Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-01-10

some HnGIOe y - nm0 y oGhS NeNet ntIOEe
Pubifshed-ThOmasI inkhern's Alb
rupt COurtship Of widow Johnson
The Historical Old House-Captain
Hayeraft's Memory.
correspondent OF the Louisville CONNER
clal, writing from Elizabethtown, KY, under
date of December 80, sends the following state
ment of Captain Hsycraft, detailing many
unpublished incidents in the life of Lincoln,
and exploding the story Of Mr.. Lincoln's lie
gitimacy:
Was born in this town 1ltb August, 1915, and
have a good memory Of persons and things as
they existed in "days OF auld lang syne."
KNEW THOMAS LINCOLN
well. He Was universally called Linkhorn-l
suppose through ignorance of his real name.
he was married 10 Miss Nancy Hanks, and
when married and before that time he lived in
Elizabetbtown. In the year lS0I his first child
"a daughter) was born.
ABRARAM's BIRTHPLACE.
Sometime between 1901 and 1874 he LEFT town
with his wife and child, aud settled near But
falo, Larue county, about four miles from
Hodgenyiile, then in Harden county. 1t
then called Hodgen's Mill, and is
row in Larue county, at which place
Abraham Lincoln, late President, was born. But
TO put the whole matter at rest, / quote from
A LATTER WRITTEN By ABRAHAM LINCOLN TO
MYSELF,
noS in my possession, dated Springfield, Ill,
May 2s, 1850: In the main you are right about
my history. My father was Thomas Lincoln,
and Mrs. Sallie johnson was his second wife.
You are mistaken about my mother. Her name
was Nancy Hanks. 1 was not born in EuZa-
BEETHOVEN, but my mothers first child. daugh-
ter, two years older than myself, and long since
dead, was was born February Il, lsv9. near
where Hodgenvllle now is, then in Hardin
county. / DO not think ever saw yOu, though
know very well who you Rre-so well that 1
recognized your Handwriting on opening your
letter before saw the signature. My rec0llec-
ton Is that
BEN. HELM
was first Clerk, that you succeeded him, that
Jack Thomas and Wilson Fairleigh graduated
in the same Office, and that your handwriting
were all very similar. Am | right? Ny father
has been dead near ten years, but my step
mother, Mrs. johnson Is still living
THE SECOND WIFE OF THOMAS LINCOLN
was originally Miss Sallie Bush, daughter of
Christopher and Hannah Bush, was raised in
Hardin county, half a mile from Elizabethtown
She was married to Daniel johnson on the 18th
day of March, 1S6, and lived in EIizsbethtown
where johnson died early in April, 1914, of what
was then called cold plague ! sat by his bed
tide several nights during his illness, and one
morning on returning home, which as the 4th
OF April, found snow on the ground four
inches deep and the peach trees in bloom which
attracted my attention and caused me to note
the time. The widow, Mrs. johnson, continued
TO live in EliZabethtown until the "a OF Deem
Der, 1919. Thomas Lincoln
MOVED WITH HIS FAMILY TO INDIANA.
! do not know the time OF his removal but
before 1916 he lost his tirrt wife there, and on
the LIST day OF December Of that year he re
turned to this place and inquired for the resi-
dence of the
WIDOW JOHNSON.
She lived near the Clerks office. | was Clerk,
and informed HIM how to lind her. He was not
slow TO present himself before her, when the
Following courtship occurre6:-He said 10 Mrs.
johnson,
fI AM A LONE NAN
and you are lone woman. 1 have knowed
you from girl, and you've knowed me from
boy, and have come all the way frem Indiana
TO ask you if you will
MARRY NE RIGHT OFF.
as have no time TO lose" To which she re-
piled Tommy Lincoln, haze
NO OBJECTION
10 marrying you, but | cannot do il right Of.
for owe several little debts which must first be
paid" The gallant old gentleman promptly
said, "Give me list of the debts" The list
evening. The next morning, December ,, 1873,
Issued the license, and the same day
THEY WERE MARRIEDl
bundled up and started for home, where the new
vito added much TO the comfort OF the estab-
lishmeHt, and took great interest in the train
ing and education of her step-son, Abraham.
THOMAS LINCOLN
was hale, hearty looking man of medium
height, heavy and square built, rather clumsy
IN his gait, had kind looking face, was a mod
erately good house carpenter-sOme of his work
remaining to this day in the neigh borhoOd-
quite illterate, and was regarded as a very
honest man.
NANCY HANKS
was rather low set, heavy built woman, with
out education, as in her day opportunities for
learning were few; indeed, book learning was
not in high repute and she was considered
hDOuL Oh q Par WIN Ine ordinary class or circle
in which she moved.
Mrs. johnson,
FORMERLY sALLIR BUSH.
was tall, slender built woman, quite good
looking, and was taken in those DAYS to be quite
a graceful, gay lady; was very neat, and was
thought to have been good match for Thomas
Lincoln.
THE HOUSE
in which Thomas Lincoln lived in this place
stood on the bank OF an old mill race, was built
of rough logs slightly hewn, and was about II
feet square. After It was abandoned by him it
was moved below the bridge and made slaugh-
ter house; in course OF time il was removed
still lower down the creek, and again used for
the same purpose, and afterwards 1t was re-
moved back to very near the spot IL originally
occupied on the bank of the mill race, a few
logs added, and then used as a stable. After
Abraham Lincoln's election to the Presidency
axe, and portions of it was carried to New York
as relics.
ABSENCE OF CERTIFICATE ACCOUNTED FOR.
Such is the statement furnished me by Cap
tain Haycraft. In addition | asked him how
about the record of homas Lincoll's marriage
to Nancy Hanks. He replied: al could never
ind any record OF the marriage, but accounted
for the absence of it from the fact that no re-
cord was kept in those days, the clerks depend
ing on the ministers to return the license and
they were often men who were very illiterate
ana perhaps never knew that they should be
returned. And again, if returned, they were
liable to be misplaced, as they were generally
kept In bread tray or some like vessel for con-
yenence; and, again, it would have been i'm
possible for them to have lived so long together
improperly, without the community knowing
1t, when there were about $50 people living
here at that time"