The Family of Rosa Anna Abbott and John Joseph LaValle

What's New

Visit this page frequently to see what has been added to the Web site.

January 6, 2008

  1. Portrait of Unknown Woman is in the Austin Wooster gallery.

March 15, 2007

  1. Ruth Geyser Abbott's embroidery, 1972.

March 4, 2007

  1. Memorial service by Malcolm Ozborn in England on October 15, 2004, for George Abbott, who was killed in World War II.

August 24, 2006

  1. Photograph of Edward and Elizabeth's home at 278 Beverly Road.

August 22, 2006

  1. Photos from the 2006 family reunion. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 ]
  2. Photograph of the Kumpf family home.

August 16, 2006

  1. Additional information about the grapple used to hang meat, including the U.S. patent application and more specifics about how it was used.

June 13, 2006

  1. Another Austen C. Wooster painting of the Haudenshield vineyard is in the gallery.

April 16, 2006

  1. Photograph of Alexander Abbott, son of Charles Abbott, about 1870.
  2. Photograph of Ella Jesson Abbott, wife of Alexander Abbott, about 1870.
  3. Photograph of Gertrude Abbott Beyer Powell, daughter of Alexander and Ella Abbott, about 1920.

March 26, 2006

  1. Extensively expanded prehistory of the Abbott farm site.
  2. James McFarlane's Land Patent for the "Black Oak Hill" tract, November 25, 1788, future site of Abbott farm.
  3. James McFarlane's Land Survey for "Black Oak Hill" tract, May 25, 1770, future site of Abbott farm.
  4. Richard Price's Land Survey for "Price's Knob" tract, May 25, 1770, adjacent to Black Oak Hill.

March 13, 2006

  1. Photograph of John, Caroline, Ida, and William Kumpf, about 1870.

June 26, 2005

  1. Another Austen C. Wooster painting is in the gallery. This is a second strawberry still life.

March 26, 2005

  1. The Abbott Ice and Packing Plant Mystery Artifact.is now identified by a retired worker from a Chicago meat packing plant. It is a meat hanger.

November 7, 2004

  1. Janice Donley's Dining Room Mantle, displaying Abbott and Donley keepsakes.
  2. Elizabeth Jacob Abbott's Monkey Carving.
  3. Edward and Elizabeth Jacob Abbott's 50th Anniversary Urns.
  4. Edward and Elizabeth Jacob Abbott's 50th Anniversary Vases.
  5. Edward and Elizabeth Jacob Abbott's Oil Lamp.
  6. Edward and Elizabeth Jacob Abbott's Bisque Figurines.
  7. Edward and Elizabeth Jacob Abbott's Mantle Clock.

September 18, 2004

  1. Better photographs of the prehistoric projectile points.

September 8, 2004

  1. Kurt Dudt's memories about his grandfather's chair.

September 7, 2004

  1. Additional information about the prehistoric projectile points, based on an analysis of the breaks and chips. New information is available for projectile points numbered 1, 3, 7, 9, 10, 11, 15, 17, 18, 19, 24, and 25.

September 1, 2004

  1. Maggie Jacob's autograph book.
  2. Edward and Elizabeth Jacob Abbott's dresser.
  3. Jacob family side chair.
  4. Jacob family table.
  5. Clarence Abbott's chair.

August 30, 2004

  1. Abbott Packing Company lard bucket.
  2. Maggie Jacob's iron.
  3. Elizabeth Jacob Abbott's scale balance.
  4. Elizabeth Jacob Abbott's sugar bowl.
  5. Elizabeth Jacob Abbott's milk pitcher.
  6. Elizabeth Jacob Abbott's butter stamp.
  7. Edward and Elizabeth Jacob Abbott's settee.
  8. photograph of John George Jacob's original naturalization papers, 1860.

