Colonel James W Abert
Kentucky Post, Wednesday, August 11, 1897 page 3
Col. Abert Dead
Army Officer Known the County Over Passed Away at Newport
Once Sent to Europe on an Important Mission
Colonel James W Abert, a well known army man and prominent Newport
citizen, died at his home on West Front Street, Newport, Tuesday night after a
brief illness. The predisposing cause of death was poison recently
contracted from handling weeds.
He was born in 1820 at Mt. Holly, NJ and was graduated from Princeton College at 18. He was graduated from West Point in 1842. He was assigned to the rank of Second Lieutenant in the Fifth Infantry, USA.
In 1845 he was ordered to join the expedition in the Rocky Mountains, under Colonel Fremont and a year later made the first survey of the Canadian River in Northern Texas.
IN THE MEXICAN WAR
When the Mexican War broke out he was appointed on the staff of Colonel Stephen W Kearny and served throughout the conflict. In 1860 he was sent to Europe to study the military system in foreign countries. He returned soon after to enter the Civil War under General R W Patterson and later was made Chief of Engineers under General Banks. In 1864 he resigned having achieved the rank of Major. Congress a few years ago placed him upon the retired list.
He was married in 1851 to Lucy A Taylor, daughter of the late General James Taylor. His widow and three daughters are living. The funeral will take place Friday morning at 10:30 o'clock from St. Paul's P E Church, Newport. Rev W G McCready will conduct the service. Charles Abert, a brother of Colonel Abert died Monday night at Washington.