William Elias Abbott, a son of Myron Abbott and Laura Allen, was born in Ogden City, Utah, on October 16, 1869. In 1877 the Abbott family moved to southern Nevada to join Edward Bunker's United Order settlement, later Bunkerville (Bunker's wife, Emily, was Myron Abbott's sister). William married Mary Jane Leavitt, a daughter of Dudley Leavitt, at the St. George Temple in 1890. He served on several Mormon missions throughout the eastern United States, was bishop of the Mesquite Ward from 1901-1927, and was actively involved in settling both Bunkerville and Mesquite. William died on February 19, 1949. A bronze statue on Mesquite Boulevard in Mesquite, Nevada, commemorates his influence in the area.
From the description of The story of my life by William Elias Abbott, 1941. (Huntington Library, Art Collections & Botanical Gardens). WorldCat record id: 647766710