August 29, 2004

  1. Photograph of the Abbott farmhouse, 1941.
  2. Another photograph of the Geyser family.
  3. Photograph of the Geyser family.
  4. Photograph of the Abbott men posing in a tree.
  5. Photograph of the Abbott women posing in a tree.
  6. Photograph of a cooper shop.
  7. Photograph of The Abbotts posing with their car, 1910.
  8. Photograph of George Jacob plowing the field.
  9. Photograph of George and Cal Jacob, and a team of horses.
  10. Photograph of the Jacobs with Charles Geyser.
  11. Photograph of unknown.
  12. Photograph of four of the grown children of Johan Jeorg and Katherina Heim Jakob.
  13. Photograph of Ruth Geyser Abbott sitting on a porch.
  14. Portrait of Cal Jacob.
  15. Phhotograph of Cal Jacob.
  16. Photograph of Clara and Lena Abbott with others piled into a huge old car, 1912.
  17. Another portrait of Kate Jacob.
  18. Portrait of Cal Jacob.
  19. Portrait of Kate Jacob.
  20. Photograph of George Jacob, Jr., with family, friends, and the family dog.
  21. Photograph of Abbott group photo, about 1920.
  22. Photograph of Kate and Cal Jacob feeding the chickens at the Jacob farm.
  23. Another photograph of Kate and Cal Jacob feeding the chickens at the Jacob farm.
  24. Photograph of Ruth Abbott with young children, Charlotte and Marian, 1927.

August 26, 2004

  1. Photographs of Pittsburgh National Bank Building, Pittsburgh, showing SolarCool Bronze reflective archhitectural glass invented by Harold Donley.

August 18, 2004

  1. Howard Abbott's Sunday School Booklets.
  2. Howard Abbott's and Ella Boggs' Marriage Documents.
  3. Howard Abbott's Funeral Memorial Card.

August 17, 2004

  1. Family Roots: The Abbott Journey, by Margaret A. Jackson, Mt. Lebanon Magazine, vol. 24, no. 6, July/August 2004, pp. 30-36. Used with permission.

August 16, 2004

  1. Elizabeth Jacob Abbott's jewelry.
  2. Photograph of Ella Boggs Abbott at the beach, about 1926.
  3. Photograph of Ella Boggs Abbott, 1925.
  4. Photograph of Ella Boggs Abbott and Margie, 1926.
  5. Photograph of Ella Boggs Abbott with friends, about 1926.
  6. Photograph of Howard and Ella Boggs Abbott, 1976.
  7. Photograph of Howard Abbott with a nice car, 1927.
  8. Another photograph of Howard Abbott with a nice car, 1927.
  9. Photograph of Howard and Ella Boggs Abbott at the beach, about 1930.
  10. Photograph of Howard Abbott with Margie, about 1930.
  11. Photograph of Howard, Ella Boggs, and Margie Abbott at the beach, about 1930.
  12. Photograph of Howard Abbott and Margie, about 1930.
  13. Photograph of Margie Abbott Page, about 1932.
  14. Photograph of Margie Abbott Page, about 1932.
  15. Photograph of Margie Abbott Page with a baby, about 1932.
  16. Another photograph of Margie Abbott Page with a baby, about 1932.
  17. Photograph of Margie Abbott Page, about 1930.
  18. Photograph of Margie Abbott Page's elementary school class, about 1932.
  19. Photograph of Margie Abbott Page's elementary school class, about 1933.

July 4, 2004

  1. Cemetery tour, including headstone markers from Augustus and Rosa Ott Abicht, Carl (Charles) and Magdalena Hetrich Abicht/Abbott, Charles Abicht/Abbott, and Henry Abbott.
  2. Abbott Ice and Packing Plant photographs, 1970.
  3. Clearing the land for the Embassy Apartments, 1926.
  4. Charlotte Dudt's sketch of the Abbott Ice and Packing Plant layout.

