The Lincoln Highway THROUGH Daviess County, Indiana Published by THE HISTORICAL INVESTIGATING COMMITTEE WASHINGTON, INDIANA 19 3 1 COPYRIGHT 1931 BY Austin T. Hixon and Ezra Mattingly TRIBUNE PUBLISHING COMPANY. LOOOOOTEE. INDIANA LINCOLN ROOM UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS LIBRARY MEMORIAL the Class of 1901 founded by HARLAN HOYT HORNER and HENRIETTA CALHOUN HORNER The Lincoln Highway THROUGH Daviess County. Indiana Published by THE HISTORICAL INVESTIGATING COMMITTEE WASHINGTON, INDIANA 19 3 1 COPYRIGHT 1931 BY Austin T. Hixon and Ezra Mattingly Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2012 with funding from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign http://archive.org/details/lincolnhighwaythOOwash Washington, Indiana, March 16, 1931 A committee of members appointed by the Chamber of Commerce and the Rotary and Kiwanis Clubs of Washington, Indiana, to assist the General Committee to secure evidence to establish the fact that the route traveled by the Lincoln Party in moving from Indiana to Illinois in the year 1830 was through Daviess county, Indiana, respectfully submits the follow- ing report: — The evidence herewith submitted is divided into two groups for the purpose of showing: — FIRST: The evidence which establishes the fact that in the year 1830 and prior thereto, there was an established road from Gentryville, Indiana, to Apraw Ford, over the West fork of White River on the west boundary of Daviess county. SECOND: The evidence which establishes the fact that this was the road traveled by the Lincoln Party in making the journey. We submit that the following evidence conclusively shows that in the year 1830 and prior thereto there was a United States Post Road from Gentryville to Washington, in Daviess county, over which mails were car- ried each week, and that in the year 1830 and prior thereto there was a continuous public road, duly established by orders of the County Commis- sioners of Daviess county, from Reeder's Ferry across the east fork of White River at Portersville, into Daviess county, through Washington to the Apraw Ford across the west fork of White River. EVIDENCE THE ROAD EXISTED BEFORE 1830 "Report of Lincoln Highway Commission, 1916." Page (Indiana Historical Society.) "On December 31st, 1821, the General Assembly enacted a law, one of whose sections reads as follows: — "Sec. 7. That the road from Rockport to Portersville, thence to Hindostan, thence to Bloomington be and the same is established in length eighty miles; that the sum of four hundred and seventeen dollars be appro- priated and that Joseph D. Clements of Martin County, Michael Buskirk of Monroe, and Sam Snyder of Spencer, be appointed commissioners, etc." That the road from Rockport through Gentryville and Jasper to Washington was an early and generally used thoroughfare is also attested by the routes over which the mails were carried during that period. The following from the records of the Post Office Department at Washington is not without significance: — "June 30, 1825. Mail Route 167 FROM Rockport by Portersville to Washington. ONCE in two weeks, 55 miles. Leave Rockport every other Wednesday, 1 p. m., and Washington Thursday 6 p. m." "Oct. 10, 1827, Mail Route 486. From Rockport by Gentry's store and Portersville to Washington once a week. Leave Rockport every Saturday 6 a. m.; leave Washington every Thursday 6 a. m." "July 25, 1829. Mail Route 18. From Rockport by Genry's store and Portersville to Washington ortce a week. Leave Rockport every Tuesday noon: Leave Washington Thursday 6 a. m." "Early Indiana Trails and Surveys," Wilson. (Indiana Historical Publications. Vol. 6 No. 3.) Page 353. "Prior to 1820, a store, or trading post was established at Hindostan, probably on Captain Kibbey's road, by Lewis Brooks, and from this store supplies for hunters, pioneers, etc., were taken down White River on boats to Portersville, the first "county town" of Dubois county. It was two miles from Portersville to the Buffalo trace,, thus this plan connected the two forks of this road and furnished a ..connecting link in event of Indian trouble. Thomas J. Brooks conducted the store at Portersville" Page 385. "A fork of the Yellow Banks trail entered Dubois county just north of Dale, and went north to Portersville, and into Daviess county. Settle- ments made in Dubois county previous to 1830 indicate its location." Page 392. "When town lots at Portersville were offered for sale, July 20, 1818, by County Agent Niblack through an advertisement in the Vincennes Sun, Portersville was described as being on the main traveled route from Louis- ville, Corydon, to Vincennes, etc. This would indicate that people came from Corydon either by way of Paoli, and the Buffalo trace, or by way of the military road from Milltown to Enlow's Mill (Jasper), and thence north on the east fork of the Yellow Banks trail to Portersville." Page 363. Plate 3. "The broken lines in the map above represent the old trails as in- dicated on the maps of the government surveyors. Local tradition, the topography, roads long in use, military orders and letters or descriptions written by early travelers all prove the records, and by a general know- ledge these known points may be united and a fairly good map of the early roads would result." Remark: A broken line on the plate runs from the Ohio River through Jas- per crossing the east fork of White River at Portersville into Daviess coun- ty thence northwesterly. 2 The following are copies of orders made by the Board of Com- missioners of the county of Daviess establishing roads from Portersville, in Dubois county, leading through Washington to Apraw Ford: — Order made August 11, 1816, Order Book "A", page 7. "Ordered that viewers be appointed to view a road leading from the north bank of White River opposite Jacob Reeder's ferry passing by William Ballow's farm thence to intersect the old road so as to cross the most eligible place at the river anywhere in section 20 or 21. Elias Stone, John Davison and James Aikman appointed viewers." Order made February 9, 1818, Order Book "A", page 16. "Petition presented from Thomas Patton and others for road to be opened the nearest and best way from Reeder's ferry on the east fork of White river to the town of Washington. Richard Palmer, William Traylor and Philip Buzan appointed viewers, to view said road the nearest and best way." Order made May 11, 1818, Order Book "A", page 24. "The viewers William Traylor and Philip Buzan made report of a road viewed by them from Washington to Reeder's ferry and report as a useful road. Supervisors appointed and road ordered opened and worked 15 feet wide." Order made August 12, 1818, Order Book "A", page 24. "Ordered that a ferry be established across the east fork of White River at Jacob Reeder's in the township of Reeves and county of Daviess and his annual tax for said ferry be the sum of five dollars." Order made May 8, 1820, Order Book "A", page 85. "Ordered that viewers be appointed to view a road leading from the coal bank of John Stealeys to the town of Washington the nearest and best way for which Ebenezer Jones, Hezekiah Ragsdill and John Horrall to meet in Washington on the first Monday of June." Order made June 5, 1820, Order Book "A", page 91. "The viewers Ebner Jones, John Horrall and Hez Ragsdill brought forward a view of a road leading from the north end of First street in Washington to Jacob Freelands thence the general course of the present north to the ford of Prairie Creek west of John Hawkins', thence the way they blazed it to the coal mine." Order made January 1, 1827, Order Book "A", page 69. "A petition being presented to the Board praying for a county road to be laid out to commence at Apraw ford on the west fork of White River and to intersect the coal bank road at the bridge on Prairie Creek, in pur- suance of which the Board appointed William Hawkins, Friend Spears and William Allender, viewers and to view and report to the next term of the Board their proceedings." Order made May 7, 1827, Order Book "B", page 77. "William Samples and Jacob Freeland viewers handed in the fol- lowing report, to-wit: We the undersigned appointed to view and mark out a road from the ford on the west fork of White river called "Apraw ford," to intersect this county road from Stealey's coal bank at or near Prairie Creek, have performed said services and report the same as a county highway. Given under our hands and seals this 7th day of May, 1827 "William Samples Jacob Freeland." Whereupon it is ordered that said road be established as a county road and that it be opened thirty two feet in width by the proper super- visor." MAP OF ROAD The map at the end of this report was prepared by William J. Shanks, a competent Civil Engineer, from monuments, public records and information furnished him by old residents, which map correctly shows the location of "Reeder's Ferry," "Apraw Ford" and the established road from the Ferry to the Ford as the same was located and used in and prior to the year 1830. Two photographs shown at the end of the report were taken by said William J. Shanks, which pictures show the old ford and the west approach thereto at Apraw Ford. THE LINCOLNS TRAVELED THE ROAD THROUGH DAVIESS COUNTY The following evidence establishes the fact that the Lincoln Party, in making the journey from Indiana to Illinois, traveled the road, as herein shown, and in so doing passed through the town of Washington in Daviess county. We submit that statements made by Abraham Lincoln, who was at the time twenty-one years of age and drove an ox team that pulled one of the wagons should have great weight in determining what road was trav- eled. As to what Abraham Lincoln said on this subject, we quote from "In the Lincoln Country," by Dr. Rexford Newcomb: THE TESTIMONY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN "After digesting the testimony of living members of the Lincoln party, what evidence could be drawn from Mr. Lincoln's recorded utter- ances upon the subject, evidence regarding old roads of the time, and tra- dition in the