Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1879-03-01
LincOln's Percentage.

Tie the lOnR-OlSpuLeu Qucsblou Wuctucl
the father and mother of Abraham Lin
coin ever were legally married. Short
ly before Ward II. Lamon published
his :. Life of Lincoln" in 1872, it be-
came known to some of those who had
been the warmest friends of the dead
President that Lamon intended to pub
fish the statement that on account OF
their extreme poverty the parents of
Lincoln never were legally married, as
according to the laws of the State of
Kentucky it would have been necessary
to file bond to guard the State against
an over supply of paupers. Much 9th
er matter bearing upon the same point
was also intended to be included in the
book, and the Lincoln family desired
to have it suppressed. The family and
its most intimate friends were positive
that there was not the least ground for
charge of illegitimacy against Lincoln.
Accordingly Judge David Davis and
Leonard SWEET, a prominent lawyer
living in Illinois, who had been firm
friend of Lincoln, exerted themselves
successfully to have much of this mat
ter suppressed.
1t appears. however, from Lannon's
book that in his own mind the author
had grave doubts as to whether Lin
cons parent were ever married, anu
ne seems W WISH " Iehuei .ie uoLne VI
Aino1tn palsn's do u," ~, 30
possible IN oroer 10 Inake Tue con'r"s'
between Lincoln's early and later sur
roundings as strong as possible. Lamon
speaks of Thomas, Abraham's father, as
WahlinS III ohafaolei' nnu 9"y 'n"'
this was one reason why sally BUSH,
"a modest and pious girl i'll all things
nnra opd dacant rafus.d IN marry
Pulo "-u 80 -, .i.", nn %
HILL harion ie'o'S " 'no h'at i1oo Va
| Thomas Lincoln to Nancy Hanks as
follows:
cou,o TINA IN ,,,o ,or aoc u, ,,orr;o5 No,ov
us~ils '' II was in t5e hon "f mncle JosenI
Uamhs ot Ei;2shethtown in n ,r,i;n Cnmniv
that ho had essayed to learn the trade.
1t is admitted by all the old residents OF the
place that they were honesty m rfnea' 6at pre-,
and th % searches by the most competent
persons have failed to discover my trace Of the
TACT in the public records of Hardin and the
adjoining counties. The license ana the minis,
Yer return IN sne GasG r oi oaa, Si Frnd IN
the place where tho law required them to be ;
but Of Nancy Hanks marriage there exists no
eTaeaIe pts aa' u t,, ta nf nr
Thomas was rs wears Of ageand Nancy about 23''
AGAIN on nooe II ia founJ tho fol-.
1ow;nn. " Fo ~ O -
Tna ,;noa Sc Lilo ,.,.,,.,s, n.,,ou .,,,
mother. and the history and Character Of the
family before their settlement in Indiana, were
topics upon which Mr.. Lincoln never spoke
but with great reluctance NEE ana slsniicant re.
sc h;.,bs - ma a ond Ien TIM everv entrv
being carefully made in his own handwriting.
=. 1t las not q word about the Hankses
or the sparrows. II shows the marriage OF
Say 6asn m,ss WIN LAM, ns y n
silent " az to the marriage Of his own mother.
It does not even give the date Of her birth, but
barely recognizes her existence and demise, to
make t I vacancy winch WIS speedily h'ieo Dy
'A m 'onA'oA ,, ...
10 SNOW Mr. niIooln Ie'ioenoe
ABOUT ms Parentage' nanon gives sew,
80 ~ .I:.sIa e.. L;nnsmn.,,,;ooI
sent 10 aPPiicants ioI uioB!aPhAcai
sketches. Mr.. Lincoln, writes one
of the applicants, communicated
some facts to me about his ancestry
| r,l;.l Lo 5;5 ~ mich ,,rbl;sba5 a. 4
WIFI WIZ re u.u nv vs. ~ a. y
wnlcn nave never spoken Vi UT aiIuueo
to before.
wb;la /, Keptuckv last fall ex.Sec-
Wins III heh1uoAy i1st iaii' eA-ceS
r rer TR Rrowne NJ Rrowne
lives in SnrinofeId Washington Conn
40 ,1.,' p,.,,I;oa.
", ~ man Oh weaitn' isoPuoiioan'
and one who takes great pride IN guard
ing the memory of the dead President.
He heard of the reports referred TO
- - oo,no1 - 5;I;0a,t sooroI, 10
aoove' anu oauseu uiLs NV oeaon W
De maze Ior the record OF inc marriage
of Lincoln's parents. The search was
successful. and Mr.. Browne mentioned
A. CT 20 Ar Rr;stow who rrpod b;r,
ene iaS' w ni' niis'o" mno "isou M
TO make the result pupllc IN oroer TO
remove the doubt in the minds OF many
on the subject, Mr., Browne promised
" sond co,;os of tba hond ond cart;f;-
w oon" ~ N
cate to Gen. Bristow, and recently he
did so. Mr.. Brownies letter and the
ACCOMMODATING copies of documents
were as follows:
SPRINGFIELD, Ky, Dec. 1G, 1878, Gen. b. II.
Bristo,o, Ne,c York Cuy-DEAR Sir: When l
last saw you in Louisville promised to send
You copy of the record of President Lincoln 3
fathers marriage. now send it to you. The
| record Ought forever to silence the charge of