My Genealogy Hound

W. S. ABBOTT, editor and proprietor of the McKeesport Times, was born on Third avenue, McKeesport, just east of Market street, in 1855. His parents, John C. and Jane (Thomas) Abbott, settled in that city in 1835. His father was a member of the firm of Patton & Abbott, who kept the largest general store in the county at that time. At the age of fifteen W. S. entered the office of the McKeesport Paragon to learn the printing business, and on the completion of his trade went to Pittsburgh, expecting to follow printing, but secured a position in the Pittsburgh branch of R. G. Dun & Co.’s mercantile-agency, in whose employ he remained fourteen years. He opened a branch of that establishment in Wheeling, W. Va., April 1, 1886, and remained there until July 1, 1887. His penchant for newspaper work led him to keep up a newspaper connection all these years, which schooled his natural inclinations, and in July, 1887, he deserted the agency for the journalistic field, having purchased the plant and good-will of the McKeesport Times. Since his advent that paper has made wonderful progress, and today it stands at the head of McKeesport journalism. It is the official paper of McKeesport and the borough of Reynoldton, and under Mr. Abbott’s management is constantly growing in influence and circulation. The job printing annex of the Times, also owned by Mr. Abbott, has a national reputation for its extra fine work, ranking with the very best offices in the largest cities of the United States. The Times building is an imposing three-story pressed-brick edifice, Nos. 622 and 624 Walnut street, and the plant is the most extensive and perfect in the county outside of Pittsburgh.

Mr. Abbott is well and favorably known in the community, publishes a clean, bright, local newspaper, is alive to the best interests of the city, possesses the confidence of the business public to a remarkable degree, and is recognized as one of the live, pushing and enterprising young men of the city. He has filled the offices of president of the McKeesport Press Club and second vice-president of the Mendelssohn Club, and is one of the charter members of the original McKeesport Library; is an A. F. & A. M., and politically is an uncompromising stalwart republican.