various communities through which the party is supposed to have passed, something like the route the party must have taken was de- termined. In several parts of the journey great uncertainty still exists, however and many people here, as in Indiana, are not ready to accept the findings of the investigators." "One of the important documents bearing upon this question is re- ported by Jesse W. Weik, who in January, 1896, interviewed Colonel Augus- tus H. Chapman and his wife, Harriett, the daughter of Dennis Hanks. The interview, published by Dr. Thompson in his "The Investigation of the Lin- coln Way," is as follows: COL. CHAPMAN'S TESTIMONY "Charleston, Illinois, January 3, 1896. "Colonel Augustus H. Chapman: married daughter of Dennis Hanks and latter has been living with us off and on for many years; have often talked with him about the journey from Indiana to Illinois in 1830; also with Sarah Bush Lincoln, his mother-in-law, who also lived in my fam- ily for some time prior to her death in 1869. Late in January, 1861, when Mr. Lincoln came to Charleston to visit his stepmother, I rode with him to the graveyard in the country where his father was buried; he had spent the previous night at my house where the old lady then lived. We got to talking about the journey from Indiana in 1830; he agreed substantially with Hanks as to the route they took; said they went from Gentry ville to Jasper in Dubois county; thence to Washington, Daviess county; thence to Vin- cennes, where they crossed the Wabash; thence towards Lawrence ville, where they turned north and pushed on to Palestine in Crawford county. At Palestine they found a great many people drawn there by the land office. They kept on north paralleling the river to Darwin, where they left the Wabash behind them. At this point, they set off in a northwestwardly direction, passing through Richwoods in Clark county; thence to a point about six miles west of Charleston called Dead Man's Grove, thence north through Nelsonville, Moultrie county to Decatur, where they stopped.' "An affidavit of William J. Trout indicates that the old road of those days ran through Pike and Daviess counties, crossing the White Riv- er at Apraw Ford, and continued west into Bruceville. The present day road from Apraw to Bruceville strikes the Vincennes -Bruceville road at a point between Vincennes and Bruceville. If this road in any way parallels the old road it would seem that in coming from Washington, as Mr. Lincoln stated, the party may have crossed the White at Apraw, continued west to the junction of the Apraw Road with the Vincennes-Bruceville Road, turned into Vincennes to trade and ask directions, then continued north to Bruceville, camping at Emison Mill on Mariah Creek, and continuing on to the Russellville Ford on the Wabash. "Colonel Chapman, however, quotes Mr. Lincoln as saying that the party crossed the Wabash at Vincennes, and since Mr. Lincoln was at the time twenty-one years of age and drove the oxen pulling one of the wagons, his testimony would outweigh that of others." (Pages 77, 78, 79, and 80.) See "Investigation of the Lincoln Way," Illinois State Historical Library, pages 32, 33, 34, 25, 26, 27, 28, and 29. Since the words of Abraham Lincoln, reported by Col. Augustus H. Chapman, touching the route traveled through Indiana are the best evi- dence, we have obtained affidavits from W. E. Hill, George T. Balch, G. H. Jeffries and Miss Etta J. Nott, of Coles county, Illinois, establishing the accuracy, the high character and the unblemished reputation of Col. Chap- man for truth and veracity among his neighbors, and we include them with the other evidence. LINCOLN LETTERS TO ELLIOTT CHAPPELL It is shown by the following affidavits made by Arsula Itskin and William A. Wallace, that while the Lincoln party was camped in Daviess county, Abraham Lincoln made the acquaintance of Elliott Chappell, then a young man of about Lincoln's age, and that thereafter there was a cor- respondence between Abraham Lincoln and Elliott Chappell, Mr. Chappell receiving two letters from Mr. Lincoln, in which Mr. Lincoln recalls meet- ing and talking with Mr. Chappell. AFFIDAVIT OF ARSULA ITSKIN State of Indiana, Daviess county, SS: — My name is Arsula Itskin. I am past 49 years of age. I reside near the city of Washington, Indiana. I am a daughter of Mark H. Ragsdale and his wife Harriett P. Ragsdale, both late of Daviess county, Indiana, but now deceased. My mother was a daughter of Elliott Chappell, late of said county and state, and who died at Elnora in 1893, at the age of 79 years. For the last eleven or twelve years of his life, Grandfather Chappell made his home with my father and mother. I was, of course, most intimately acquainted with him. He was well informed in matter of American History, and was particularly so in reference to President Lincoln, and whenever I had any lesson of any sort that was related to Lincoln, he liked to help me in my work, and to talk about the events of Lincoln's life, and he told me a great many interesting facts about him. It was his frequently repeated statement to me and to many others in my presence and hearing, from my earliest recollections until he died, that in 1830 the Lincoln-Hanks emigrant party had camped one night on the Jerry Allen farm, now Connelly farm, in Harrison township, Daviess county, Indiana, and that he had met the peo- ple in the party, and had set down on a log with a tall young man and talked to him, and had learned that he was named Abe Lincoln. He told me that on that same day, he and his father, my great-grandfather, were going home from Washington, and that a short distance southeast of the Allen farm they met an emigrant party, and the emigrants asked them where they could likely get a place to stay over night near a house. That they were told to go on to the next house, which was the Jerry Allen house, and see whether they could stop there. He further said that travel- ers often camped at the Allen place. Grandfather further said that that night, after they had done the work at home, he and his father went up to Allen's, and there they found the same people camped; that it was there that he learned the names of some of the people, and talked with Abe Lincoln; that he sat on a log and talked with him — they were nearly of an age, — and he liked the young man, and that he was told they were from Indiana, and were going to Illinois. Grandfather also told me that he wrote letters to and received letters from Lincoln. I saw two of these letters and read them and had them in my hands often. When he died, he left them with my mother, and before her death, she gave them to me. The letters, when she gave them to me, were with other papers in a small tin box. In December, 1916, my home in Al- fordsville was destroyed by fire, with all of its contents, including this small box, which was melted down and everything in it was charred and burned beyond recognition— no paper was left — only a few ashes — and the box it- self was melted down so that it was almost solid. I distinctly remember these letters. They had been written on white paper, unruled, and when Grandfather first showed them to me, they were yellowed with age, but the writing was clear and plain. They were signed "A. Lincoln," in the style of penmanship that I have often seen in reproductions of the President's signature. The last time I saw and ex- amined these letters was when my Mother gave them to me. This was a short time before her death. She removed them from the box, looked at them, as well as some other papers, and when I handed them back to her, she carefully re-tied them with the same string which she had un-tied from around the package, and placed them in the box, and handed it to me. I have a very clear recollection of one statement in one of these letters, to the effect that the Lincolns were dissatisfied with their home in Illinois and wished they had gone back to Kentucky or stayed in Indiana. I have no recollection of any other statement in either of the letters, except that in each of them were statements about getting a letter from my Grand- father, and that Lincoln was at work, and many other such statements as might be found in similar letters, relative to weather, crops, etc. The two letters were about the same size, and each had four folds, and when thus folded, the paper was almost square, being a little longer than wide, and the size was around four and one-half to five inches. Each was written in ink, and the flap formed by the folding process was folded over and closed the letter up, and was sealed to the part of the paper it touched with some kind of wax. There was no wax on it, but the stain or blur made it easy to see that there had been sealing wax of some kind used to seal them up. Once when I was having some trouble to get an envelop in which I had placed a letter to stick when I tried to seal it up, he said to me "What if you had to seal your letters like Abe Lincoln did with the letters he sent to me?" If Grandfather ever published these letters, or gave them out to anybody for that purpose, I never heard of it. I know he showed them to Wm. A. Wallace, who was one of his close friends, at our home at Elnora, and Mr. Wallace read them, and they talked about them in my presence. Grandfather was very close-mouthed about his business affairs, and while he claimed that he voted for Lincoln in 1860 and 1864 because he knew him and had these letters from him, he was a very strong Democrat, and politi- cal feeling was so high in our county in those days that many men who may have crossed their tickets more or less, in my opinion, did not talk about it much at the time. He said Lincoln was the only Republican for whom he ever voted, and that he did that because he liked him and knew him per- sonally. If his Democratic neighbors had known in 1860 or 1864 that he was a Lincoln sympathizer, he would have been very unpopular with many of them, who were his near neighbors and fellow church members. Party dis- loyalty in the neighborhood was a most serious thing in those days. He told me many times that he met the Lincolns at the Allen cabin in 1830, and talked to Abraham Lincoln. He showed me the site of the cabin many times, and said he sat on a log there and talked to Lincoln. The Allen cabin was about northwest of Lincoln City and of Jasper, and the road from Por- tersville to Washington runs along a ridge or succession of ridges all the way, and it was one of the first roads laid out and used in this county. 