Quality Candy Since 1890

William Clay Abbott was born in 1871 to Levi, a Civil War veteran, and Mary Rinehart Abbott. As a young man, W.C. was employed as a traveling salesman for Dilling Candy Company. To quote Robert H. Bryson of the New Castle Courier-Times, "For quite some time (Will) Abbott was one of Dilling's top salesmen. But he carried with him the burning desire to make something a little better, a product that would bring to him the satisfaction of giving to candy lovers 'the best'." W.C. Abbott returned to his hometown of Hagerstown, Indiana, turning in his business suit for an apron. He soon owned and operated a restaurant on Main Street specializing in fried chicken, steak, short orders and pastries. Word about his delicious meals spread, and W.C. was requested to serve the Indiana State Fair Board and honored guests.

During this period W.C. experimented and created the first Abbott's candy.....Butterscotch. As its fame spread, his penny-stick taffy or "Je-bo" and homemade ice cream made their debut. He was encouraged to pursue the ice cream business on a larger scale, but instead introduced a chocolate drop, which in turn elicited high praise from confectioner colleagues.

Orders and customers both poured in, and W.C. realized he would be forced to make a choice between the successful restaurant and the budding candy business. He decided to sell the cafe and open a candy factory on South Plum, where he introduced the "salted peanut." He soon moved the factory to a more convenient location - his own backyard - where it remained until August of 1985. W.C. remodeled the garage behind his residence on South Market Street to accommodate candy manufacturing equipment. The equipment mainly consisted of a gas stove to cook the candies, a marble slab to cool them, a converted icebox to store both products and ingredients, and a kiss cutter to cut the strips of caramel and taffy - all of which are still in use today in the making of caramels. All of the stirring over the hot stove was done by hand, all the chocolate was melted in dishpans over warm water, and all chocolate pieces were hand-dipped. W.C.'s wife, Florence E. Bruce Abbott, granddaughter of a Scottish immigrant, helped in the business, and the couple was later joined by their son, John Bruce Abbott.

Unfortunately in 1942, along with World War II came W.C.'s death. During the war the Abbott family W.C.'s widow Florence, and his son and daughter-in-law, Bruce and Rhea L. Brooks Abbott were forced to halt production due to the scarcity of sugar and chocolate. Florence and Bruce took jobs at the local factory, and Rhea, along with caring for her son John Charles and baby Suanna, taught at the local high school. (John) Bruce Abbott was the first generation of Abbotts to be "raised" in the candy business, and it passed to him upon his father's death.

Under Bruce's ownership, Abbott's had its first expansion in 1948. Bruce had a basement addition dug and built, and above this built a new kitchen. 1949 was a crucial year in the history of Abbott's Candy. The war was over, and business was picking up again. The Christmas season had been hectic, and for a treat on Christmas Day Bruce took his wife and son to a movie show. Shortly after the movie began, Bruce suffered a heart attack. He did not survive. Florence and Rhea had a big decision on their hands. Both had some experience in the business, and rather than surrender the precious family recipes, they chose to stay in business. In an address Rhea gave much later, she gave four reasons why the two Abbott widows kept the factory. They knew something about this business, and decided it was something a woman could do. The business was established with a good reputation and regular customers. And for Rhea, the greatest incentives of all-three small children.

Perhaps Rhea's biggest accomplishment was the opening of her retail store in 1956, the Two Sisters, named for her daughters Suanna and Mary. In the 1970's Rhea bought a large building south of Main Street.

Originally, it was built circa 1851 as the town's Presbyterian church.

In 1985, Rhea opened the doors to a new Abbott's. The area that was once the church is now the showroom, with the east wall's original brick exposed. The additions built during its time of being a carwash and dealership are now the office, shipping and store rooms, kitchen, and chocolate rooms.

It was one of Rhea's greatest dreams to see the business moved to the new factory location. She lived to see that dream move into reality, and worked there for three years until her death in the spring of 1988. Abbott's Candy is now in the capable hands of Suanna Abbott Goodnight, Rhea's daughter and perhaps the most permanent addition - three daughters, Shanyn, Gwenyth and Bronnwyn. Hopefully, one of them will remain in the business and continue the journey towards "sweet success" her great grandfather began one hundred years ago.