The Dictionary of National Biography: Founded in 1882 By George Smith (Classic Reprint)

Abbey Abbey ABBEY, EDWIN AUSTIN (1852-1911), painter and black-and-white and decorative artist, born on 1A pril 1852 at 315 Race Street, Philadelphia, was eldest child in the family of two sons and a daughter of William Maxwell Abbey (1827-1897), a merchant of Philadelphia. His mother, Margery A nn (1825-1880), was daughter of Jacob Kipel, second son of Jacob Kypel (d. 1797), a farmer who emigrated to America from Freiburg, Baden, in 1760. Abbey received his education in Philadelphia at the Randolph school (1862-4) and Dr. Gregory sschool (1864r-8), where he had drawing lessons from Isaac L. Williams of the Pennsylvania A cademy, a landscape painter of local repute; for three months in 1868 he studied penmanship at Richard S. Dickson swriting-school. While there he contributed picture puzzles toO liver Optic sO ur Boys and Girls under the pseudonym of Yorick. In 1869 he entered the employ of Van I ngen andS nyder, woodengravers of Philadelphia, who sent him to work in the antique and life classes at the Academy ofF ine A rts. He was employed mainly on commercial and news illustrations. Soon afterwards he studied under Professor Christian Schuessele at the Pennsylvania Academy and worked on historical compositions. The experience developed his power of imagination and faculty for design, while he applied himself to research in history and costume. In 1870 he sent drawings to theN ew York publishing house of Harper Brothers for production in their Weekly. In 1871 he VOL. LXVII. SUP. ii. went toN ew York, and after a months probation in that firms art department received a permanent position on the staff. He worked for Harpers continuously for twenty years. In 1878 he came toE ngland with a commission from Harpers to illustrate Herrick spoems. After two years he returned toN ew York for three months, and then settled permanently in England. He lived much in Lon
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