Israel B. Abbott (c. 1843-1887) was a politician from North Carolina who served in the

North Carolina House of Representatives The North Carolina House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the North Carolina General Assembly. The House is a 120-member body led by a Speaker of the House, who holds powers similar to those of the President pro-tem in the North Ca ...

in 1872 during the

Reconstruction era The Reconstruction era was a period in American history following the American Civil War (1861–1865) and lasting until approximately the Compromise of 1877. During Reconstruction, attempts were made to rebuild the country after the bloo ...

. He was African American. Abbott was born free and was employed during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

as a servant to a Confederate officer. In 1861, he fled to

New Bern, North Carolina New Bern, formerly called Newbern, is a city in Craven County, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2010 census it had a population of 29,524, which had risen to an estimated 29,994 as of 2019. It is the county seat of Craven County and t ...

, where he stayed until the entry of Federal troops to the city following the Battle of New Bern in March 1862. During the

Reconstruction Era The Reconstruction era was a period in American history following the American Civil War (1861–1865) and lasting until approximately the Compromise of 1877. During Reconstruction, attempts were made to rebuild the country after the bloo ...

, Abbott became involved in the

North Carolina Republican Party The North Carolina Republican Party (NCGOP) is the affiliate of the Republican Party in North Carolina. Michael Whatley has been the chair since 2019. History Nineteenth century Although Republicans first nominated a candidate for President o ...

and served in the

from 1872-1874. He represented

Craven County Craven County is located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 100,720. Its county seat is New Bern, North Carolina, New Bern. The county was created in 1705 as Archdale Precin ...

. He later chaired North Carolina's Republican Convention in 1884. In 1886, Abbott challenged fellow Republican

James E. O'Hara James Edward O'Hara (February 26, 1844 – September 15, 1905) was an American politician and attorney who in 1882, after Reconstruction, was the second African American to be elected to Congress from North Carolina.Furnifold McLendel Simmons Furnifold McLendel Simmons (January 20, 1854April 30, 1940) was an American politicians who served as a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives from March 4, 1887 to March 4, 1889 and U.S. senator from the state of North ...

in the general election. Simmons eventually became a leader in the movement to disenfranchise African-American North Carolinians. Abbott died at New Bern in 1887.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Abbott, Israel B 1840s births 1887 deaths Politicians from New Bern, North Carolina Republican Party members of the North Carolina House of Representatives African-American state legislators in North Carolina 19th-century American legislators

See also

References