Lester Nathaniel Abel papers

Lester Nathaniel Abel was born in Whiteland, Indiana, November 13, 1898 to Nathaniel and Mary Abel. He attended Whiteland High School, and later was graduated from Los Angeles Extension School of Law and was a member of the Indiana Bar Association. He later graduated from Franklin College with an A.B. degree after having entered the ministry in 1924. This followed six years as a teacher in the public schools of Indiana. He also took additional university courses from Indiana and Purdue Universities.

Rev. Abel married Katherine Pearson in 1920, and the couple had two sons, Bill and Russell, and two daughters, Mary and Vera.

While a minister of the Indiana Conference, Rev. Abel served at Acton, Switz City, Clarks Hill, Whitcomb, Westport, Milton, North Vincennes, New Albany, Shelburn, and Indianapolis. He was also assistant to the president of Taylor University at Upland from 1940 until enlisting in the military in the capacity of chaplain in 1943. During his military service, Rev. Abel served in Australia through March of 1944 when he was sent home to the states for medical reasons. He served out the remainder of his commission at stateside military bases in Maryland and Virginia, and left the war with the rank of Captain.

Rev. Abel was known statewide as a lecturer and commencement speaker, often delivering as many as 30 high school commencement addresses per year. He was the minister at Michigan Street Methodist Church in Indianapolis at the time of his death on September 10, 1956.