Howard J Abbey: Folsom Prison

Howard J Abbey was born 1899 in Windsor, Hartford, CT (Some prison records have him born in New York).
Alias: Edward Ferguson  When he was 22 years old he committed robbery in San Diego County, CA.





Inmate #35380 San Quentin
Rec: 25 Sep 1921
Term: 1-Life
Discharged: 25 Sep 1931
Age: 22
Occupation: Plumber





In 1932 he got into trouble again and went to Folsom Prison.




Inmate #17768 Folsom
Crime: Attempt Extortion and Poss of a Firearm (He was on Parole)
Rec: 6 Apr 1932
Age: 33 
Occupation: Barber





I never found a marriage record and the only census record I found was the 1930 census and he was in San Quentin.

Howard J Abbey died 30 Mar 1934 he committed suicide by jumping off the 5th tier in the prison.






He is buried in the Folsom Prison Cemetery, below stands his grave alone and sad with just his #17768 his last name and date of death. 



Added by EDHGS
He has a FAG Memorial #167428057


I found several newspaper clippings on his crime and on his suicide.










Add caption

When Howard was in San Quentin from his conviction in 1921 he and some other inmates planned an escaped, and was caught.

I am not sure why he killed himself, that's really sad. 

Folsom Prison discharged him 6 Oct 1939. I have found that their paper work was very slow and did not discharge upon death but later. 

This story was fascinating, I made him a tree on Ancestry and hopefully I will be able to add parents at some point. 





Comments