Willis J. Abbot

Willis John Abbot (March 16, 1863 – May 19, 1934) was an American journalist, editor, and a prolific historical and biographical author. Many of his works focused on war, army, navy, marine corps, and merchant marines.

Biography

Born in New Haven, Connecticut, to Waldo Abbot and Julia Holmes, he was a graduate of the University of Michigan in 1884. He was married to Marie A. Mack in 1887 and became managing editor of the Chicago Times during 1892–93. From 1896 to 1898 he was editor for the New York Journal. In 1905 he joined the New York American. In 1908 he served the Chicago Tribune as one of the earliest political correspondents in the American Midwest.

Abbot wrote for the Hearst's New York Journal American in 1921. Later, he was named the editor of The Christian Science Monitor, a position which he held from 1922 to 1927.

Abbot was among the founding editors of the American Society of Newspaper Editors. He played a role leading the movement for Ethics Enforcement with Herbert Bayard Swope working on the constitution of the ANSE. All these actions taken towards ethics amelioration was seen negatively by president Hopwood. Throughout this ethics debate Abbot was on the board of directors of the ANSE. He later served as president of the ANSE.

Published works (partial list)

Battle-Fields of '61 - A Narrative of the Military Operations of the War for the Union Up to the End of the Peninsular Campaign - Dodd, Mead, and Company, New York, 1889 - With Illustrations by W. C. Jackson

Battle-Fields and Campfires - A Narrative of the Principal Military Operations of the Civil War From the Removal of McClellan to the Accession of Grant (1862 - 1663) - Dodd, Mead, and Company, New York, 1890 - With Illustrations by W. C. Jackson