Lighter, I don't know why it's not Oxford's Dictionary. In wiktionary it's: v. Simple past of abear. (carry, bear; develop; put up with, thole, tolerate, abide). I think it is some older way of speaking.

Jim, O'Bore is a mondegreen for Abore and Mary Flynn is a common name. Notice how he looked to commoness of certain names to validate his response which means he don't really know. He's just pretty sure someone who lives nearby knows. The important thing here is that it's not Robert. You know, when Sir Walter published Prince Robert in 1803, he gave this preamble (capitals his):

PRINCE ROBERT
NEVER BEFORE PUBLISHED
FROM THE RECITATION OF A LADY, NEARLY RELATED TO THE EDITOR*

That's two ballads so far that he has misappropriated.