July 3, 2004

  1. A photograph of Harold Donley as a child.
  2. A photograph of some of Edward and Elizabeth Abbott's children.

June 30, 2004

  1. Distribution Map of Prehistoric Projectile Points from Abbott Farm.

June 23, 2004

  1. A photograph of the Wise sisters, daughters of John Wise and Amelia Abbott Wise.

June 17, 2004

  1. New information added to Prehistoric Stone Artifacts from the Edward Abbott Farm, after another archaeologist reviewed the projectile points.

June 6, 2004

  1. Location of Abbott Meat Market, Carnegie, PA, 2004.
  2. Location of Christian and Magdalena Abbott House, Carnegie, PA, 2004.
  3. St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church Maps, Carnegie, PA, 1896-97.
  4. Abbott Meat Market Map, Carnegie, PA, 1901.
  5. Abbott Meat Market Maps, Carnegie, PA, 1896-97.
  6. Abbott Ice and Packing Plant Map, Carnegie, PA, 1901.
  7. Abbott Ice and Packing Plant Maps, Carnegie, PA, 1896-97.
  8. Christian and Magdalena Abbott House Map, Carnegie, PA, 1901.

June 4, 2004

  1. Postcard of Carnegie, PA, railroad station near Washington Street and Fourth Avenue.

June 1, 2004

  1. Eight paintings added to the Wooster gallery: Green Grapes, Blue Grapes on a Nail, Grapes, Peaches, and Pears, Daisies, Green Grapes and Apples, Grapes, Peaches, and Wine, Melon, Peaches, and Grapes, Strawberries.

May 11, 2004

  1. Christian and Magdalena Abbott House, Carnegie, PA, 1896-97.

May 11, 2004

  1. Apples, Grapes, and Pears, oil painting on canvas, Austin C. Wooster, 1898, added to Wooster gallery.
  2. Pears and Peaches, oil painting on canvas, Austin C. Wooster, 1894, added to Wooster gallery.

April 28-30, 2004

  1. August Abbott, Jr., baptism record, 1836.
  2. Henry Abbott baptism record, 1839.
  3. Catarina Schmeltz baptism record, 1839.
  4. Christian Abbott confirmation record.
  5. Christian Abbott and Magdalena Schmeltz marriage record.

April 25, 2004

  1. List of SolarCool installations, an architectural glass coating invented by Harold LaValle Donley.
  2. PPG Industries Crystal City, Missouri Plant, where Harold LaValle Donley did much of his development work on SolarCool.

April 11, 2004

  1. Baptism records from St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church, including ten of August Abbott's children, one of Edward Abbott's children, and one of Elizabeth Abbott's children.

March 11, 2004

  1. Janice Garlock Donley admiring a Harshaw Chemical Company t-shirt given to her husband, Harold, in appreciation for his invention of an architectural glass reflective coating that uses Harshaw's chemicals.
  2. Sue Donley's dog, Rosie wearing a Harshaw Chemical Company t-shirt given to Sue's father, Harold, in appreciation for his invention of an architectural glass reflective coating that uses Harshaw's chemicals.

March 9-10, 2004

  1. An archaeologist has tentatively identified the Indian Projectile Points found on the Abbott farm site, spanning 9000 years of prehistory.
  2. Corrected the photograph at the top of the Abbott Ice and Packing Plant Story. The previous photograph showed the Chartiers Valley Brewery one block from the packing plant. The new 2004 photograph shows the packing plant smokestack with the word "ABBOTT" integrated into the brickwork.
  3. Photographs of Abbott Ice and Packing Plant, taken in 2004.
  4. New photographs of St. John's Lutheran Church Building, Carnegie, PA, where August Abbott was a founding member and where Edward and Elizabeth Abbott attended when they were first married.
  5. Postcard of Fourth Avenue looking west, Carnegie, PA, 1915.
  6. Postcard of Vintage produce trucks, Carnegie, PA, circa 1930.
  7. Postcard of First Ward School, Carnegie, PA, circa 1910, where August Abbott's daughter Hallie taught.
  8. Postcard of First Ward School Class of 1907, Carnegie, PA, where August Abbott's daughter Hallie taught.
  9. Postcard of First Ward School Class of 1910, Carnegie, PA, where August Abbott's daughter Hallie taught.