7 My recollection of the things he said and of the letters is very clear and distinct. I regret that I did not know the historical value of the letters, but Grandfather and Mother never wanted them to get out of the hands of some member of our family, and never thought of putting them away in a safe place. I have read this affidavit carefully and it is correct. I must add, however, that in and around Glendale, from my earliest recollections, the tradition was common with all the people I knew that the Lincolns stayed all night at the Aflen cabin. Arsula C. Itskin Subscribed and sworn to before me this August 6, 1930. My com- mission expires January 9, 1934. Ezra Mattingly, Notary Public AFFIDAVIT OF WILLIAM A. WALLACE State of Indiana, Daviess County, SS: — My name is William A. Wallace. I was born in Veale Township, Daviess county, Indiana, August 4, 1865. My father's name was James Polk Wallace. He was born in the same township and county in 1844. He was the youngest but one of fifteen children. He and four brothers were in the Union Army, and also three or four of his brothers in law. My Mother's maiden name was Malissa J. Peachee. Father and Mother are both dead. Mother was a daughter of Hiram Peachee. She was born in Washington Township, said county. My grandmother, Sarah Chapman Wallace, was born in Kentucky about 1802. My Grandfather Coleman C. Wallace was born in South Caro- lina. He died in Daviess County, Indiana, in 1867, and Grandmother died in the same county about 1889. I well knew Elliott Chappell, late of said county, for a great many years before he died. He married my Mother's aunt, Lucinda Peachee, for his second wife, and they often visited at my father's house. He came oftener, perhaps, than his wife did, and many times he would stay all night with us. He was a man of keen mind, very highly esteemed by his neigh- bors for his honesty and ability, and was often guardian, administrator, commissioner to divide lands, and served in many other such places by appointment of the court or at the request of his neighbors. He died at El- nora, Indiana, in 1893. I was a farmer and school teacher in my younger days, and in 1894, I became County Superintendent of Schools for this county, holding that office until I gave it up in 1903 to become Clerk of the Daviess Circuit Court, which office I held for eight years. I have had a very wide and extensive acquaintance all over this county and I am safe in saying it was as full and complete as it could ever be with any one man. I visited the home of Dr. Mark H. Ragsdale at Elnora about 1892, while his father in law, Elliott Chappell, was living there. He and I were close friends, and we talked about many subjects and as we were related by his marriage above-mentioned, we were intimate with each other, and he took a great deal of kindly interest in me. On this visit, he said he had some letters he wanted to show me, and said they were from Abraham Lincoln. I had heard him speak of meeting Lincoln on the Allen farm, and of having the letters, several times. He produced two letters and handed them to me. I unfolded them at his direction and read them. I recall one of them most distinctly. It was dated, as I believe, at Springfield, Illinois, but I cannot recall the date; but it said, among other things, that he — Lincoln — was glad Mr. Chappell had written to him, and that he distinctly recalled meeting and talking to Mr. Chappell on the trip when they moved from Indiana to Illinois, and the letter further said they stayed all night at the place where he talked with Mr. Chappell. Mr. Lincoln thanked Mr. Chappell for writing to him, and said he hoped they might meet again. I examined the signature. It was the characteristic "A. Lincoln," in the style that I have often seen in reproductions of the President's signature. The letter was written on white paper, then somewhat yellowed with age and was carefully folded as letters were folded at that time, and the address was as plain a case of Mr. Lincoln's handwriting as I think could ever be found. There was a stain on the fold where the address ap- peared, looking like some kind of sealing wax had been used. There was then no stamp on the letter. I examined the handwriting of this letter most carefully. I do not know that I have ever seen any other sample of Lincoln's handwriting except in these letters, but up to that time I had seen and ex- amined many lithographed documents claimed to be samples of his hand- writing, and I think I am qualified to express an opinion as to the genuine- ness of his handwriting, and I can now say with full assurance of the cor- rectness of my statement that the letter was undoubtedly in Mr. Lincoln's handwriting. • After I had read them, I handed them back to Mr. Chappell, and he told me how proud he was to have them, and that he would never let them get out of his hands while he lived, and that he was proud of them was very plain. He laid them carefully in a small tin box, from which he had taken them, and closed the box, and said he was prouder of them than of anything else he had. He was then getting well along in years, and died a short time afterwards. I do not think I ever saw him again. In the same conversation, he said he met the Lincoln party near Jerry Allen's home and that he met Abe Lincoln at the Allen farm that night and talked to him and liked him, and never forgot the conversation. He had made the same statement many times before this time at Elnora, when he visited at my Father's home when I was a boy in school and also when I was teaching in the country schools. My Grandmother's home, before she married Coleman C. Wallace, was on a farm almost adjoining the Allen farm, now the Connelly farm, and she knew Jerry Allen, and she often told me that various people in the neighborhood talked about the Lincolns stopping at the Allen home and staying over night while on the trip to Illinois. She visited her relatives, the Chapmans, a pioneer family, very often after she married, and she knew all the people in the neighborhood. 9 When I was about twelve years old, and on Lincoln's birthday my Father and Mother and I visited my Grandmother one day, and they all talked a great deal about the Civil War, and about Mr. Lincoln and Grand- mother said that Mr. Lincoln came to Washington in 1844 and spoke against Polk. She said she and her people then were strong Democrrats, and that she named my Father for the Democratic candidate then, James Polk Wallace, — and then she remarked how strange it was that then the whole family were such strong Republicans. Mr. Chappell was very proud of the fact that he knew Lincoln, and talked about the fact very often in my hearing. At the time I saw the letters, I did not appreciate their value or importance as historical materials, and made no suggestion to him about placing them in a safe place. I well remember the burning of the home of Mrs. Arsula Itskin, then Arsula Grismore, in Alfordsville, Indiana, about 1916, and I well know that everything they had in the house was burned up. I was then Super- intendent of the Pike County Telephone Company's plant in Daviess county to the best of my recollection, and was well acquainted with her and her husband, and I was well informed of the place where they resided at Al- fordsville. Their telephone plant was connected in business with the Pike County Company, so that I was with them often on business. Wm. A. Wallace Subscribed and sworn to before me this December 29, 1930. My commission expires January 9, 1934. Ezra Mattingly, Notary Public CROSSED AT APRAW FORD The committee has secured numerous affidavits, made by old settlers and descendants of first settlers, showing by a consistent and un- disputed traditions that the Lincoln Party grossed the west fork of White River, from Daviess county into Knox county, at the Apraw Ford, which is a high, rockbottom ford usable at practically all times. These affidavits are as follows: Report of The Board of Trustees of the Illinois State Historical Li- brary, pages 26, 27, 28, and 29. AFFIDAVIT OF W. A. TAYLOR State of Indiana, Knox County, SS:— William A Taylor being duly sworn upon his oath says that he is fifty-six years of age past. That in the year 1830, his mother was a child six years of age and lived in the town of Bruceville, Knox county, Indiana That he had often heard her say that the Lincoln family in moving from the state of Indiana to the Sangamon country in Illinois, came from Vincennes, and passed through Bruceville, crossing the Wabash river into Illinois at Russellville ford. 10 Affiant further says that his mother spoke of these things often and that the Lincolns and his mother's family had been former friends; further stating that at the time said family passed through Bruceville, she saw them and conversed with them. Affiant further says that his stepfather, Dr. McGowen, often re- lated to him the fact that when Mr. Lincoln and his family removed from Indiana to Illinois, that the family came into Knox county by crossing at the Apraw ford on White river. That the Lincolns and the McGowens had been friends and acquaintances and neighbors in earlier years in the state of Kentucky. That the McGowens lived at said Apraw ford, and that the Lincolns stopped over night with the McGowens at said Apraw ford. That thereafter they journeyed to Vincennes, and afterwards resumed their journey leaving the city of Vincennes by the Bruceville road, passing through Bruceville, and then turning in a westerly direction on the Bruce- ville and Russellville road, and crossing the Wabash river at RussellviUe ford. Affiant further says that his said mother and his said step -father spoke