Samuel Abbott, of Boston, Dead

Samuel Abbott, of Boston, Dead

Samuel Abbott, until 1920 superintendent of the Boston Protective Department, died May20 at the home of his son, Captain Edgar Abbott, 3 Wabon Street, Eltn Hill, Roxbury, after an illness which began soon after his retirement from active service, in 1920. Superintendent Abbott spent 64 of his 76 years as fire-fighter and protector of property, and was one of the last survivors of the great Boston fire in 1872.

Mr. Abbott came from a family of fire-fighters, his father, Captain Samuel Abbott, Sr., being a callman and later a permanent fireman in this city. Samuel Abbott, Jr., was born in Boston, October 23, 1846, and attended the old Quincy School at the South End. Union Hose 2 was located in the yard of the school. Young Sam’s father was a member of this company, and it was there that at the age of 10, in 1856, began his long and eventful fire service as torch boy-a duty more important to him than that of president of the United States.