March 8, 2004

  1. More memories of Edward and Liz Abbott's children, Shirley, Margie, Charlotte and Trudy's memories of Christ, Kate, Howard, and Emma. More information about the gravity train that Al rode.

March 3, 2004

  1. Cottontail Rabbits, 1900. Another Wooster painting for the gallery.

February 29, 2004

  1. Robert Goodall and Shirley Jeffery McCallum Fiftieth Wedding Anniversary Picture, circa 1998.
  2. Abbott family cradle, in which all of Edward and Elizabeth Jacob Abbott's children slept.
  3. The Abbott farm shortly before the sale in 1925, with the Rev. Beiswenger family.
  4. Family photograph at the Abbott farmhouse, circa 1933.
  5. Chris and Florence Abbott holding Billie, 1917.
  6. Florence Colvin Abbott holding Billie, 1917.

February 24, 2004

  1. A 1815-1871 map of Germany, showing Saxony, from where Augustus and Rosa Ott Abicht came in 1835 along with three to five of their children, and Hesse Cassel, from where Magdalena Schmeltz came. See their narratives for more details.

February 22, 2004

  1. Many of the people are now identified in the photograph of the Abbott family on the farmhouse front porch, circa 1905
  2. Rose Abbott LaValle Donley and Howard Abbott with friends on the swing at the Abbott family farm, circa 1915

February 20-21, 2004

  1. Drawing of Rose Abbott LaValle Donley by her granddaughter, Sue Donley
  2. Collage of Christian and Magdalena Smeltz Abbott's children's photographs
  3. Photograph of Kate Abbott Goeddel, daughter of Christian and Magdalena Smeltz Abbott, 1879

February 18, 2004

  1. Photo of Abbotts with an old car, ca. 1906
  2. Photo of Picking strawberries on the Abbott farm, 1915
  3. Photo of Abbott women on the farm, with beanpoles in the background, ca. 1910
  4. Photo of Edward Abbott and siblings, ca. 1930
  5. Photo of Kate and Charles Goeddel, Edward, and Lizzie, ca. 1900

February 13-14, 2004

  1. Added information about Frederick Abbott to The Family of Augustus/August and Rosanna Abicht/Abbott
  2. Charles and Magdalena Hetrick Abbott Cemetery Plot
  3. Charles and Magdalena Hetrick Abbott Headstone Markers
  4. Charles/Carl August Abbott Obituary
  5. Magdalena Hedrick Abbott Obituary in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
  6. Magdalena Hedrick Abbott Obituary in the Carnegie Mansfield-Item
  7. Elizabeth Jacob Abbott obituary in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 1934
  8. Elizabeth Jacob Abbott obituary in unknown newspaper, 1934
  9. Edward Abbott obituary in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 1943
  10. Edward Abbott's Bible right inside cover page, with Rev. Beiswenger's obituary and records of relatives' death dates

February 9, 2004

  1. Soldier's Block, Mount Lebanon Cemetery Postcard, 1913.
  2. Main Street looking East Postcard, Carnegie, 1915.
  3. Christian Abbott obituary in the Mansfield-Item, 1897
  4. Christian Abbott obituary in the Pittsburgh Commercial-Gazette, 1897
  5. Madgalena Schmeltz Abbott obituary in the Mansfield-Item, 1896
  6. Madgalena Schmeltz Abbott obituary in the Pittsburgh Commercial-Gazette, 1896

