The History of Abeene

Chances are pretty good that you wrinkled up your face when you tried to figure out my last name. It is pronounced Abeene (a-bean). My Pa used to explain it to people by sayin', "you know, like a-carrot."

Just like me when I was a youngin', you're probably wonderin' where a name like that came from.

My great grandpa Edvern "Verner" Abeene was in his eighties when he told me that his great-grandpa was a horse thief in France and fled to America and changed his name to Abeene. I'm guessin' it used to be spelled Abean but some unknown ancestor who just wanted to be difficult decided to start spellin' it another way.

If any of you cowboys have French heritage, I can only apologize and point out that livin' with this last name ought to be punishment enough for the sins of my ancestors.