973.7L63 C2B3UZ Bay! or, Orvi lie W, Lincoln in his parent's home LINCOLN ROOM UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS LIBRARY MEMORIAL the Class of 1901 founded by HARLAN HOYT HORNER and HENRIETTA CALHOUN HORNER LINCOLN! IN HIS PARENT'S HOME COUNTY A SOUVENIR OF THE ORIGINAL LINCOLN COUNTRY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, KY, 1936 LINCOLN MARRIAGE BOND "Know all men by these present, that we, Thomas Lincoln and Richard Berry, are held and firmly bound unto his Excellency, the Governor of Kentucky, in the just and full sum of fifty pounds, current money, to the payment of which, well and truly to be made to the said Governor and his successors, we bind ourselves, our heirs, etc., jointly and severally, firmly by these presents, sealed with our seals, and dated this 10th day of June, 1806. The condition of the above obligation is such that, whereas there is a marriage shortly intended between the above bound Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks, for which a license has been issued. Now, if there be no lawful cause to obstruct the said marriage, then this obligation to be void, else to remain in full force and virtue in law. "Thomas Lincoln. [Seal.] "Richard Berry. [Seal.] "Witness, John H. Parrott." FRANCIS BERRY HOUSE BUILT IN 1798 Here Lincoln's Parents Were Married In 1806 WASHINGTON COUNTY, Kentucky, was formed from Nelson County in the year 1792. Ten years previous the Lincolns came to these parts. Abraham Lincoln, Sr., and his wife Bersheba, with their five children in- cluding Thomas Lincoln, settled in the Big Bend Country of the Beech Fork River in the fall of the year 1782. On the east side of a small creek that after- ward took the name of Lincoln's Run, the first Lincoln cabin in Kentucky was built by the pioneer Abraham and his three sons, Mordecai, Josiah and Thomas. For about 20 years this cabin was the home of the forbears of Presi- dent Lincoln. It was finally abandoned in 1802 and after standing for a num'ber of years was torn down. In 1788, Abraham Lincoln, Sr., was slain by an Indian while hunting with his sons, Mordecai and Josiah. The Indian, tradition says, was afterward slain by Mordecai Lincoln. Tradi- tion also says that the slain Abraham was buried on a bluff overlooking the Beech Fork ■ about one miles from his cabin. After the death of the husband and father, his widow and children lived on in the little cabin on Lincoln's Run. Mordecai married first and built a home of his own not far from the original settlement site. Josiah Lincoln and his two sisters, Mary and Ann, married in 1802. Josiah established his home near by while the two sisters moved with their hus- bands to Hardin County, Kentucky. Thomas Lincoln left Washington County in search of work but he returned occasionally to visit his 'brothers and to court a pretty flaxen- haired maiden named Nancy Hanks, with whom he had become acquainted in childhood. Nancy Hanks, a daughter of James and Lucy Shipley Hanks, upon the death of her father and the remarrying of her mother, came to the Big Bend Country to live with her uncle, Rich- ard Berry, Sr. At the Berry home about the year 1790 Thomas Lincoln met Nancy Hanks and a friendship that became more intimate as the years passed, was formed. Nancy's Uncle Richard died in 1797 and his wife, Rachel Berry, to whom Nancy was de- voutly attached, died in 1804. After the death of her aunt, Nancy went to live with her cousin, Francis Berry. It was to Francis Ber- ry's house that Thomas Lincoln came on the 9th day of June, 1806, to claim Nancy Hanks for his wife. On June 10th, 1806, Thomas Lincoln, with Richard Berry, Jr., as his security, executed bond in the office of John Reed, Clerk of the County Court of Washington County, in the town of Springfield, and secured a license to marry Nancy Hanks. On the same day he secured a promise from the Rev. Jesse Head to be present at the Francis Berry home at high noon on the 12th instant to perform the wedding ceremony. At the home of 'Francis Berry on June 12, 1806, Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks were married. After the wedding and customary in-fare, they commenced 'housekeeping in a little cabin belonging to Richard iBerry, Jr. In this cabin, now enshrined in Harrodsburg, Ky., the parents of President (Lincoln lived until after he was born in 1809, according to the testimony of numerous prominent residents of Washington County long since dead. Three children were born to Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks while they lived in Richard Berry's cabin near the little hamlet of Beech- land, in Washington County, according to William Hardesty, who, as a boy attended the wedding of Lincoln's parents, and Squire R. M. Thompson, whose mother was a cousin of Nancy Hanks. The first child, a girl named Nancy, lived but a few months. The second, also a girl was named iSarah, after her mother's cousin, Sarah 'Mitchell Thompson; and the third a son, the now immortal Abra- ham, named for his pioneer grandfather. After the birth of Abraham Lincoln in 1809, Thomas Lincoln left his family in the care of their neighbors in the Big -Bend Country while he went to build a home in Hardin Coun- ty, on Nolin Creek. After an absence of sev- eral months he returned and took his family to the new home. With the removal of Thomas Lincoln and his family to Hardin County in 1810, only two members of the original pioneer group were left in Washington County. These were Mord- ecai and Josiah. Some years later, Mordecai Lincoln moved to Illinois and Josiah Lincoln went to Indiana. REV. JESSE HEAD THE LOST PAPERS Abraham Lincoln knew very little about the early life of his parents and less about the history of his earlier forebears. He believed that his mother and father had always lived in Hardin County, Ky., that they were married there and that his sister Sarah and himself were born in Hardin County. Consequently in 1858, when his political enemies were cir- culating the sordid tale that he was an illegiti- mate and that his parents had never legally married, Lincoln turned to the archives of Hardin County for a copy of his parents' mar- riage record. The record, of course, was not to be found. It was in the archives of nearby Washington County where his parents were raised, where they had married, and where they lived for several years after their mar- riage. But Lincoln knew nothing about all this. He went to his grave, it is said, sadly disappointed because he had failed to find a record of. the marriage of his parents, and be- lieving that they were never legally wedded. 'Some years after the death of President Lincoln, and when the story of his illegitimacy had gained wide-spread circulation, his kins- man in Washington County, Mr. R. M. Thomp- son, heard the slander. He was greatly in- censed and knowing it to be false, resolved to prove it so. He went to the office of the Washington County Clerk and instituted a search for the record of the marriage of Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks. His labors 6 were rewarded by the finding of the marriage bond and the minister's return. The papers Aibraham Lincoln so devoutly wished for were found. The proof of his legitimacy had been established. In the office of the County Clerk, in a sec- tion set apart for lovers of Lincoln lore, the marriage bond and minister's return may now be seen. Beside these priceless documents hangs a painting of Abraham Lincoln by Cobb, the gift of the Hon. T. Scott Mayes, of Spring- field, and grouped about are numerous other documents pertaining to Lincoln history. LINCOLN HOMESTEAD On the site of the first Lincoln cabin in Kentucky a replica of the said cabin was erected in 1933 under the direction of the Washington County Historical Society. A park of approximately six acres surrounds the caibin. The cabin stands on a knoll overlook- ing Lincoln's Run. Westward across the creek is the old spring. To the Eastward, and a little higher up on the knoll, stands a visitor's lodges of native cedars. From the spacious porches of this lodge an unobstructed view of the Lin- coln country is obtainable. North of the cabin is an impressive monu- ment erected to the memory of Nancy Hanks. Funds for the erection of this Memorial were provided by the school children of Washington County. From a tall flag-pole which rises LINCOLN HOMESTEAD Restored 1933 from the center of the monument, Old Glory flies eery day to be seen for many miles in every direction. Lincoln Homestead Park is open every day from April 15th to October 1st between the hours of 8 A.M. and 4 P.M. A fee of ten cents is charged for admission to the cabin. From Lincoln Homestead Park visitors may go to the girlhood home of Nancy Hanks; the old log cabin of Francis Berry where Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks were married in 1806; the site of the cabin where they com- menced housekeeping in 1809, and the grave of their first born; to the little hamlet of Beechland where stands the home of Richard Berry, Jr., and the old mill where the Lincolns got their grain ground; to the site where Lin- coln's grandfather was slain in 1'788; to his grave on the Beech Fork; to the ruins of the little log meeting-house where Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks attended church; to the homes of Mordecai Lincoln and Josiah Lin- coln; and many other points associated with Lincoln history, OLD LINCOLN PAPERS There are many old papers in the archives of Washington County associated directly or indirectly with Lincoln history. Among such are the marriage bonds of Mordecai Lincoln who married Mary 'Mudd, and Josiah Lincoln who married Catherine Barlow. Of particular interest is the short note writ- ten and signed by Bersheba Lincoln, grand- mother of Abraham Lincoln, requesting that a license be issued for the marriage of her daughter, Ann Lincoln, in 1801. There are but two known signatures of Bersheba Lincoln and this is one. Several old tax returns for the year 1792, 1793, 1794, etc., s'how the standing of the Lin- colns in Washington County during their resi- dence here. Attendants in the Clerk's office will gladly assist all who desire to see such records as to be found in the archives. Certified copies of any or all of the Lincoln documents will be supplied for a nominal fee. 10 R. iMITCHELL THOMPSON "Uncie" Mitchell Thompson, a distant cousin of Nancy Hanks, who insisted Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks were married in Washington County and at whose request the search was made, which resulted in finding the record of their marriage. LIBRARY ""— UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS FP^ &»*•>•* >oo«ii»>^ > w Cabin near Beechland, Ky., where Thomas an «. ' \* :': • -. • : .. " ^t s>-i^^4r^ ^ ' x '*** Nancy Hanks Lincoln lived for several years. TESTIMONY OF OLD TIMERS THOMPSON'S DEPOSITION "The affiant, R. M. Thompson, says that he is a native of Washington County, Ky.; 79 years of age. He was raised in said county, and has lived in it all his life except eight years, when he resided in Indianapolis, State of Indiana. His present residence is Springfield, county and State aforesaid. The mother of President Abraham Lincoln was an own cousin of affiant's mother. Affiant knew well Richard Berry, Jr., who was a grandson of Richard Berry, Sr., who was the guardian of said Nancy (Hanks) (Lincoln, wife of Thomas Lincoln. Said Richard Berry, Jr., lived with his father, Frank Berry, a son of said Richard Berry, Sr. The marriage of Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks, parents of President Abra- ham Lincoln, occurred in the same house or premises recently sold and conveyed by Mrs. Sallie Reed, wife of Henry F. Reed, and Henry F. Reed, to Major D. W. Sanders, of Louisville, Ky. Said Richard Berry, Jr., told affiant, as he now recollects, and his memory serves him well, about the close of the late Civil War, that President Abraham Lincoln was born in said house in Washington 'County, Ky., the same in which his said parents were married. Affiant was well acquainted with William Hardesty, who lived to an extreme old age, and whose res- idence always was in the neighborhood of said premises. Said William Hardesty was an hon- orable, reputable, and creditable citizen, and every way worthy of belief. He has made af- fidavit — that is said William Hardesty — and sworn t?iat he was present and witnessed the marriage of Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks in said house, by Rev. Jesse Head, deacon of the Methodist Episcopal Church. 'Said William 14 Hardesty has frequently told affiant that there was born to said Thomas Lincoln and his said wife a daughter older than President Abraham Lincoln, said daughter being the first child and born in said house. S'he died at an early age. Said Richard Berry, Jr., was a good citi- zen, reputable, and worthy to be believed. "R. iM. Thompson." "State of Kentucky, Washington County — ss. "I, James L. Wharton, Clerk of the Circuit Court for the State and county above written, certify that R. M. Thompson, who is a most reputable citizen, subscribed and made oath and was sworn to the foregoing affidavit this day. He is entitled to be believed, and reput- able, upright, moral, and creditable in every respect. Before he executed said affidavit, I read it over to him and explained its contents to him, and he understood the same, and did, in my presence, freely and voluntarily execute said affidavit. Said affidavit was dictated by said R. iM. Thompson. "Witness my hand and seal of office this 