often of said journey, and spoke of the fact that the family were moving with ox wagons. W. A. Taylor Subscribed and sworn to before me this 7th day of November, 1912. William S. Hoover, Notary Public AFFIDAVIT OF WILLIAM J. TROUT State of Indiana, Knox county, SS: — William J. Trout being duly sworn upon his oath says that he is sixty-eight years of age past. That he is the eldest son of the Daniel J. Trout hereinafter mentioned in his relations with William W. C. Emison. Affiant further says that in the early times the site of the town of Bruceville was the meeting point of several important Indian tribes. That this fact no doubt determined the location of said town. Affiant furthers says that one Indian trail ran in a northeasterly course from Vincennes, passing through Bruceville, and ending at the west end of Lake Erie. That another Indian trail extended directly north to the south end of Lake Michigan. That another Indian trail, and the most im- portant of all of said trails, ran east passing out of the county of Knox at Apraw on White river, and west passing out of said county opposite Rus- sellville, Illinois. Affiant further says that this trial extended to Cincinnati, Ohio, and all points lying east, and was a trail connecting Cincinnati and Pales- tine, Illinois. That said trail was an ideal natural highway, and avoided un- fordable streams, dense forests, and wet and marshy lowlands. That said trail was much used, first by the Indians, afterwards by white traders, hunters, and trappers in going and returning on their trips, and thereafter by movers going west Affiant further says that if there ever was a trail such as the fore- 11 going, leading south from any point in Knox county, and crossing the main stream of White river, he never heard of it, and further that he does not believe there ever was such a trail, or could have been one. The deep streams, the wide bottoms, the dense forests, and drowned lowlands of this region made it impossible. Affiant further says that the Lincoln family in their removal from Spencer county, Indiana, to the Sangamon country in Illinois, would have been forced by the natural lay of the country to have traveled along a route lying east of the west fork of the White river, and that the natural and only practicable course of travel from their starting point was to have traveled through Pike county and Daviess county to a point on the west fork of the White river, known as Apraw ford. That said route was not only well marked and much traveled, but was located upon high ground, and across the most easily fordable streams. That from said point at Apraw, said highway, which had theretofore been an Indian trail, passed in a westerly direction through Bruceville, and thereafter passed the Emison mill, lo- cated on Mariah creek, and which was built in 1807, and thence on in a westerly direction to the ford crossing the Wabash river at Russellville, and thence on to Palestine. Affiant further says that said route was the only practicable one which the Lincolns could have taken in their journey from Indiana to Illinois. Affiant further says that he had always been informed and believed that after crossing White river at said Apraw ford, the Lincoln family then journeyed over a well marked-out highway to Vincennes, and that said highway from said ford at Apraw, to Vincennes was upon high land, and was an excellent natural highway. Affiant further says that they visited Vincennes, which was the most noted point in all the western country, and a place at which was lo- cated a government land office and one of the very few printing presses then in existence in the West. Affiant further says that naturally upon leaving Vincennes, said Lincoln family would have resumed their journey to the Sangamon coun- try by going to Bruceville, as the nearest practicable way to get into the great line of east and west travel hereinbefore spoken of; further that the line of the Lincoln pilgrimage must of natural necessity have been from Apraw to Vincennes, thence to Bruceville, thence to Russellville, Illinois. Affiant further says that the Lincolns could not have crossed into Illinois at Vincennes, and then up to Russellville for the reason that the country north of Vincennes and west of the Wabash river was full of im- passable swamps, and contained one deep river, towit, the Embarras. Affiant further says that his father started in about the year 1837 to learn the tanner's trade of William W. C. Emison, who resided near Bruceville, and lived all or most of the time in said Emison family until his own marriage in 1843. Affiant further says that his said father remained working for the said William W. C. Emison in his tanyard until the year 1845, at which time he moved to Edwardsport, on the west fork of White river, in Knox county, buying and operating a tanyard of his own. 12 Affiant further says that his said father lived in said Knox county until his death in 1874. Affiant further says that he heard his father at different times make mention of Lincoln's journey, and that he feels assured that the story he related was learned from said William W. C. Emison, the same in all things agreeing with the story related by James Wade Emison, who is the grand- son of William W. C. Emison, William J. Trout Subscribed and sworn to before me this 4th day of November, 1912. D. L. McClure, Notary Public Copies of Original Affidavits, shown in the record of evidence at pages 26—29. AFFIDAVIT OF IRVIN GILMORE State of Indiana, Daviess County, SS:— Irvin Gilmore being first sworn, deposes as follows: — My name is Irvin Gilmore, and I am past eighty-five years old and have lived in the Apraw ford country all of my life. Robert Gilmore was my brother. He died about nine years ago when he was about ninety-two years old. My father died when I was only two or three years of age. My brother Robert often told me that the Lincoln party crossed at Apraw ford, and that his father saw and talked with some of them. Apraw ford has been used as a crossing as long as I can remember and old men in the neigh- borhood have told me it was used for a long time before I was born. The ford was a high rock bottom and can be used a great part of the year. Irvin Gilmore (his X mark) Witness: Ezra Mattingly. Subscribed and sworn to before me this February 27, 1931. My commission expires January 9, 1934. Ezra Mattingly, Notary Public AFFIDAVIT OF SANFORD GILMORE State of Indiana, Daviess County, SS: — My name is Sanford Gilmore. I am forty-nine years of age, and was born August 6, 1881, in Knox county, Indiana. I have lived in Knox and Daviess counties, in the state of Indiana, all of my life. Robert Gilmore, mentioned in the affidavit of Dr. H. C. Wadsworth, was my uncle. I knew him well. On scores of occasions, he said in my hearing and presence that his father had told him, when he — Robert — was young, that the Lincoln party camped near Apraw ford, and near the home 13 of Uncle Robert's father, and in Knox county, Indiana, on their way to Illinois in 1830. He talked about this fact so many times that I could not undertake to say how often I heard him speak of it. He died in 1921, when he was ninety-two years of age. I was in his home many times from my earliest recollections up to the time of his death, and I know that his mind was not at all weakened. He died of old age and loss of strength, the doctor said. The road from Apraw ford lead from that ford in almost a direct route, to Vincennes, for a great many ye.?rs, according to what the old men in my old neighborhood in Knox county used to say about it; but it does not lead in such direct route now since it has been changed a great many times in the recent past. Robert Gilmore aforesaid was a soldier in the Union Army. My post office address is Washington, Indiana. Sanford Gilmore Subscribed and sworn to before me this January 21, 1931. My com- mission will expire January 9, 1934. Ezra Mattingly, Notary Public" AFFIDAVIT OF H. C. WADSWORTH State of Indiana, Daviess County, SS: — My name is H. C. Wadsworth. I graduated from Washington, In- diana, High School, after which, in 1902, I graduated from Indiana Univer- sity. I graduated from Rush Medical College in 1909. I b^ve been practic- ing medicine and surgery at Washington, Indiana, since 1909. I was in the World war service, Medical Corps, 1918, and saw service in France. On October 3, 1913, I went with Dr. Robert S. Wood, then practic- ing at Wheatland, Indiana, now deceased, to attend professionally on Robert Gilmore, whose home was near the west bank of the west fork of White River, in Knox county, Indiana, and beside the road that lead from Apraw Ferry, formerly Apraw Ford, to the highway running in front of Gilmore's house, from Wheatland to Bicknell. We were at the Gilmore home a long time, on account of the need to prepare him for treatment by use of an anesthetic, and he talked to us « good deal before we administered the ether to him. He was then, he said, 84 years old, and in good general health, and clear and bright in mind. We performed an operation on him, and he re- covered in fine shape from it, and lived several years after that date. He told us — Dr. Wood and myself and a son of his who was pres- ent — that he had resided in the immediate neighborhood of the place where he then lived all of his life; that one of the earliest recollections he had of things his father told him was that one morning he. his father, found a party of emigrants camped on the Knox county side of the river, not far from Apraw Ford and also not far from his father's dwelling, and that he — the father — went to the camp and met and talked to several members of the 14 party and that in the party was a man named Lincoln. His father did not say what the first name of any member of the party was — only one of them was named Lincoln. Afterwards, when Robert Gilmore got to be a voter and interested in politics somewhat, he heard of Abraham Lincoln, and he had no doubt that the Lincolns went to Knox county, across the west fork of White River, northwest of Washington, Indiana. I take my data