Frances Maria ABNEY

     Frances Maria ABNEY, daughter of Thomas Hamilton ABNEY and Mary Ann Holmes, was born on 20 February 1820 in Richmond, Virginia.^2,1

She was probably one of the 2 females under age 10 listed in the household of her father, Thomas Hamilton ABNEY, in the 1820 Federal Census of Richmond (Independent City), Henrico County, Virginia.

Frances Maria ABNEY appeared on a census, enumerated 1 June 1830, in the household of Thomas Hamilton ABNEY and Mary Ann Holmes in Bibb (now Chilton) County, Alabama.³

Frances married Newton McDaniel WOODRUFF on 18 December 1837 in Bibb (now Chilton) County, Alabama.^4,1

Newton McDaniel WOODRUFF died in 1846 in Shelby County, Alabama, at age 30 leaving Frances as a widow. She was only 26 years old with two children.⁵

Frances Maria ABNEY appeared on a census, enumerated 1 June 1850, in the household of Thomas Hamilton ABNEY and Eliza Ann Echols in Bibb (now Chilton) County, Alabama.⁶

Frances Maria ABNEY appeared on a census, enumerated 6 August 1860, in the household of her father Thomas Hamilton ABNEY in Randolph, Bibb (now Chilton) County, Alabama. She was listed as 39 years old and born in Virginia. Her son George was living with her.⁷

Frances Maria ABNEY and Virginia ABNEY were mentioned in a letter from Samuel ABNEY IV to their brother Alexander Hamilton ABNEY in Texas 28 September 1861. Randolph, Bibb County, Alabama,-- "Our family are all well. Sis Frances is slightly unwell at present. She has had a very severe spell of sickness. Our county has been very sickly this summer. A good many deaths near this place.

Our ladies all over the County have sewing and weaving societies. They manufacture all the cloth. They do not send to factories for thread nor cloth. They make it all at home. Virginia and Sis Frances have made Zach & George [their brother Zachariah and Frances' son George Woodruff] some clothes and trimmed them up nicely. You would think the cloth was made in New York. I am beginning to think the women are worth more than the men. If you could see me flying around you would think so."⁸

Frances Maria ABNEY appeared on a census, enumerated 1866, in the household of her father Thomas Hamilton ABNEY in Bibb County, Alabama. She and her sister, Virginia, were the two females 20-30.⁹

Frances Maria ABNEY died on 7 January 1896 in Gadsden, Etowah County, Alabama, at age 75.² She was buried in Abney Family Cemetery, Maplesville, Chilton County, Alabama.

Frances's obituary was printed on 13 January 1898 in the Sentinel newspaper, published in Columbiana, Alabama. It read: "Mrs. Frances M. Woodruff died at the home of her son, Mr. George F. Woodruff, in Gadsden,Ala. on Friday the 7th, aged about 78 years. The deceased was the mother of the late Mrs. Jno S. Leeper, and resided at Columbiana for a number of years where she was well known and most highly esteemed. She was a consistent member of the Methodist church and during her long life illustrated be her walk and conversation that she was indeed a true disciple of the master. A mother of Israel, she passed to her reward. She leaves surviving her one son Mr. George F. Woodruff. of Gadsden, several brothers and sisters and many relatives and friends to mourn her departure. The remains were laid to rest in the Abney graveyard near Randolph,AL on last Saturday."