February 8, 2004

  1. Colonial Heights Plan, Mount Lebanon, site of the former Abbott farm
  2. Rose Abbott LaValle Donley Ironing Board and Scrub Board
  3. Bullwhip from Abbott Ice and Packing Plant
  4. Tribute to George Abbott by Chuck Page
  5. Chuck Page, posing with great-grandfather Edward Abbott's musket, 2004
  6. Ed Donley, posing with great-grandfather Edward Abbott's musket, 2004
  7. Virginia, Charlotte, and Shirley in a boat at Dillner's cabin, 1949
  8. Shirley and Harold, 1949
  9. Rose and Harold in Rose's garden, 1949
  10. Abbotts on the 1860 U.S. Census for Upper St. Clair Township

February 7, 2004

  1. Added an old photograph of the Abbott Ice and Packing Plant to the Abbott Ice and Packing Plant Story. [NOTE (March 10, 2004): This photograph was not the Abbott Ice and Packing Plant. It was the Chartiers Valley Brewery one block from the packing plant. The new 2004 photograph in the Abbott Ice and Packing Plant Story shows the packing plant smokestack with the word "ABBOTT" integrated into the brickwork.]
  2. Expanded Prehistory of the Abbott Land and moved it from the Abbott land deeds page to its own separate page.
  3. Tom and Rose Abbott LaValle Donley's house at 286 Colonial Drive.
  4. Added an 1775 map of Mount Lebanon to the Abbott Land Transaction History page.
  5. Added Shirley Jeffery McCallum's memories to the Family of Edward and Elizabeth Jacob Abbott page.

January 26, 2004

  1. Added photographs and description of memorial stained glass window to A Tribute to George Abbott

January 25, 2004

  1. Added information about prehistoric occupants to Abbott Land Transaction History
  2. Added more background information to Indian Stone Artifacts

January 23, 2004

  1. Tom Donley, passenger train conductor for the Pennsylvania Railroad, 1929
  2. Rose Abbott LaValle Donley's widow's train pass
  3. Rose Abbott LaValle Donley's bank passbook
  4. Rose Abbott's and John LaValle's marriage documents
  5. Rose Abbott LaValle's and Tom Donley's marriage documents
  6. Photograph and links added to Rose Abbott LaValle Donley's story

January 20, 2004

  1. The Kuhlmans playing music, circa 1905
  2. Photograph of the family of Elizabeth Abbott Kuhlman, circa 1926
  3. Another photo of Elizabeth Abbott Kuhlman, circa 1905
  4. Early Mount Lebanon, probably about 1920

January 12-18, 2004

  1. Abbott Packing Plant (editorial changes)
  2. Christian and Magdalena Schmeltz Abbott (editorial changes)
  3. George Abbott (several paragraphs added)
  4. Rose Anna Abbott LaValle Donley (editorial changes, and links to additional photographs)
  5. Memories of Shirley McCallum added to Family of Edward and Elizabeth Jacob Abbott
  6. Elizabeth Jacob Abbott's Vase (photograph and description)
  7. Elizabeth Jacob Abbott's Bird Statues (photograph and description)
  8. Elizabeth Jacob Abbott's Chair, with Rose's Needlepoint (photograph and description)
  9. Mt. Lebanon School class photograph, 1896
  10. St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church
  11. Abbott Ice and Packing Plant ice pick
  12. Abbott Ice and Packing Plant mystery artifact, some type of tongs
  13. Abbott Ice and Packing Plant Meat Hook
  14. Abbott Farm from McFarlane Road, before 1905
  15. Christian Abbott's log house, 1908
  16. The boys dressed up for fun at the Abbott farm
  17. The family lined up on the Abbott farmhouse front porch, circa 1905
  18. Rose Abbott driving a car, 1919
  19. Clara Abbott with a dog and rabbits, at the Jacob farm circa 1920
  20. The Edward and Liz Abbott family with the Goeddels, circa 1920
  21. The guys with the farm horses, circa 1915
  22. The guys hunting on the farm with a dog, circa 1915
  23. Margie as an infant, circa 1928
  24. Margie as a young girl, circa 1934
  25. The girls picking daisies, circa 1915
  26. The Family of Christian and Magdalena Schmeltz Abbott