Nebraska Historical Marker, (Brian Neben, Central Nebraska Today)
GRAND ISLAND — The Hall County Historical Society (HCHS) is pleased to announce the dedication of a new Nebraska State Historical Marker honoring Othman Ali (O.A.) Abbott, Nebraska’s first Lieutenant Governor on Monday, August 4 at 3 p.m. at Pioneer Park in Grand Island.
The marker, titled “O.A. Abbott: Nebraska’s First Lieutenant Governor,” commemorates the life and legacy of O.A. Abbott (1842–1935)—a Civil War veteran, pioneering attorney, public servant, and early advocate for women’s rights. Abbott served with distinction in the 9th Illinois Volunteer Cavalry during the Civil War and later settled in Grand Island, where he became a leader in law and politics. His election in 1876 as Nebraska’s first Lieutenant Governor marked a historic milestone for Nebraska.
Abbott, along with his wife Elizabeth, was an ardent supporter of women’s suffrage and property rights. The couple hosted national suffrage leaders, including Susan B. Anthony, in their Grand Island home. Their daughters, Edith and Grace Abbott, would go on to gain national prominence for their work in social reform.
The text for the historical marker is drawn from Abbott’s life and political contributions, including his role in the first and second Nebraska Constitutional Conventions, and his autobiography Recollections of a Pioneer Lawyer, published by the Nebraska State Historical Society in 1929.
Featured speakers at the dedication will include:
Lieutenant Governor Joe Kelly, Nebraska’s 42nd Lieutenant Governor
Daryl Bohac, Director of the Nebraska State Historical Society
Grand Island Mayor Roger Steele, representing both the City and Hall County Bar Association
The O.A. Abbott marker was sponsored by the Hall County Bar Association and is part of the Hall County Historical Society’s Centennial Marker Project, a major initiative commemorating the organization’s founding in 1922. When completed, the project will include 11 new
Nebraska State Historical Markers throughout Hall County and has been recognized as the largest marker project in the history of theNebraska State Historical Marker Program.
This event is free and open to the public. All community members are encouraged to attend and celebrate this important piece of Nebraska’s and Grand Island’s legal and political history.
