Jacob Abbott

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Jacob Abbott was born at Hallowell, Maine, to Jacob and Betsey Abbott. He graduated from Bowdoin College in 1820 and studied at Andover Theological Seminary afterward. From 1825 to 1829 he was professor of mathematics and natural philosophy at Amherst College. He founded the Mount Vernon School for Young Ladies in Boston in 1829, and was its principal from 1829–1833. Later, he was a principal of Abbott’s Institute, and then the Mount Vernon School for Boys in New York City. He was a prolific author and wrote juvenile fiction, brief histories, biographies, religious books for the general reader, and a few works in popular science. He is best-known for his Rollo series.