for this conversation from the record which I made of the case at the time I treated him. Robert Gilmore said that his father talked of the fact that he met and talked with people in the party, on numerous occasions and before as well as after Abraham Lincoln rose to fame. H. C. Wadsworth Subscribed and sworn to before me this January 14, 1931. My com- mission will expire January 9, 1934. Ezra Mattingly, Notary Public" AFFIDAVIT OF NELSON B. SHACKELFORD State of Indiana, Daviess county, SS: — Nelson B. Shackelford being duly sworn, deposes as follows: — I am past eighty-five years of age, and was born near Indianapolis, Indiana, and I was a member of the 5th Illinois Cavalry in the Civil War. On September 6, 1885, I moved from Vincennes, Indiana, to a farm in Knox county, Indiana, near Apraw Ford. About fifteen years ago I left that neighborhood for Washington, Indiana, and my residence now is 201 Harn- ed Avenue, Washington, Indiana. Robert Gilmore was a near neighbor while I lived near the Ford, and I saw and talked to him several times a week while we lived there. I crossed Apraw Ford many times in all sea- sons of the year. The rock bed of the Ford is the highest at any place in the river for a good long distance up and down. Robert Gilmore often told me, as well as other persons in my presence and hearing, that his Father told him that one morning he found a party of movers camped near his house, on the Knox county side of the river, not far from the Ford, and that he went to their camp and got acquainted with several of them, and that he met and talked to Tom Lincoln and Abraham Lincoln and a man named Hanks. He said also that his Father said they had a wagon pulled by two yoke of oxen. Robert Gilmore was a good man, truthful and honest. He was in the Union Army about four years. I am sure he correctly re- ported what his Father had told to him about the Lincolns. The oldest men I knew at and around Apraw Ford said they un- derstood the Indians had used it for centuries, and that the white men had used it from the time they first came into that part of the state. There used to be a plank road at least part of the way from Bruceville to Vincennes. When I first saw it in 1885, it was about all gone. I am too nervous to write my name. Nelson B. Shackelford (his X mark) Witness: Ezra Mattingly. Subscribed and sworn to before me this February 9, 1931. My com- mission will expire January 9, 1934. Ezra Mattingly, Notary Public 15 CROSSED AT REEDER'S FERRY The committee has secured a large number of affidavits made by- old settlers and the descendants of first settlers of Daviess County show- ing a consistent and undisputed tradition that the Lincoln Party crossed the east fork of White river at Portersville, by the "Reeder's Ferry," and traveled the road leading in a northwesterly direction from Portersville, camping at the "Allen Cabin" and also at the "Cosby Farm," which affidavit and statements from affidavits are as follows: — AFFIDAVIT OF NATHANIEL C. ABEL State of Indiana, Daviess County, SS: — My name is Nathaniel C. Abel. I was eighty-one years old Nov. 22, 1930. I am a grandson of Jacob Reeder, who owned the Reeder ferry at Portersville. I have lived in the neighborhood of Portersville all of my life. My mother often talked about the Lincoln party crossing over her father's ferry. She died in 1890, when she was seventy-seven years old. She was about seventeen years old in 1830. I distinctly remember that when Lincoln was elected President in 1860, my mother said that she was sure he must have been in the party of emigrants that crossed the river at Reeder's ferry with some people named Lincoln in it. She also said about the same time that there was a man named Hanks in the party. Hanks was an unusual name, and hardly any one who would hear it would forget it. Jacob Reed- er's grave is in Portersville cemetery. I do not remember of seeing him. All of the old people who lived around Portersville, whom I knew, and who were around there in 1830 — and I knew all of them well indeed — often spoke of the Lincoln people crossing the river on the Reeder ferry, and they talked about it a great deal alter 1858, when Lincoln debated with Douglas. I have a very distinct recollection of the talk about the crossing of the Lin- coln's at Portersville, and I could not be mistaken about it. My father took a weekly paper from Cincinnati and I read it carefully as far back as 1858. (Nathaniel C. Abel) N. C. Abel Subscribed and sworn to before me January 16, 1931. My com- mission expires January 9, 1934. Ezra Mattingly, Notary Public." AFFIDAVIT OF FRED J. SCHNARR State of Indiana, Dubois County, SS: — My name is Fred J. Schnarr. I have resided all of my life in and around Portersville. One of my intimate friends was Hiram McDonald, a member and descendant of the first white family to settle in Dubois county. He died about six years ago, aged eighty-four or eighty-five. He often told me the Lincolns crossed the river into Daviess county at the Portersville ferry. He made the same statement publicly. He was a soldier in the Union Army, and was honest and trurthf ul. John Harris, of Daviess county, often made the same statement in my hearing. He died five or six years ago, around ninety years old. Courld Jackie, Sr., who died six or seven years 16 ago, often made the same statement. Harris and Jackie were men of the best character and reputation for truthfulness. Mr. Jackie was County Commissioner of Dubois county for about fourteen years. Some twenty years ago on information which I had gathered, I put up markers on the public road from Jasper to Portersville containing the words Lincoln Trail Highway. I have no doubt the Lincoln party crossed the river at Porters- ville. The ferry was located at the place where the "Ferry road" now strik- es the river. There is a gravel bar there now, and gravel is taken out. Fred J. Schnarr. Subscribed and sworn to before me this January 22, 1931. My com- mission expires January 9, 1934. Ezra Mattingly, Notary Public AFFIDAVIT OF SARAH RAGSDALE State of Indiana, Daviess county, SS: — My name is Sarah Ragsdale. I was born in Pike county, Indiana, April 10, 1846. My maiden name was Hayes. I have been a resident of Da- viess county, Indiana, and in the neighborhood of the Jerry Allen farm, now the Connelly farm, ever since 1865. I was married to John F. Ragsdale, at Daviess county, Indiana, Jan. 5, 1868. My husband died in 1928. My late husband's Mother was Elizabeth Ragsdale, commonly called Betsey Rags- dale. Her maiden name was Palmer. Her father was Parmeneas Palmer, who came to this county from South Carolina early in the 19th century. When Elizabeth (Palmer) Ragsdale came to this county, she was about eleven years old. She was born in 1802 and she died about fifty-five years ago. I remember hearing her talk about the Lincolns staying all night on the Jerry Allen farm, now the Connelly farm, which is in the neighbor- hood where I have lived ever since I came to this county. To the best of my recollection, she told me often after I married her son that Jerry Allen told her the Lincolns camped on his farm, close to his cabin. When I came to Daviess county, the soldiers were returning from the Civil War and there was always more or less talk about President Lincoln, and his hard- ships in early life as well as his greatness in the Presidency, and about his assassination. Everybody around me talked more or less about him and Civil War affairs. Everybody almost that I can remember around Glendale, especially of the old pioneer stock, talked to me and to others in my hear- ing of the fact that the party camped on the Allen farm. Among those who thus talked on numerous occasions was Elliott Chappell, whom I well knew. He was one of our neighbors, and we were in his house and he in ours as guests many times from the time I came into the county until he left our neighborhood to live with his daughter, Mrs. Mark H. Ragsdale, at Elnora, a short time before he died. Mr. Chappell was very proud of telling us that he had met Abra- ham Lincoln, and had talked to him, at the Allen cabin, when the emi- grant party went through in 1830. He said he met the Lincolns on the road a short distance southeast of Allen's cabin, and told them they might get a good place to stop at Allen's, and that that night he and his father went to the Allen place to see and talk to the people in the party, and that one of them was Abraham Lincoln, and that he met him and talked to him. I have heard him mention these facts dozens of times. I also knew Elias Stone, who was well along in years when I met 17 him soon after coming to this county, and he has often said in my presence that Lincoln stayed all night at the Allen place in 1830. Mr. Stone is now dead, and he was about ninety years of age at the time of his death. It was a widespread and general tradition in and around Glendale from the time I came there until this time that the Lincoln party went over the Portersville road and camped one night on the Allen farm. All of the people who talked about these facts to me were sober, upright, honest peo- ple with first class reputations for truthfulness and reliability, and they were entitled to full faith and credit among their neighbors. Sarah Ragsdale (her X mark) Subscribed and sworn to before me this January 3, 1931. My com- mission will expire January 9, 1934. Ezra Mattingly, Notary Public ' AFFIDAVIT OF HENRY J. STONE State of Indiana, Daviess county, SS: — My name is Henry J. Stone. I am a son of Henry Stone, who was a pioneer in this county. He died in 1863. I was born in Harrison township, in said county August 27, 1851. Elias Stone, late of said county, was my brother. He died at his home in Harrison township, when he was ninety- one years old. He was born in 1826. I have been well acquainted with about all the old people in this county, who belonged to the pioneer class, and their descendants, from my earliest recollections, particularly with the people in the part of the county around Glendale and the southern part of the county. My whole life, when I was a young