Abigail Folger

Abigail Anne Folger (August 11, 1943 ? August 9, 1969) was an American coffee heiress, debutante, socialite and member of the prominent United States Folger family. She is the great-great-granddaughter of J. A. Folger, the founder of Folgers Coffee.

Gibby pursues Social Work

Like her mother Inez, who was active doing charity work with the Haight-Ashbury Free Medical Clinic in San Francisco, Gibby continued to be involved with volunteer work. She registered as a volunteer social worker for the Los Angeles County Welfare Department in September 1968. Earlier in the spring and summer of 1968, Abigail attended fundraisers set up by her mother to aid the Haight-Ashbury Free Medical Clinic around the same time many of the Manson family women were being treated there. Back in Los Angeles, Abigail spent long days in the ghettos doing her job as a volunteer social worker with children, waking up at dawn each day.

Related Topics:
Haight-Ashbury Free Medical Clinic - San Francisco - Social worker - Los Angeles County Welfare Department - 1968 - Spring - Summer - Los Angeles

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In December 1968, Abigail invested $3,500 in Sebring International, Jay Sebring's hair care products for men.

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On March 15, 1969, Gibby, Sebring, and Wojciech attended the catered housewarming party of the Polanskis at 10050 Cielo Drive. Over one hundred guests such as Jane Fonda, Roger Vadim, Peter Fonda, Tony Curtis, Warren Beatty, Michael Sarne, Michelle Phillips, John Phillips, and Cass Elliot attended. There was a brawl of sorts at the party involving four uninvited male friends of Cass Elliot's. One of these men stepped on Polanski's agent's foot and a fight broke out. Polanski got angry and threw all four men out of the party. The next day, Polanski left for London, to begin work on a new film.

Related Topics:
March 15 - 1969 - 10050 Cielo Drive - Jane Fonda - Roger Vadim - Peter Fonda - Tony Curtis - Warren Beatty - Michael Sarne - Michelle Phillips - John Phillips - Cass Elliot - London

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Meanwhile Folger's work as a social worker soon began to take a toll on her and she became depressed. Adding to her depression was the knowledge that the children that she worked with in the poor areas of Los Angeles, such as, Watts, were deprived. The suffering got under her skin, she would later admit. Around this time Gibby bought herself a Dalmatian puppy, which she named Tom.

Related Topics:
Social worker - Los Angeles - Watts - Dalmatian

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On March 23, 1969, an odd incident occurred at 10050 Cielo Drive. That afternoon Abigail and Wojciech went over to the Polanskis home for a going away dinner party for Tate, who was leaving for Rome the next day. Sebring was there as well as Tate's friend Shahrokh Hatami, an Iranian photographer. Rudi Altobelli, the owner of the Cielo home, had attended the party briefly but soon returned to his guest house to pack for his upcoming trip to Europe. The odd incident involved a strange looking man who had appeared on the property, as the occupants of the house sat in the dining room, which faced the front of the residence. Hatami felt uneasy about this stranger roaming the Polanski estate, looking at people he did not know, so he left the house to confront the man. From the front porch, the party inside could be seen through the large dining room windows. Hatami asked the stranger if he could be of assistance to him. The stranger said he was looking for someone by the name of Terry Melcher, a name Hatami did not recognize. Hatami made it clear to the stranger that this was the Polanski residence, and suggested that perhaps the person he was looking for lived in the guest house. Later, this stranger was identified to have been Charles Manson.

Related Topics:
March 23 - 1969 - 10050 Cielo Drive - Rome - Shahrokh Hatami - Iran - Photographer - Rudi Altobelli - Europe - Terry Melcher - Charles Manson

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