Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1870-07-01
Written fsir the reiaware Gazette.
THE GRAVE OF RREsEDEWT Linz
COhNsB MOTHER.


Over a year ago, some verses, unde
the above heading, were published il
the Spencer county. lind. Journal
and afterwards copied by a number o
other papers. The verses were writer
under the non t2e Plume of ''Babby,
| whose real name is VIII F. COrbin, ane
who was at that time travelling through
Southern Indiana. The statement con
t tanned in the verses relative to- the de
| serted and neglected grave of the moth
er of one of our best Presidents IS liter
/ ally true. Ten miles north of Grand
J view, in the wild woods Of Spencel
/ county, Indiana, unmarked by slab, and
unprotected from desecration by ami.
mails is the grave Of the mother Of Pres
ident Lincoln. The neighbors, some o.
/ whom were Lincoln s playmates, declare
there is no doubt with reference to It's
| identity Mrs. Lincoln was buried be
tween two oak trees. only separated
from each other a distance sufficient to
allow the grave to be dug lengthwise be
/ tween them. The trees and grave re-
main to this day as when first the pious
old lady was buried, only that the trees
are larger, underbFush has grown uP.
and the grass has sunken so as to des-
troy all appearance of a grave. One Of
the numerous biographers of Mr.. Lin
coin speaks of his mother in the most
complimentary terms. He says: "In
the autumn of 1878, Abraham had the
misfortune to lose his excellent mother.
She was truly noble woman, as her
sons life attested From her came that
deep and abiding reverence for holy
things-that profound trust in Provi-
dence and faith in the triumph of truth
and that gentleness. and amiability Of
temper which, in the lofty station Of
chief magistrate, he displayed so strik-
ingly during the years Of most appalling
responsibility. From her he derived
the spirit of humor and desire to see
others happy, which afterward formed
so prominent a trait in his character
Though uneducated in books, she was
wise in the wisdom of experience, and
truth, and was to her son a faithful mem
er ceased TO mourn her loss and ever
cherished her memory with the tender
est affection and respect.
Notwithstanding that Mr.. Lincoln has
been regarded by many as an ideal of
afectionate and filiaI worth, it is strange
that he never visited or even enquired
after the sleeping place of the being who
gave him birth, and patiently and low
ing1y agfTniTfstereds his wants~iF--eaEly
childhood. 1t is not remarkable that
the neighbors manifested very lit
tie interest in an object that appeared to
be of so little consequence in the estifna-
ton of one who should have protected
and cherished If as the apple of his eye.
The example of President Lincoln III
this respect IS only one of the many in
dications of an indisposition on the
part Of the people of this country to
cherish the memory of departed friends.
In the rapid and changing scenes of the
west, the whirl of business and the ex-
element connected with our social and
political life, We take but little time to
consider death, and early forget the
dead. No doubt Mr. Lincoln, now and
then, in the reflective moments of his
life-and he undoubtedly had as many
of these as most men-thought of his
mother and her neglected grave, and
often vowed that he would visit it. and
pay that proper respect which we all owe
TO our departed friends. But the agita-
ton Of political life, the inclination to
defer what did not seem to be an act of
immediate necessity, would constantly in
terfere, and thus the labor Of love and
respect was never performed. and the
grave ofthe mother of Abraham Lin
coin is neglected and almost unknown
The following are the verses alluded
to: m