New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-01-25
LINCOLN'S PARENTAGE.
NEW FACTS ABOUT HIS FAMILY.


.
NEW FACTS ABOUT HIS FAMILY.
LETTERS AND DOCUMENTS. NOW FIRST PUBLISHED
WHICH PROVE THE LEGAL MARRIAGE OF LIN
COINS FATHER AND MOrHER-FLAT CONTRA
DICnoN OF THE STORY TOLD N Lannon's LIFE
or LINCOLN"
Recent developments promise to settle the
long puted question whether the father aud mother
Of Abraham Lincoln were Legally married shortly
before Ward H. Llmon published his life OF Lincoln in
1872. 10 became known some o. those who had been
the w0rncst friends OF the dead President that Lainon
intended to publish the statement that on account OF
their extreme poverty the parents Of Lincoln never
were legally married, rs according to the laws
OF tho State Of Kentucky, it would have
necessary TO file bond to guard 'he state against
an over-suppy OF paupcrs. Much other matter bearing
on the point was also intended to b. included III
the book aud the Lincoln family desired to have it sup
pressed family and its most intimate friends were
positive that not the least ground for charge
OF iegtlmacy against Lincoln. Accordingly Judge
David Davis and Leonard welt, a prominent lawyer,
living in Illinois, who had been firm friend Of Lin
coln cXertcd themselves successfully to have much OF
this matter suppressed.
II appears however, from Lannon's book that IN his
own mind the author had doubts as to whether
LiDcons parents were married, and he seems 10
wish 20 render the home Of LincolEs parents as Unat
tracye as possible in order make the contrast be
tween LincOns early and later surroundings as strong
as possible. Lamon speaks Of Thomas Abrahams
father as wanting in character" and says that THIS
was one of the why sally Bush. " modest
and pous GIRL all things pure and decent, refused to
marry him. LamOn refers 10 the marriage OF Thomas
Lincoln and Nancy Hanks "a follows:
some time in the year 1sO6 he married Nancy
Hanks IL was m the shop of her uncle Joseph Hanks.
al Ezabethtovn, in Hardin County, that he had Is,
sayed 10 learn the trade. IL Is admitted ny all
the old residents OF the place that they were honestly
married hut precisely when or how no one can tell.
Dgent and thorough searches by the most competent
person, have failed 10 discover any trace OF the iac ID
The public records OF Hardin and the adjoining counties
The license the minister's return IN the case OF LIN
coin aud sarah Johnston his second VIE were ea1!
found in place where the law required them 10 oe
bu ~ nancy Iankss marriage there Exists evidence
hut that Of mutual acknowledgment ana CONCENTRATION
At the time of their union Thomas was t"enty-elSht
years OF age aud Nancy about twenty-three'
Again on page seventeen IL found the following:
The lives Of his (AbIahsms) father aud mother and
the history and character OF ne fanny before tcr
coin spoke but with great reluctance and signh.
cant reserve In his family Bible ne Kept register Of
births marriages aud deaths, every entry being care
fully made I'm mis- own handwriting. Ii has not
"a word about the IIanks"s or the sparrows it shows
and then With Thomas Lincoln but it entirely silent
A. To tc OF hi. mother 1t does nor even
I,ence and demise 10 make the vacancy winch WAS
speedily filed by sarah Johnston.
To show SIR L;ncolns ret!ceuce about his parcntago
Iamon gives several extremely brief replies which were
sent to applicants for biographical sketches. Mr..
Lincoln" writes one OF these applicants, cOmmuni-
Gated some facts about his ancestry which hc did
not wish published. and when nave never spoken OF
or alluded to before
RESULTS OF RECENT RESEARCH.
While IN Kentucky last Fall e1Se"reIary BristOw met
n lawyer Of high reputation, r. J. Browne. MI Browne
lives I'm Springfield. Washington County, is man Of
wealth. Republican, and one who takes great PRICE In
guarding the memory OF the dead President He heard
Of the reports referred to above and caused dieent
search to e made the record 1.-THE marriage of Lin
coins parents. The search was successful and Mr.
Browne mentioned the fact to Nr BrstOw, who urged
him 10 make the result public III order to remove the
doubt IN the minds OF many on the subject MT Browne
promised TO send copies OF the bond ind certificate TO
General Bristow and recently he did So Mr. Brownies
letter aud the accompanying copies of documents were
10 '' sPRrxCrIELp, KY. Dec. 16, 1873.
DEAR SIR: When / last saw you III Louisville
promised send you copy Of the record OF PRESIDENT
Iincons fathers marriage. now send It to you Tue
record ought forever 10 silence tae arte OF tue freS
deuts legltmacy. have talked WIN men OF the
highest yeracity who have told Ine hat they ehued
the wedding With sincere WISH etc. pS am truly
General 3. II. BRrsrow. Ne'- York city.
The following is "a copy OF the bond:
Know all men by these presents. That We, Thomas
Lincoln and Richard Berry, held aud firmly bound
his Exceency, the Governor OF Kentucky IN the
IA. and full money, TO the Payment
OF which truly TO be made TO the said Governor
ana me- successor We pu v these nTesents sealed
with seals and dated this 10Th day OF June eOO Inc
condition the above obligation ~ such that whereas
there IL marriage shortly intended between the above
bound Thomas Lincoln aud Nancy Hanks, for which a
cruse has issued fthcre &c no lawful cause To OBJ
sruct the said marriage then this obligation TO be Nold
else to remain Ia full force and virtue IN Law.
THOMAS LINCOLN. lseal
RICHARD BERRY, Isea
Wituess-JOUS H. PIRROTT Guardian.
The certificate is as follows
Washington County, -.
do certify that on the 23d day OF September. 1906
soemnized the Iitps Of matrlmOuy between Thomas
Lincoln and Nancy Hanks according 10 the rites "a the
Methodist Episcopal Church. ,rc
The above are sworn TO be true copies as follows;
STATE OF KENTUCKY, }ss
l. W r. Booker, Clerk OF the Washington County
Court certify the within - true copy or the
marriage bond IA well marriage certificate, or tue
minister of the marriage OF Thomas Lincoln and Nancy
Hanks AS shown from the records on e III my once
Given under my hand and seal OF once, nj springfield
Ky this 18th December 1875. W. L. BOOKER, CLERK.
BY this certificate which is now published for the frat
time IL appears that marriage or Llncons parents
occurred on September %, 1sO6. Lamon, however,
states that the first child OF the family was born Feb
rusry TO- 1904 girl, fret called Nancy and subse
auently on the death OF her mother Sarah Search Tor
this certificate was made in Ia Rue County some time
ago by man named Samuel Haycralt, but without sue
cess for the obvious that when the ceftncate
was filed Washington County included La Hue county
--
THE HOPE LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY.