When William Abbey was born on 3 April 1836, in LeRoy Township, Lake, Ohio, United States, his father, George Abbey, was 30 and his mother, Ann Maltby, was 28. He married Elvira Eunice Cone on 1 April 1858, in Perry, Lake, Ohio, United States. They were the parents of at least 2 sons and 1 daughter. He lived in Thompson Township, Geauga, Ohio, United States in 1900 and Thompson, Geauga, Ohio, United States in 1910. He died on 31 October 1910, at the age of 74, and was buried in Thompson Township, Canada West, British Colonial America.