Family History - LTC James Edward Abbott

1. LTC James Edward Abbott,¹ born 15 August 1871 in Annapolis, Ann Arundel County, Maryland, the son of William Martin Abbott and Frances Virginia Wilkinson;^{1, 2} died 3 December 1939 in Pinellas County, Florida.^{1, 2, 3} James married, 26 March 1939 in Baltimore, Maryland, Caroline Stewart Purdy^{3, 8} (born 22 October 1871 in New York, the daughter of Stewart Lewis Purdy and Josephine Barnes;^{4, 5, 6, 7} Caroline died 3 April 1954 in Weiser, Washington County, Idaho^{4, 5}). James and Caroline are buried in Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Arlington County, Virginia.^{1, 4}

1. Find a Grave (website). Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia, LTC James Edward Abbott, born: 15 August 1871 in Annapolis, Ann Arundel County, Maryland; died: 3 December 1939 in Pinellas County, Florida (from record, which includes copies of his burial notice and [partial] obituary; and provides the names and links for his parents, siblings, and wife).
2. Florida Deaths, 1877-1939, Certificate of Death, Registrar’s Number: 22256, James E. Abbott (Retired), died: 3 December 1939 at Veterans Admin. Hospital, Bay Pines, Pinellas County, Florida; born: 16 August 1872 in Annapolis, Maryland; married; wife: Caroline P. Abbott; age of husband or wife if alive: unknown [this may indicate that they were estranged at the time of his death]; occupation: Army officer; service in Spanish American and World War.
3. Maryland Probate Estate and Guardianship Files, 1796-1940, James Edward Abbott, died: 3 December 1939; record type: will; probate date: 7 December 1939 in Baltimore City, Maryland; estate no. 564-35. Will executed by James Edward Abbott on 1 December 1937. His will makes only one mention of his wife Caroline, in which he gives and bequeaths to Mrs. Caroline Oglesby, Hotel Bristol, New York, the sum of One Hundred Dollars ($100.00), absolutely. However, the will seems to cross out this paragraph. This will was apparently superseded by a later will dated 27 March 1939 [as mentioned in a Court of Appeals case], a day after he married Caroline.
4. Find a Grave (website). Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia, Caroline S. Purdy Abbott, born: 22 October 1871; died: 3 April 1954 (from record, which includes notes giving details of three of her marriages; and provides the names and links for her parents, siblings, one husband, and two children).
5. Idaho Death Certificates, 1938-1961, Caroline Purdy Abbott, born: 22 October 1870 in New York; died: 3 April 1954 in Weiser, Washington County, Idaho; father: Stewart Louis Purdy, born in New York; mother: Josephine Barnes, born in New York.
6. U.S. Federal Census, 1940, Florida, Pinellas County, St. Petersburg, E.D. 52-20, Sheet No. 8A, Caroline Abbot, 69, New York, widow, residence on 1 April 1935: Seattle, Washington.
7. U.S. Federal Census, 1950, Washington, King County, Seattle, E.D. 40-645, Sheet No. 4, Caroline P. Abbott, 78, New York, widow. Her residence here is the Piedmont Hotel.
8. Court Listener (website: courtlistener.com), Shenton v. Abbott, 15 A.2d 906 (Md. 1940), filed 31 October 1940. This appeal is from an order of the Orphans’ Court of Baltimore City, revoking the probate of the will of James Edward Abbott, deceased, and also the letters testamentary of Harry W. Shenton, appellant, on the ground of lack of jurisdiction. The issue is whether the testator had abandoned his domicile of origin in Anne Arundel County and acquired domicile of choice in Baltimore City. [Two key findings in this court case: (1) James married his wife Caroline on 26 March 1939 at the Hotel Rennert in Baltimore, Maryland; and (2) on 27 March 1939 James executed his will. This will apparently superseded the will he executed on 1 December 1937.]