Abby was born in Bingham Fort, Weber County, Utah. See http://binghamsfort.blogspot.com for some history on Bingham Fort.

Abby was the 2nd child and oldest sister of 9 siblings. Her father had a small farm. They had some oxen, a few sheep and some chickens. They lived in a log house and most of their furniture was home made. They sheered the sheep and spun the wool into yarn to make stockings and clothes. As early as she could remember she was helping to spin and weave. Her father made a small bench for her to stand on so she could reach up and over to turn the large spinning wheel. She also helped her father harvest wheat and oats until late into the night. They used a lantern. Abby said that mountain lions were thick in the area. Often she could see their eyes shining in the dark as they worked. They didn't come close because they were afraid of the light, but they would kill any stock that was left out after dark.

One fall after hard work resulting in a very good harvest, the family felt very happy and ready for the winter. The creek was rising but they were not worried.
One night, Abby's father was awakened by a loud noise when something hit the house. He jumped out of bed to find himself in water up to his ankles. They barely had enough time to load up the kids and bedding and get across the wooden bridge to her Uncle Joe's safe place on higher ground.
These were people of pioneer faith and they prayed hard for safety as the oxen took them carefully across the wooden bridge which was covered in surging water clear up to the oxen's knees. They were so grateful they had made it safely across and to higher ground, yet they had lost all their worldly possessions.

There were lots of "Indians" around who were friendly and Abby and her family got along well with most of them, but as in all groups of people, there were some who liked to raid and cause harm.
One day Abby was home with the little kids while her parents were gone to town when she saw 4 such "Indians" riding up to the place. She feared trouble and acted quickly. She put the little ones to bed and daubed their faces with berry juice.
By the time the "Indians" got into the house she exclaimed "Small Pox!" and showed them the spotted, bedridden children. The Indians quickly galloped away without harming anyone, shaking their blankets as they went.

Abby was now 16 with long black hair, black eyes and skin tanned by the sun. She was a beautiful girl and this may have caught the notice of an Indian Chief's son who was tall proud and handsome. He would sometimes follow her. He hung near her and her sister one day as they were digging for sego lily bulbs for the family to eat. Abby must have also been intrigued by his good looks despite not having any communication between them. As she and her sister dug the bulbs and he followed along behind them, watching them, Abby picked some flowers and gave them to him. He stared at her for awhile and rode away.

The next day the handsome young man was still carrying the now withered flowers. He rode up to her home. He stood outside her house, saying nothing, but holding the flowers and staring at the house for a long time.
Abby was afraid to go out. He finally gave up. He threw the flowers down, stomped on them, then rode away, never to return.

The family and extended family moved to Millville in about 1869 and homesteaded 160 acres of land at the head of Canyon Creak, about a mile from town where they all tried their hand at once again taming the western lands.

Abby's sister married Amos Ashdown, the English half brother of William Neves. Although William was engaged already, when he went to visit his brother, he met Abigail, his brother's wife's sister, and quickly fell in love.

William discussed this with his fiancé, Fanny. Fanny released him from his engagement to her and he soon returned to ask Abby to marry him.

William and Abby were very active in the church and community.
Before too long, Abby faced polygamy when William took a second wife; Olive Ann Hovey. By family accounts, this was difficult for Abby as it would be for most. When polygamy was outlawed, William decided to move to Burlington, Wyoming to help settle the wild west of the Big Horn Basin. He abandoned his second wife completely, when he and Abbigail moved to Burlington with their children. William and Olive never were able to have any more contact and Olive struggled hard to raised her children alone, in Utah.

Abby was faithful and service oriented. She served in many leadership capacities in the church. In those days Abby would go in to deliver, then care for the new mother and baby, for about 10 days or more. She would do the housework, laundry and cooking for the family and caring for any other children so the mother could rest.

Abby was strong in spirit and stature. She cared for many families in the area in addition to raising her own very large family. She was a woman of many gifts and skills but most of all had the ability to become beloved by the people in the area.

Abby was so successful and beloved by the town that a new doctor who came to the area found that the women in Burlington preferred to have Abby come when they were ready to deliver, rather than call for this doctor. He soon threatened Abby legally for "practicing medicine."

That Doctor found out how much the people in the area really loved Abby. They did not take kindly to his threats against her, and in the manner of the wild west, he was soon delivered a strong message.

While the new doctor was riding back to Basin from Burlington, some men in disguise rode up beside him and accosted the doctor. They put a noose around his neck and left him sitting on his horse in this precarious posture, afraid to move a muscle (and probably praying that his horse wouldn't spook), until "someone" rode along and cut him free.

The doctor got the message and didn't bother Abby anymore.

Abby had a large family and lived a large and full life, full of good works. She has a faithful and large posterity who are proud to have her as an ancestor.