Robert Abbe was a man of many interests and talents. He was a world-famous surgeon and medical pioneer, humanitarian and artist. Locally, he was well known for his many contributions toward preserving and enhancing the quality of life on Mount Desert Island.

Robert Abbe was born in New York City. His father, George Waldo Abbe, was a businessman, philanthropist and leader of the Baptist Church. His mother, Charlotte Colgate Abbe, was the daughter of Bowles Colgate, founder of the Colgate Soap Company. Robert was the youngest of five sons. He also had two younger sisters. “Father’s home seemed to attract every sort of worthwhile person…they always seemed to relish our big roast beef dinners” (Stark, 1955: 941).

With the exception of William (1843-1879), who died from complications from wounds received at the Battle of Gettysburg, all the Abbe sons became scientists. Cleveland (1838-1916) is the best known. He became a meteorologist and developed the U.S. Weather Bureau, later renamed the National Weather Service. Walter was a chemist and Charles an inventor. Robert attended The College of the City of New York. Following graduation, he taught there as an instructor in drawing, geometry and English before entering medical school.

Dr. Abbe became a renowned surgeon and medical pioneer. He was an attending surgeon at St. Luke's Hospital in New York, where the plastic surgical laboratory is named for him. He developed new techniques for facial, internal and spinal plastic surgery that are still used today.

In 1904, after corresponding with Marie and Pierre Curie about their research on radiation, he visited their laboratories in Paris. Convinced of the benefits of radiation therapy, Dr. Abbe brought samples back to the United States and began experimental therapies for cancer treatment. Today, he is known as the founder of radiation therapy in the United States. At the time, researchers knew little about the risks of radiation exposure. Toward the end of his life, Dr. Abbe suffered from a rare form of anemia that was likely the result of exposure to radiation.

A Man of Many Interests

Robert Abbe’s interests were wide ranging. He experimented with instantaneous photography shortly after its invention in 1884. He was an artist, wrote poetry and made three-dimensional plaster maps.

Dr. Abbe was also deeply interested in archaeology. He made scrapbooks with clippings from journals and newspapers that described important finds, excavations and research. It was this interest that led to the founding of the Abbe Museum.