River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1879-05-01
Eearly Associations of LincOln---Annis
Rutlege.

John McNamer was buried last Sun
day rear Petersburg, Menard county. A
long while ago he was Assessor and
Treasurer of the county for several sue,
cessiye terms. MIR. MeNamer was an
early settler in that section, and before
the town of Petersburg was laid out he
was ia business at Old Salem, a village
that existed many years ago two miles
south of the present site of Petersburg
Abe Lincoln was then postmaster of the
place and sold whisky to the inhabitants
There are old timers yet living in Menard
who bought many a jug OF corn juice
from Old Abe when he lived at Salem
1t was here that Annie Rutiege dwelt,
and in whose grave Liscoln wrote that his
heart was buried. As the story runs,
the fair and gentle Annie wac originally
John McNamers sweetheart, but Abe
took a ''shine" to the young lady, snd
succeeded in heading off McNamer, and
won her affections. But Aunie Rutlege
died and Lincoln went to Springfield,
where he sometime afterward married.
Il is related that during the war lady,
belonging to prominent Kentucky fam
lily, visited Washington to beg tor her
sons pardon, who was then in prison
under sentence of death for belonging to
band of guerrillas who had committed
many murders and outrages. With the
mother was her daughser, beautiful
young lady. who was an accomplished mu-
stefan. Mr.. Lincoln received the visitors
in his usual kind manner, and the moth
er made known the object of her visit,
accompanying her plea with tears and
sobs end all the customary dramatic in
cidents. There were probably extenua-
ting circumstances in favor of the young
rebel prisoner, and while the President
seemed 10 be deeply bordering the young
lady moved to piano near by and tax
ing a scat, commenced to sing "Gentle
Annie,n a very sweet and touching bal
lad, which, before the war, was famil
lar song in almost every household in
the Union, and is not yet entirely forgot
ten, for tkat matter. 1t is to be pre-
sumed the young lady sang the song with
more plaintive effect than Old Abe had
ever heard it in Springfield.
During its rendition he arose from his
seat, crossed the room to a window in
the westward, through which he gazed
for several minutes with that "sad, far
away look which has so often been
noted as one of his peculiarities. His
memory, no doubt, went back to the days
of his humble life on the banks of the
Sangamen, and with visions of Old Sa-
lem aud its rustic people who once gath
cred IN his primitive store came a pic
ture of the Gentle Annie" of his youth
whose ashes had rested for many long
years under wild flowers and brambles
Of the old rural burying ground, but
whose spirit then, perhaps, guided him
TO the side of mercy. Be that as it may
Mr.. Lincoln drew large red silk hand
kerchief from his coat pocket, with which
he blew his nose vigorously. Then ht
turned, advanced quickly to his desk
wrote brief note, which he handed t.
the lady, and informed her that it wa:
the pardon she sought.
This scene was no doubt tauching in q
great degree, and proves that nice song
well sung has often powerful enfiuenct
in recalling tender recollections. II
proves, also, that Abraham Lincoln was {
man of fine feelings, and that if the oc
currence was put up job on the lady's
part, it accomplished its purpose all the
same. There are but few of the Old Sa
lem friends and companions of Mr.. Lin
coin still living, and we are told, they arr
widely scattered. VIM. G. Greene, OF
TallEla, now a wealthy banker and farm
er, was an intimate friend of Lincoln
while the latter lived at Salem, and, it il
said, loaned him this small capital upor
which he entered iuto business at tina
place MIR. McNamer, whose death WI
chronicle above, was always an admirel
of Mr.. Lincoln, and kept in his posses
sion many letters written to him by that
gentleman, which he valued very highly