man, and up to fifteen or twenty years ago, was passed in Harrison and Reeve townships in said county. My brother Elias Stone and I were very intimate with each other as long as he lived and as long back in my life time as I can remember. I was often at his home after he married, and he was with me on innumer- able occasions. He had a very clear mind and a wonderful memory. He read very little, but he retained what he read and heard exceedingly well. He was a Justice of the Peace in his township for about as long as I can remember and up to his death. He was elected once a way back yonder — I do not think he was ever elected but once — he just kept the office, as everybody was satisfied with him. On so many occasions that I can not enumerate them, he told me that the Lincoln emigrant party stayed all night at the Jerry Allen farm, now the Connelly farm, on the way to Illi- nois in 1830. I know the Allen farm well. It is now the Connelly farm at Glendale. On numerous occasions when A. T. Connelly owned that farm, he made the same statement in my presence and hearing, and scores of other people. Elias Stone told me our father, Henry Stone, saw the party on the Portersville road. My father told me the same thing repeatedly. Henry J. Stone Subscribed and sworn to before me this January 2, 1931. My com- mission expires January 9, 1934. Ezra Mattingly, Notary Public 18 AFFIDAVIT OF WALTER G. SMOOT State of Indiana, Daviess County, SS: — My name is Walter G. Smoot. I am past sixty-three years of age. I was born in the log house that stood on the site of the house I now live in, on a part of the Jerry Allen, now Connelly and Smoot farms, at Glendale. I knew about all of the old men in that country in my boyhood and heard them talk about the Lincoln Party staying one night at the Jerry Allen place. I heard 'Squire Stone, Elliott Chappell, Ulysses Jackson, Rezin Chap- man, and many other old men talk about it as a well known fact. A. T. Connelly, also, who came into this country about the time of the Civil war, also talked of it as a fact. When I was going to school at the old Glendale school house, fifty five years ago, if anybody mentioned Lincoln, the teach- er or some of the older pupils would say that the Lincolns stopped over night on the Connelly farm. Everybody around talked of it the same way. I knew Elliott Chappell well. He said in my hearing that he met and talked with Abe Lincoln that night. I can point out the exact route of the Porters- ville road as it was, as I think, in 1830, from the southeast corner of the Connelly place almost all of the way to Washington. Ulysses Jackson died in my neighborhood around twenty years ago when he was almost ninety-four years old. Rezin Chapman was a very old man when I first knew him. He was old enough to have seen the Lincolns in 1830, and he lived then on a farm adjoining the Allen farm. William G. Smoot Subscribed and sworn to before me this January 23, 1931. My com- mission expires January 9, 1934. Ezra Mattingly, Notary Public The following are statements, set out in narrative form, made in affidavits, the original of which are contained in the original record of evi- dence in this matter: AFFIDAVIT OF ADAM A. POTH Affiant states that he is seventy-five years of age; that he resides in Daviess county and his wife is a daughter of Ulysses Jackson, who was born in June, 1817, and died at the age of ninety-four years; that Mr. Jack- son resided all his life in Daviess county and knew the people generally who resided in the neighborhood of the "Jerry Allen" farm. He told me on numerous occasions that the Lincoln movers crossed White river at a ferry at Portersville and that they stayed all night at Jerry Allen's cabin. Also, that Elliott Chappell often talked to him about meeting the Lincolns at the Allen place, the night they camped there, and that Chappell told him he voted for Lincoln, each time he ran for President because he knew and liked him. Affiant states that he is well acquainted with Arsula Itskin and that she often told him that she had two Lincoln letters written to her grandfather, Elliott Chappell, and that these letters were burned in the fire that destroyed her home at Alfordsville in 1916, that the letters had been handed down from her grandfather to her mother, Mrs. Ragsdale, and from Mrs. Ragsdale to her. 19 AFFIDAVIT OF THODORE HARRIS Affiant states that he lives in Daviess county near Portersville. That it has been common talk ever since he can remember that the Lincolns crossed White river at Reeders Ferry and went on by the Portersville road towards Washington. My great grandmother was a granddaughter of Jacob Reeder, who operated the ferry at Portersville in 1830 and for a good many years before that date. Nathanial Able, who died yesterday, near the Ferry, was well known to me. He was a grandson of Jacob Reeder and I have heard him say many times that his mother, Jacob Reeder's daughter, told about a moving party with a man named Lincoln and a man named Hanks in it, crossing at the Reeder Ferry when she was a young woman. AFFIDAVIT OF JOHN W. CONNELLY Affiant states: I am sixty-four years of age, was born in Daviess county, Indiana, am Superintendent of police for Southern Railway Com- pany, with headquarters at Washington, D. C. I own the farm formerly owned by "Jerry Allen." I resided in the neighborhood of this farm for twenty-three years and learned from statements made by old men that there was formerly a log cabin on this farm in 1830 in which Mr. Allen lived at that time and that the Lincoln party spent one night at this place on their trip from Indiana to Illinois. I was intimately acquainted with Elliott Chappell, who was born, according to his own statement and those of other people who have talked to me in or about the year 1813 and moved with his father to Daviess county when he was very young and in 1830, he and his parents lived on a farm a short distance south east of my farm. He stated in my presence a number of times that one day in March, 1830, he and his father were going home from Washington, that southeast of my farm a short distance they met a moving party; that after they had reached their own home and had done up their work, they went to the Allen house and visited a while; that when they arrived, they found the same moving party camped for the night. Mr. Chappell further stated that there was a very tall young man in the party, about his (Chappell's) own age, and that he and this young man become acquainted, and sat down on a log near the house and talked a good while; that he learned the young man's name was Abe Lincoln, who told Mr. Chappell the party was on its way to Illinois. In addition to the facts which I have stated about Mr. Chappell, when I was a young man there were many old men who had heard the account of the Lincolns stopping at Aliens and I heard them talk about what Jerry Allen himself said about him, and what Mr. Chappell said, and it was a matter of common knowledge that these reports were known all around the country. AFFIDAVIT OF JOHN P. BALDWIN I am well acquainted with the Connelly farm, now the porperty of John W. Connelly, formerly the Jerry Allen farm. I well knew Elias Stone and Elliott Chappell, all my life. I have often heard them and other elderly men talk of the fact that the Lincolns stayed all night at the Allen farm in 1830. Elliott Chappell told me and other persons repeatedly that he and his father met the Lincoln party a short distance southeast of the Allen cabin as the Chappells were returning from Washington and that someone asked 20 his father where they could get a good place to stop over night, and he told them to stop at the Allen home, just a little way on. He also said that that night he and his father went to the Allen house to see the people and found them and that he (Elliott) sat down on a log and talked to a very tall young fellow, and learned he was named Abe Lincoln; that the man's height and his friendly disposition attracted his attention. That the young man told him they were from Spencer county and were going to Illinois. He also told me that although he was a Democrat he voted for Lincoln each time he ran for President, because he had met him and liked him, and he was the only Presidential candidate he ever knew. AFFIDAVIT OF ZIBA COSBY I was born on a farm in Section 18, Township 2 North, Range 6 West, in Daviess county in 1854. Washington Cosby was my father and his father was Overton Cosby, Sr., one of the first settlers of this county. I well remember him. Jacob and James Cosby were my uncles, both older than my father. They lived in the same neighborhood where my grandfather and father lived and I saw them and talked to them and heard them talk to numerous people many times. I have heard them tell the story many times of the movers going from Indiana to Illinois, who stopped and camped over night at grandfather's home, and that there was a man named Tom Lincoln in it who had a crippled mare, and that he and grandfather traded so that Lincoln could get a horse that could travel. I knew about all of the first settlers of our part of the county up and down the Portersville Road from my earliest recollection, and it was among them common knowledge that the Lincoln moving party stayed one night at the Jerry Allen farm and the next night at my grandfather's farm. AFFIDAVIT OF GRANDISON T. COSBY Affiant states that he was born in 1858 and is a brother of Ziba Cosby. This affidavit states the same facts set forth in the affidavit of Ziba Cosby. AFFIDAVIT OF FRANK M. CROSS Affiant states that he was born in the year 1850, near the home of Overton Cosby, Sr., and has lived in that neighborhood most all of his life. That Mr. Cosby often visited at affiant's father's house. "When I was a boy, Mr. Cosby came to my father's home driving a mare named "Trimmy" hitched to a new buggy and asked me to take a ride with him, which I did. He told me that the mother of the mare he was driving he traded for from a man named Lincoln, when he stopped at the Cosby farm with a cripped mare. I had not then heard of Abraham Lincoln." 