Agnes Geraldine Weed Abbott
(1901-1992)

 

Agnes Geraldine Weed
University of Texas at Austin
Senior Photo
1924 Cactus Yearbook

"Agnes Geraldine Weed was the first baby baptized by Dr. Briggs in the newly formed church. When Dr. Briggs was forced to leave the Tenth Street Methodist Church, a number of the parishionors left with him, the Weeds among them. They formed the Methodist Church of Austin. When the Methodist Hierarchy would not lend the newly formed congregation money to build a church building, the newly formed congregation turned to the Congregationalists, who willingly lent them the necessary funds, the Congregational Church of Austin was formed." (From back of Agnes Geraldine Weed baptizimal certificate of 1901 which apparently has hung in both church buildings from that time onward.) There is an interesting further church connection: Agnes' funeral service in 1992 at Central Presbyterian Church in Austin was done by Rev. Rich Thompson who served as an Interim at the Congregational Church of Austin in 1995 and in 2001.

 

Before Cleaning.

After Cleaning and Small Repairs. (Thanks to Heather Hamilton and Sue Murphy for restoration advice.)

Agnes Geraldine Weed Baptismal Certificate

Transcription

THIS CERTIFIES THAT Agnes Geraldine, Daughter of Valentine O. and Isabella Weed, born on the 29th Day of August in 1901 in Austin, Texas, was BAPTIZED by me in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost on the 20th day of October. In the Year of our Lord, 1901. R. J. Briggs, Pastor, Methodist Church of Austin.

Agnes Geraldine Weed (Abbott)

She was born August 29, 1901, in Austin, Texas to Valentine O. and Isabella Weed. She attended Austin Public Schools and graduated from the University of Texas in 1924. She was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Central Presbyterian Church, Austin Women’s Club, a former teacher in the Austin Public Schools, and former dietitian with the University of Texas Health Center. Agnes married Merlin C. Abbott on February 26, 1927, in Austin. Abbott from Winston Salem, NC, had served in the US Army in Houston. They had a son, Peyton Osborne Abbott, born that year in Houston. Peyton, a geologist, passed away in 2019 after a long career at US Geological Survey and Colorado Division of Water Resources. Merlin, Agnes, and Peyton moved to Austin at 502 Fannin Street, now Fifth and Lamar.

Agnes Weed Abbott died Saturday, November 7, 1992, in Austin at the age of 91. She was preceded in death by her parents, V. O. and Bella Brush Weed; sisters, Ola, Katie, Daisy and Laura; brothers, Thurlow Bogart, Thurlow Brush, Osborn, Austin and Frank. Survivors include her son and daughter-in-law, Peyton Osborne and Geraldine Jaye Abbott of Pueblo, Colorado; grandson, James Abbott and wife Susan of Austin; granddaughter, Kathryn Abbott of Seattle, Washington; nieces, Edith W. Hitchcock, Mrs. Elton J. Chambers; nephew, Bob and great-granddaughter, Samantha Kelsey Abbott of Austin. Funeral services were held at 2:00 PM, Wednesday in the Weed-Corley Funeral Home with Reverend Richard Thompson officiating. Burial: Oakwood Cemetery. Memorial contributions could be made to the Central Presbyterian Church or the Presbyterian Children’s Home Service Agency, 702 Rio Grande, Austin, Texas 78701 or the Salvation Army. Arrangements by Weed-Corley Funeral Home, 3125 N. Lamar. 452-8811.

Her Father, V. O. Weed

Her father was born on Nov. 14, 1849, in Palmyra, Montgomery County, TN. He came to Austin in 1874, and was engaged in the harness and saddlery business shortly after coming to Austin. In his younger years, Mr. Weed was considered a great horseman. After dissolving his partnership with the harness and saddlery business, he began a livery business, providing carriages for funerals and ambulance service. In 1921, his son Thurlow opened a funeral home.

Thurlow appeared to be in competition with his dad as this ad implies.

For many years, Mr. Weed engaged in the funeral transportation and ambulance business and at the time of his retirement in 1929, at the age of 80, was the state's oldest funeral director. About a year after coming to Austin, Valentine married Miss Bella Brush, a member of a well-known Austin family. The Weeds had three daughters, Miss Daisy Weed, Miss Laura Weed and Mrs. Agnes Weed Abbott; two sons, O. W. Weed of Dallas and Thurlow Weed of Austin; and four grandchildren, Thurlow Weed, Jr., and Osborn Abbott of Austin, and Betty and Edith Weed of Dallas.

Weed also owned a skating rink in Austin. Katherine Hart (1905-2000) in her 1974 Waterloo Scrapbook column in Austin American-Statesman wrote of her early memories, as a little girl, about Congress Avenue, "...just south of Lamme's was Mr. V. (for Valentine) O. Weed, Emballmer and Funeral Director. Mr. Weed with his long white beard was a patriarchal figure, he was often sitting on the sidewalk in a captain's chair." Mr. Weed's son founded Weed Funeral Home in 1921. It was sold to Jack Corley in 1941 who combined the names.

A close friend of the late Gov. Hogg, Mr. Weed was responsible for the planting of fine pecan trees around Gen. Hogg's grave in Oakwood Cemetery. In his latter years, after the trees began bearing, Mr. Weed would gather the pecans and send them to various parts of the state for planting, thereby perpetuating the Hogg name.

He numbered many of the nation's greats among his friends and acquaintances. His hobby, during the latter part of his life, was the collection of canes. His cane collection numbered several hundreds and included walking sticks given him by many Texas governors, by Vice Pres. John N. Garner and other noted men. He died August 8, 1935.

Agnes Geraldine Weed Album