their various places of residence being Wisconsin, Minnesota, Kansas, Nebraska and North Dakota. Four sons served in Wisconsin and Minnesota regiments during the Civil war, one son dying at Mobile from sickness contracted from exposure.

Abner Abbey was reared and educated in Canada, and in 1870 removed to Fond du Lac county, Wisconsin, and resided for two years in that state. He then visited Montana and spent some time in the southern states. Finally, in 1880 he came to Grand Forks county, North Dakota, and during the same year filed a pre-emption claim to a portion of section 24, Gilby township. He has made many and valuable improvements on section 27, and is now the owner of one and a half sections of the best and most valuable lands in the county. His buildings are of the most modern and convenient pattern, and his home is one of the most comfortable and commodious of farm properties in North Dakota.

Mr. Abbey was married, in 1884, in Grand Forks, to Miss Emma Gilby. Mrs. Abbey is a native of England, her parents, John and Alisemon (Strow) Gilby, having emigrated from that country to Canada in 1853. They had three sons and one daughter, Mrs. Abbey. Two of the sons, James and George, settled in Grand Forks county in 1879, in the township that has been named for them. Mr. and Mrs. Abbey have two children, Alisemon E. and Charles G., both of whom are living. A portrait of Mr. Abbey and his excellent wife is contained in these pages. In political faith Mr. Abbey is a Republican. He has been active in public affairs of a local nature and has filled various local offices. He assisted in the organization of the township of Gilby, and has been an influential citizen since the settlement of the county. He has been prosperous and successful, gaining his present valuable holdings by industry and good business judgment, as he came to North Dakota with nothing and began at the bottom.

ABNER ABBEY

Spouse: EMMA GILBY

Abner Abbey was born in the province of Ontario, Canada on August 9, 1849. His parents were Abner and Mary (Nugent) Abbey, the former being a Pennsylvanian by birth and the latter a native of the north of Ireland. The father moved to Canada where he spent the last years of his life. Five sons and two daughters were born of this union, and they resided in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Kansas, Nebraska and North Dakota. Four sons served in Wisconsin and Minnesota regiments during the Civil War, one son dying at Mobile from an illness contracted from exposure.

Abner Abbey grew up and was educated in Canada. When he was twenty-one he moved to Fond du Lac county in Wisconsin and resided there for two years. He then visited Montana and spent some time in the southern states where he drove a stagecoach.

In 1873, Abner came to the territory of Dakota and began an exciting adventure when he joined the government service. For two years he drove a mule train, having one train of the four hundred and six mule trains plying between Fort Abercrombie, south of Fargo to Fort Lincoln near Bismarck. The main line of the Northern Pacific Railway was being surveyed. General George A. Custer was in command of the cavalry that protected the great supply train of prairie schooners and herds of cattle. Abner had a wealth of interesting stories to tell about those wild days. His recollections of General Custer and the many skirmishes with the Indians and the attacks of the buffalo on the cattle were many. One story that he told his grandson was of an incident when Abner's wagon had become disabled. The wagon train was forced to move on to a safer place before nightfall. Abner, left alone repaired the damage to his wagon by dusk, but just then a band of Indians arrived. The chief motioned for him to follow them. He had no choice but to obey. When they reached the Indian encampment the squaws were preparing the evening meal. Abner perceived they were making a stew from some animal. Upon closer observation he noted they hadn't removed the fur or feet and that it was dog stew. The chief motioned for him to help himself. Abner declined saying, "Thank you, but I'm not hungry." The chief became stern and again motioned him to eat. He looked around and saw the hostile faces of other Indians and not daring to offend them further he ate the stew. He had received a compliment from General Custer for his completion of a successful mission through difficult terrain in Indian territory. Of this he was proud. The following year he was with the party that surveyed the Canadian boundary.

In 1880 Abner came to Grand Forks County, North Dakota and that year filed a pre-emption claim four miles southeast of the present site of Gilby. Here the Gilby brothers, George, James and John homesteaded. In 1882 Miss Emma Gilby came to keep house for her brothers. Emma and her three brothers had emigrated from York, England with their parents, John and Alisemon (Strow) Gilby to Canada in 1853. Accompanying them were several uncles and aunts making a total of ten Gilbys who sailed for three weeks on a sailing vessel to the new land.

It was when Abner came to discuss a land sale with the Gilbys that he met their sister, Emma. A romance began and in 1884 Abner and Emma were married in Grand Forks. A daughter, Alisemon was their first born. In the fall two years later, a second child was expected. Abner had business in Grand Forks and he left by horse and buggy for the two day trip. Arrangements were made with the Lewis family who lived a short distance away, that if Emma needed help she could signal them by placing a lighted lamp in the east window. In the early morning hours of September 20th, sharp pains indicated an early birth. Emma attempted to get out of bed to light the lamp. Halfway to the window she stumbled and fell to the floor and her baby boy, Charles Gilby was born there. She was able to tend to her own needs and it was here Abner found her and their son upon his return from Grand Forks.

Abner made many and valuable improvements on his land. He was the first to plant trees in the area. His buildings were of the most modern and convenient structures and his home was described as being one of the most comfortable and commodious of farm properties in North Dakota.

In political faith, Abner was a Republican. He had been active in public affairs in the local community and had filled various local offices. He assisted in the organization of the township of Gilby, and had been an influential citizen during the settlement of the county. He became prosperous and successful, gaining his valuable holdings by industry and good business judgment, as he came to the Dakota's with few possessions.

Emma, his wife was a diminutive lady who was known for her gentleness and kindness to friends and neighbors. She adored her children and often made trips with them to visit relatives in Winnipeg and Toronto, Canada, staying several weeks at a time. On the farm there was always a crew of men to be boarded. A hired girl was employed most of the time. At times during the busy harvest season, Emma and her daughter would bake pies and bread and walk two miles west of the farmstead to prepare the rest of the meal in a small claim shanty.

Their children attended a rural school a half mile south of the farm. The Abbey family usually boarded the teacher and the school was known as the Abbey School. The building was heated by a wood stove which would not hold fire overnight. It wouldn't "take" cord wood, so each noon the bigger boys sawed enough wood to last until the next noon. The teacher was paid thirty dollars a month and the term was often divided into three month sessions, depending upon the weather and farm work. The small schoolroom had two rows of double desks, one on each side of the stove. Later, Charley attended Interstate Business College in Grand Forks.

Charley owned the first car in the community, a Buick. He was sometimes hired to taxi salesmen and businessmen who came by train to Gilby and needed transportation in the area.

Emma's father (John) passed away in Canada and her mother married her husband's brother (James). When they reached their senior years, Emma and Abner had them come to Dakota to live with them. They lived to be over ninety years of age and Emma cared for them until their death.

On June 1, 1908 Abner and Emma purchased a house in Gilby. They lived there and Abner commuted to the farm each day. Gradually the farming operation was taken over by Charley their son. Each was eighty years of age when they passed away, Emma in 1928 and Abner in 1929.