13th day of April, 1891. J. L. Wharton, [Seal.] Clerk of Washington Circuit Court. DEPOSITION OF W. T. HARDESTY State of Kentucky, County of Washington, ss. The affiant, Miss Olive Walker, states on oath that on November 7th, 1919, she was an Examiner of the Washington Circuit Court, Washington County, Kentucky, and was a stenographer in the office of Polin & Polin in Springfield, Kentucky; that on the 7th day of 15 November, 1919, she took the following deposi- tion: "The deposition of William Thomas Hard- esty, taken before me at the Law Office of Polin & Polin in Springfield, Kentucky, and in the presence of the County Judge, W. A. Waters, and the County Attorney, Joseph Polin, for the purpose of preserving his testi- mony as a historical record for Washington County, Witness after being duly sworn and examined by Joseph Polin, testified as follows : Q. — State your name, age, residence and oc- cupation ? A. — William Thomas Hardesty, born April 30th, 1837, reside near Walton's Lick, in Wash- ington County and am a farmer. Q. — Please state your father's name and your mother's maiden name? A. — William Hardesty, who married Annie Moody. William Hardesty was born on the day of , 17 __. Q. — Please give us short sketch of your father. A. — iMy father came from Maryland about the year in company with his father, Charles Hardesty, and settled near Walton's Lick, where Edward Smothers now lives. This Walton's Lick is named for General Matthew Walton, who manufactured salt at this place in the days of the early settlement of the coun- ty and the old salt well is on the north bank of Lick Creek just east of the ford. I still have in my possession one of the old kettles which were used by Walton in the manufac- ture of salt. It is rather peculiar looking, the vessel having no legs and only one ear, and holding 40 gallons. People came to this place for miles and carried away salt on horseback. My father died about the day of 18 There lived in the same neighbor- hood the Moodys, the Berrys, the Reddings, 16 the Haydens, and the Lincolns and quite a number of others. Q. — Please state what you know about the history of the Lincoln family in Washington County from having heard your father talk about them. A. — I 'have often heard my father say that he knew Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks; that he remembered distinctly when as a small boy he slipped away from home and went to their wedding in the year 1806 when they were married by Jesse Head in the small log cabin which formerly stood on the east side of the Litsey and Valley Hill pike at a point just north of the Mill Race near Poortown. They afterwards lived in this cabin and it was there that Abraham Lincoln, the President of the United States, was born. The spring near the roadside has ibeen called the Lincoln Spring since my earliest recollection. I have heard my father talk of Abraham Lincoln, the grand- father of the President, being killed by the Indians, a short distance from his home in this county. The older Abraham Lincoln lived on the farm now owned by James L. Moran and at a point near the forks of the Litsey and Valley Hill pike with the pike leading to Springfield and on the stream known as Lin- coln's Run. At this place there is a small branch emptying into Lincoln's Run and the house was located on the north side of the Litsey and Valley Hill pike and on a point between this branch and Lincoln's Run. I re- collect that there is a small mound and for- merly there were some rocks where the house stood. I remember of seeing many times and of having used many times in hunting the old powder horn which was taken from the neck of Abraham Lincoln after he was killed by the Indians. This horn had on it the Masonic emblem of a compass and a square. There was also carved on it the image of an eagle be- 17 neath which were the words, "Liberty or Death," and the name, "A Lincoln." This horn remained in our family for quite a num- ber of years. I don't know how my father came into possession of it but have often heard him say in speaking of it what I have related above. He finally gave this horn to the late attorney Richard J. Browne, and that is the last trace I have of it. I have frequently heard my father say that he knew Abraham Lincoln, the President, when he was a small boy living with his parents in this county. (My father was always quite positive of the fact that the President was born in this county, being born a few years before the family moved to that portion of Hardin County which