21 AFFIDAVIT OF ENOCH JOHNSON THE LAME MARE AND THE HORSE TRADE State of Indiana, Marion County, SS: — Enoch Johnson, being sworn, deposes as follows: I am past seventy-six years old, and am a grandson of Jerry Allen, on whose farm the Lincolns stayed one night in March, 1930. I never knew Jerry Allen. He died before I was born. My mother was Lucinda Allen, who married William Johnson, who was my father. I have been well ac- quainted in the Jerry Allen neighborhood nearly all of my life. My mother died in Knox county, Indiana, when she was almost eighty years of age, in 1902. Her memory was clear and accurate up to the time of her death. I well remember many incidents of the campaign of 1860. My mother often told that when she was a girl in her father's house, a moving party going West with people named Lincoln in it stayed all night at her father's house, and that there was a lame mare among their animals, and that she saw and talked to a tall young man in the party who drove an ox team, and after he got to be President she saw his picture and told me she would know that man's picture anywhere as the picture of the young man she saw that night. All of the older men who lived around the Allen farm in my boy- hood, whom I knew, talked in my hearing of the Lincoln party staying on my grandfather's farm. I knew John Armes, who lived southeast of Glen- dale, and I have heard him say many times that the Lincolns stopped at his house one day, and that he learned they were from the same neighborhood he came from in Kentucky. Mother was a very enthusiastic supporter of the Union cause in the Civil War times, and she was particularly anxious for Lincoln's election each time because she remembered him at her father's place. My father was also a strong Union supporter. My post office address is 2015 Ashland Avenue, Indianapolis, Indiana. Enoch Johnson Subscribed and sworn to before me this February 5, 1931. My com- mission expires January 9, 1934. Ezra Mattingly, Notary Public State of Indiana, Martin County, SS:— Before me a Notary Public in and for Daviess county, Indiana, per- sonally came Solon Mathers who being duly sworn, deposes as follows: — My name is Solon Mathers. I was born in Monroe county, Indiana, am past eighty-four years of age, and lived in Daviess county from 1861 to 1925, and I well knew Jacob Cosby of Daviess county for a great many years. He was a gunsmith at Washington, and repaired guns for me sev- eral times. The last work he did was a little over forty years ago, just be- fore he moved to Evansville to live with his son Stancil Cosby. He died at Evansville when he was about ninety-six years old. When I went to get the gun, he told me he was moving away, and showed me a deer horn, and said he killed the deer it came from when he and Abraham Lincoln went out to get the horses belonging to his father, the late Overton Cosby, that they took the deer home, and that it was divided equally, even to the horns, and he kept one horn and Abe Lincoln took the other. He also told me that 22 Thomas Lincoln and his party camped one night near Overton Cosby's house, that Lincoln had a lame horse, and wanted to trade with Mr. Cosby senior, and that Jacob and Abe Lincoln went for the Cosby horses, and that when they got back, Thomas Lincoln and his — Jacob's — father traded, and that Lincoln got a mare that could travel good, and the movers went on towards Washington. Solon Mathers (his X mark) Subscribed and sworn to before me this April 12, 1930. My com- mission expires March 31, 1934. A. T. Hixon, Notary Public State of Indiana, Daviess county, SS:— Stephen E. Myers being first duly sworn deposes as follows: — I am past forty-seven years of age, and have resided all of my life in Daviess county, Indiana. My maternal grandmother was Eliza Peachee, who first married Joseph Williams, and after his decease, she married Elijah Montgomery. Benjamin Peachee, her father, was one of the first settlers of this county. She was about ninety years of age when she died in Texas about fifteen years ago. Her early life was passed in the south- ern part of this county, and she was extensively acquainted with the peo- ple in that part of the county. I saw her the last time in 1911 or 1912, when she visited in our county, and talked to her then a great many times. I knew her intimately all of my life to the time she died. She has often told me that the Lincoln party went through this county, and that they camped one night near present Glendale, and that one of their horses fell or slipped into a creek, and was crippled, that they stayed all night only a short dis- tance Southeast of Washington and traded horses, but I do not remember that she mentioned the name of the person with whom the trade was made. She also told me many times that the party crossed the west fork of the river at Apraw Ford. Hamlet Allen, late of this city, who died in June, 1927, when he was alomst seventy-eight years of age, born in this county August 12, 1849, was in my judgment the best informed person in this county on local history. He had lived a long time southeast of the city of Washington, not far from the Overton Cosby farm, and he was well acquainted with Overton Cosby, Senior, who died when Mr. Allen was a little over ten years of age, and with many of the descendants of Mr. Cosby. He often said in my hearing that Overton Cosby Sr., had told in his presence of the horse trade with Thomas Lincoln, and that Mr. Cosby and his folks were very proud of the fine mare that the old man got in the trade, and that they had three or four generations of descendants of the same mare. He also told me often that Jacob Cosby one of the sons of Overton Cosby, Sr., told him about the same trade. That son was not personally known to me, but I know he died at Evansville when he was about ninety-six years of age, and that he was buried at Washington, Indiana about twenty years ago. Mr. Allen told me that Overton Cosby, Sr., said in his hearing that the Lincoln mare was crippled so that the movers could not make good time traveling with her, and that he traded a good traveler to Thomas Lincoln. He never told me that Overton Cosby, Sr., mentioned Abraham Lincoln's name. Stephen E. Myers Subscribed and sworn to before me this March 2, 1931. My com- mission expires January 9, 1934. (Notary Public Seal) Ezra Mattingly, Notary Public 23 State of Indiana, Daviess County, SS: — On this August 19th, 1930, before me a Notary Public in and for said county and state personally came Charles L. McDonald a resident of Reeve township, in the county of Daviess, in the state of Indiana, who being by me first duly sworn, deposes as follows: — I am past forty-one years old. I am a son of John McDonald and Anna McDonald of Daviess county and state of Indiana. My mother Anna McDonald was a daughter of John Armes late of Daviess county and state of Indiana, who was originally from Elizabeth- town, Kentucky, migrating to Indiana in the early part of the nineteenth century, settling in Harrison township, Daviess county and state of Indiana at a point on the old Washington-Portersville road about two miles in a south east direction from what is known as the "Connelly Farm" and there lived the remainder of his life, passing away about the beginning of the present century at the age of ninety-six years. On numerous occasions, when Abraham Lincoln's name was men- tioned, my mother Anna McDonald would tell us that her father John Armes, had frequently told her that when the Lincolns were moving from Indiana to Illinois that they stopped at his house in Harrison township in Daviess county and in the state of Indiana and asked for water for them- selves and for their stock. After the water was furnished them her father asked where they were from and where they were traveling. Their an- swer was that they were directly from the southern part of Indiana but originally from Hodgenville, Kentucky, and were going to Illinois. Her father, my grandfather, John Armes being a native of Eliza - bethtown, Kentucky, the county seat of the same county from whence they originally came, introductions were given and accepted and they soon be- came quite well acquainted. The Lincolns visited quite a long time and dur- ing this time they showed my grandfather a lame horse and asked if he could render any assistance. Then late in the afternoon the Lincolns passed on toward Washington and my mother said that her father had often told her that the Lincolns camped that night on the Jerry Allen farm, now known as the Connelly farm. Charles McDonald Subscribed and sworn to before me this 19th, day of August, 1930. My commission expires March 31, 1934. Austin T. Hixon, Notary Public In addition to the foregoing affidavits proving the crossing at Reed- er's ferry and Apraw Ford, and the fact that Thomas Lincoln had a lame mare and that he traded the mare to Overton Cosby for another animal, and that Abraham Lincoln wrote letters to Elliott Chappell, and that there was a road from the ferry to the ford, we have numerous affidavits proving the continued existence of the tradition in Daviess county that the Lincoln- Hanks Emigrant Party traveled the road outlined in this pamphlet, among which affidavits of Patrick D. Bennett, Dr. R. S. Mitchell, John H. McCaff- erty, and George W. Massey, not included in this publication. 