Abraham Benjamin Nones was the seventh of Benjaminand Miriam Marks Nones’thirteen children. His father had fought for the Patriot cause in theRevolutionary War, achieving the rank of major and serving under theMarquis de Lafayette and George Washington. He settled inPhiladelphia after the revolution and it was there that Abraham andhis siblings were raised. Though he often struggled financially, theelder Nones was active in politics and a committed Jeffersonianrepublican. This interest in politics was public service wasinherited by Abraham and several of his siblings. His brother Josephserved in the Navy and worked as private secretary to Henry Clay atthe negotiations of the Treaty of Ghent. Abraham served asconsul-general to Portugal, and Aaron as consul at Aux Cayes, Haiti.By the time of the War of 1812, Abraham had moved to Norfolk,Virginia, where he, his brother Solomon, and Solomon Marks, Jr.established an auction house. Abraham’s brother died in 1819, andthe firm was dissolved. Soon after he too assumed a consular post. Heset off for Maracaibo Venezuela where he served as consul-generalfrom 1824 until 1833. He died there two years later.