is now Larue. W. T. Hardesty. State of Kentucky, Washington County — ss. I, Olive Walker, Examiner for and within the county and State aforesaid, certify that the foregoing deposition of William Thomas Hardesty, was taken before me at the time and place and for the purpose stated in the caption; that said witness was duly sworn be- for giving it, that it was written by me in shorthand and afterwards transcribed by me on the typewriter and that it was signed by the witness; that there were present County Judge, W. A. Waters, and County Attorney, Joseph Polin. Given under my hand this 7th day of No- vember, 1919. Olive Walker, Examiner for Washington Co, Kentucky. Subscribed and sworn to before me by Miss Olive Walker, this the 4th day of September, 1930. John A. Polin, My commission expires June 16, 1931. 18 BOOKER'S LETTER Springfield, Ky., December 31st, 1901. Mr. D. M. Burgers, Richmond, Va. Dear Sir: Yours of the 22nd inst. at hand. In regard to the local tradition as to Abraham Lincoln's ancestry I can only give you hearsay state- ments, together with record evidence of my office. Some twenty years ago one R. M. Thompson, a highly respected citizen of our county, and who was a relative of Nancy Hanks, the mother of President Lincoln, had a son in the Internal Revenue service stationed in Larue County, and there he was told that Abraham Lincoln was an illegitimate and that the first history of Abraham Lincoln, written by one Herndon, stated the same fact. Mr. R. M. Thompson came to me and said that Mr. James Thompson had told him that he and Mr. William Hardesty, who was living at the time, were both present at the marriage of Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks in a cabin now standing about 6 miles from Springfield, and asked me if I would try to find the min- ister's return of their marriage. I told him that if he would give me something near the date of marriage I would try, there being no index to marriage register that far back. He said that Mr. James Thompson had told him they were married in 1806. I then turned to an old bundle of marriage bonds of that date and found where Thomas Lincoln had given bond and taken out license to marry Nancy Hanks on the 10th day of June, 1806, with Richard Berry, guardian of Nancy Hanks, surety on the bond. Mr. R. M. Thompson re- marked, "That shows the license was issued. Now, if you can find the minister's return of the marriage that will settle it." I then turn- 19 ed to the marriage register and by reading page by page found the minister's return show- ing that he married Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks on the 12th day of June, 1806, which certificate is now on file in my office. I had it published and it was copied in a great many papers in the East and I received a num- ber of letters from all parts of the U. S. ask- ing if the certificate with my signature at- tached was genuine. The records show that the Lineolns were large land owners in this county, but under the old English laws of primogeniture, which the Virginia laws copied from the English laws and Kentucky took from Virginia, the oldest male child inherited the realty, which said realty fell to Mordecai Lincoln, the oldest male child, and brother of Thomas Lincoln, the father of Abraham Lincoln, which left the said Thomas Lincoln in rather destitute cir- cumstances. Now I will tell you what happened at the commencement of the war of rebellion. My uncle, Hon. Paul J. Booker, was on the streets of our town and some of the hotheaded young men of the town were talking and said they would not live under the regime of Abe Lin- coln and were going to join the company of soldiers then being organized. My uncle, who was quite an old man remarked: "Gentlemen, I don't know anything about Abraham Lin- coln, but if he is half as good a man as his uncle, Mordecai Lincoln, with whom I served in the Legislature of Ky., this country need have no fears." The grandfather of Abraham Lincoln was named Abraham and he was killed by the In- dians in this county, the last -man killed by Indians in the State of Kentucky, (so said) and a beautiful powder horn and buckskin bullet pouch was taken from his person with 20 his name engraved on the horn. This horn and pouch was given to the Hon. R. J. Browne of this county (now dead) by Mr. William Hardesty. Mr. Browne gave the same to the Museum at Louisville, Ky., where they now remain. It has been a disputed question between Washington County and Larue County in re- gard to the birth place of