24 < o u I— I W THE MAP The parallel black lines show the location of the public highway from Portersville to Apraw Ford, through Daviess county, as it was in 1830. That part of the highway from Portersville to Washington was es- tablished in 1818, from Washington to Prairie Creek in 1820 and from Prairie Creek to Apraw Ford in 1827. PORTERSVILLE Was platted as a town in 1820. REEDER'S FERRY In use in 1816. WILLIAM BALLOW HOME William Ballow settled here in 1801. JOHN ARMES HOME John Armes, a native of Hodgensville, Kentucky, lived and talked with Thomas Lincoln in 1830. JERRY ALLEN HOME Where the Lincoln Party camped and Abraham Lincoln talked with Elliott Chappell in 1830. OVERTON COSBY HOME. Where the Lincoln Party camped and horse trade was made. JOHN HAWKINS HOME John Hawkins settled here in 1812. Farm has been owned con- tinuously by John Hawkins and his descendants to this time. APRAW FORD Where the Lincoln Party camped and site of Gilmore home. 25 COL. CHAPMAN'S REPORT OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN'S WORDS IS CORRECT State of Illinois, Coles County, SS: — On this 27th day of January, 1931, before me a notary public in and for said county and state, personally cause George T. Balch, a resi- dent of said county and state, who being by me first duly sworn, deposes as follows: — I am past eighty-three years of age. I was born in a quarter of a mile of the Thomas Lincoln home near Farmington, Illinois, and have spent all my life in the same neighborhood. I saw Abraham Lincoln and Augustus Chapman, who married Dennis Hanks' daughter, in February, 1861, the day they came to visit Thomas Lincoln's grave. I knew Col. Chap- man well but not intimately, but I knew him exceedingly well by reputa- tion from that day until he died. I spoke to Mr. Lincoln and shook hands with him that day. There was a big crowd at the place. Col Chapman, as I have said, married a daughter of Dennis Hanks, but Dennis Hanks was not present. The reputation of Col. Chapman all over this country for truthfulness and for being a careful, accurate man, was strictly first class. He was always held in high esteem by his fellow citizens of all walks of life. In my opinion any statement he would make about anything Mr. Lincoln said to him would be correct. He weighed his words careful- ly and was a good man. He died at Coles county, Illinois, September 14, 1898. George T. Balch Subscribed and sworn to before me this January 27, 1931. My com- mission expires April 21, 1931. R. G. Hall, Notary Public State of Illinois, County of Coles, SS: — I, Elmer F. Elston, County Clerk in and for the county of Coles and state of Illinois, do hereby certify that I am personally acquainted with Mr. George T. Balch, the above named, and that he is a truthful and honest man, with a good reputation of truth and veracity among his neighbors. Witness my hand and official seal this 27th day of Jan. 1931. Elmer F. Elston, County Clerk State of Illinois, Coles County, SS:— On this January 27, 1931, before me a notary public in and for said county and state, personally came W. E. Hill, who being by me first duly sworn, deposes as follows: — I am past seventy- three years of age. I knew Augustus H. Chap- man commonly called Colonel Chapman, late of Charleston, Illinois, from my earliest recollections until he died. He was a brave soldier in the Union Army and held the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel and was a careful, sober, truthful man. I was one of his close and intimate friends prior to 1896, and in fact from the time I first became acquainted with him until he died, we were close friends and I had abundant opportunities to observe him in his conversation and conduct. I know that he was truthful, accurate and 26 honest, and that he was reliable and worthy of credit. My post office ad- dress is Charleston, Illinois, where I am engaged in merchandising. W. E. Hill Subscribed and sworn to before me this 27th day of Jan. A. D., 1931. Geo. E. Burkett My commission expires Nov. 25, 1932. State of Illinois, Coles County, SS: — I, F. O. Finfrock, Clerk of the Circuit Court of Coles County, Illi- nois, do hereby certify that I am well acquainted with Mr. W. E. Hill, and I know him to be a reputable and reliable person of this community, and worthy of credit or belief. Witness my hand and seal this 27th day of January, A. D., 1931. F. O. Finfrock, Circuit Clerk Coles County, 111. State of Illinois, Coles County, SS: — G. H. Jeffries being duly sworn, on his oath says that he is past seventy years of age, and that his place of residence is Charleston, Illinois. That he well knew the late Augustus H. Chapman, of said city, who was a Lieutenant Colonel in the Union Army, and was well acquainted with his reputation for truth and veracity in said city, for many years before his death, and said reputation was good. That Col. Chapman married a daugh- ter of Dennis Hanks, and that the relations between Col. Chapman and Abraham Lincoln were, as affiant fully believes, intimate and cordial. G. H. Jeffries Subscribed and sworn to before me this February 10, 1931. My Commission expires F. O. Finfrock, Circuit Clerk, Coles County, Illinois State of Illinois, Coles County, SS: I, F. O. Finfrock, Circuit Clerk, within and for Coles county in the state of Illinois, hereby certify that G. H. Jeffries is well known to me and that he is reputable and entitled to credit. WITNESS MY hand and official seal at Charleston, Illinois, this February 12, 1931. F. O. Finfrock, Circuit Clerk, Coles county, 111. State of Illinois, Coles County, SS:— On this January 27, 1931, before me a notary public in and for said county and state personally came Etta J. Nott, a resident of Charleston, Illinois, who being by me first duly sworn, deposes as follows: — I have lived all my life in Coles county, Illinois, and I well knew Col. Chapman almost from my earliest recollections until he died. I well knew his reputation for truth and veracity among the people who knew him. He was a very prominent man in our city and county. He was a careful, honest, and conscientious man, with a clear, logical mind, and he 27 was a man of the strictest regard for truthfulness and honesty, and his reputation for truthfulness and honesty was of the very best. Any state- ment he would make about anything President Lincoln ever said to him is worthy of belief. I am past sixty-seven years of age. Etta J. Nott Subscribed and sworn to before me this 27th day of Jan. A. D., 1931. My commission expires Nov. 25, 1932. Geo. E. Burkett State of Illinois, Coles County, SS:— I, F. O. Finfrock, Clerk of the Circuit Court of Coles County, Illi- nois, do hereby certify that I am well acquainted with Etta J. Nott, and I know her to be a reputable and reliable person of this community, and worthy of credit or belief. Witness my hand and seal this 27th day of January, A. D. 1931. F. O. Finfrock, Circuit Clerk, Coles County, 111. CONCLUSION We have presented three great facts bearing on the Lincoln way through Daviess county: — First: The Lincoln Letters. Second: The lame mare and the horse trade. Third: The testimony of Abraham Lincoln. The relationship which Col. Chapman sustained to the first mar- tyred President is well known: their intimacy is a clearly established fact; that Mr. Lincoln held Col. Chapman in high esteem in 1861 is abundantly proved, not by our evidence alone, but by the testimony of other persons; that Col. Chapman was truthful and honest, that he was held in the highest regard by his neighbors and that he was a reliable man are clearly shown in many ways. But we have one more word of testimony concerning the Lincoln evidence and Col. Chapman that we now present by quoting from the re- port of the Indiana Lincoln Commission to Governor Ralston in 1916. Jesse W. Weik in that report makes the following unqualified statement as to the value of the words of President Lincoln and the character and reputa- tion of Col. Chapman: — "ONE OF the most significant and convincing items in the array of facts we have succeeded in gathering comes from Abraham Lincoln him- self. It appears that one morning early in February, 1861, a few days be- fore his departure for Washington to begin the duties of the great office to which he had been elected, he left his home in Springfield to pay a fare- well visit to his aged step -mother, who was then living in Coles county, Illinois. He reached the town of Charleston in the evening. The next morn- ing he started in a buggy for Farmington, a village about eight miles southwest, where the old lady was then living with a daughter. His only 28 companion was Augustus H. Chapman, whose wife was the daughter of Dennis Hanks, and therefore the grand-daughter of Mr. Lincoln's step- mother. Mr. Chapman, who died recently, lived for many years in Charles- ton, a trustworthy, intelligent and truthful man — in fact no one stood high- er in the esteem and good will of his fellow-citizens. He had been an officer in the Union Army, having served throughout the Civil War as Lieutenant- Colonel of the 54th Illinois Inf. Vols., and left a military record alike praiseworthy and brilliant." The statement made by Abraham Lincoln to Col. Chapman on the trip from Charleston that morning appears in one of the preceding pages of this book. We do not believe that any higher, better or stronger endorsement of Col. Chapman and his report of the President's statement could be made than Mr. Weik has made in the foregoing quotation from his official report to the Governor of Indiana. But he is abundantly sustained by the affidavits of George T. Balch, W. E. Hill, G. H. Jeffreys and Ella J. Nott, and we think that the case is clear and convincing that Abraham Lincoln distinctly remembered that the far-famed Emigrant Party went through Daviess county. He mentions not only the county by name, but also its county seat in the same manner. GENERAL COMMITTEE: Austin T. Hixon, John W. Connelly, Ezra Mattingly CHAMBER OF COMMERCE COMMITTEE— Jacob G. Clark, Chairman Hugh L. Cox, S. S. Scott, Elmer Buzan, John Yarbrough Edward C. Faith ROTARY CLUB COMMITTEE Dr. H. C. Wadsworth Edward C. Faith Sam B. Boyd KIWANIS COMMITTEE J. G. Allen A. O. Fulkerson O. M. McCracken 29 WEST APPROACH TO APRAW FORD ■Si 9*m.Wk i \AiL -.1 H V/**** * iW '* " . .. ' ■:; WEST APPROACH TO APRAW FORD This picture shows the approach to the abandoned Apraw Ford on the Knox county side of the river. The house in the left of the picture is the Gilmore home. This is where Robert Gilmore's father lived when the Lincoln party crossed the ford in 1830. APRAW FORD OLD APRAW FORD Photograph taken March, 1931. The ford ran to the right of the person standing in the picture to the east bank of the river at a point to the left of the fallen tree. This ford was abandoned when a bridge was constructed two miles down the river. .*£!*?■-