Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1883-10-25
NUMBER 80.
AN EARLY LETTER OF LINCOLN.
Sketch of HIS Family History Sent to-
an inQuirihg Relative.

| Sketch of HIS Family History Sent to-
! an inquirthS Relative.
1 From the Chattanooga tpenn.,) Times,
| Dr.. Lincoln, of this city, a cousin Of
Abraham Lincoln, has in his possession
letter written t. his father by his rela-
tive in 1854, which sheds some light on
the light on the illustrious statesmsn's.
family history. DR.. Lincoln's father
was at the time living in an upper East
Tennessee county. The fame Of Abra-,
ham Lincoln was becoming National ut
that period. Mr.. Lincoln's name was
Israel, and all his relatives bore Biblical
names. When the name of Abraham
Lincoln reached his ears, he wrote him
making inquiries regarding his family,
feeling confident he was relative, and
the following was his response:
SPRINGFIELD, ILL,
April /, 1854.
My DEAR SIR:-On yesterday 1 had
tho pleasure of receiving your letter Of
the 10th OF March. From what Won
say there can be no doubt that YOU and
L are OF the same family. The history
OF your family, as you give it, is pre-
cisely what l have always heard, and
partly know, of my own As you sup
posed, am the grandson of your Uncle
Abraham, and the story of his death by
the Indians, and of Uncle Mordecia then
Il years old, killing one of the Indians.
is the legend most prominent of all
others imprinted on nay mind and men,
DRY. l am the the son of grandfather's
youngest son, Thomas. l have often
heard my father speak of his Uncle Isaac
residing on the Watauga q think) near
where the then states of Virginia North
Carolina and Tennessee join. You now
seem to be some hundred miles or so
west Of there. often saw nUcle Nor
decia and Uncle Josiah, but never lived
near either of them. Uncle Mordecia
died in 1881 or 1882, in Hancock Co.
ILL.,, where he had then removed from
kentucky, and where his son had also re-
moved and still reside, as 1 understand.
Whether Uncle Josiah is dead or liy-
ing [ cannot tell, not having heard from
him for more than twenty wears
When last heard from him he was liv-
ing on Big Blue River, Hancock County
Ind, L think, and where he has resided
ever since before The beginning of my
recollection. My father, Thomas, died
the 18th of January, 1851, in Coles
County, III, where he had resided
twenty years. [ am his only child. [
am 40 years of age, and have a wife
and three children, the oldest IL years.
My wife was born and raised at I.exing-
ington, Ky, and my connection with
her has sometimes taken me there.
where l have have heard the old people
Of her relatives speak of your Uncle
Thomas and family. He is dead, long
ago, and his descendants have gone to
to some part of Missouri, as I remem-
Der what was told. When I was at
Washington, in 1848, Z got upa cores
pondence with David Lincoln, residing
at Sparta, Rockingham County, Va,
who, like yourself, was first cousin of
my father, but forget, if he informed
me, which of my grandfather's broth
ers was his father With Col. Crozier,
of whom you speak, I formed quite an
intimate acquaintance, for a short one,
and when you meet him again, would
thank you to present him my respects.
Your present Governor, Andrew John
son, was also at Washington while I.
was, and ne told me of there being peo-
pie of the name of Lincoln in Carter
county. 1 can no longer claim to be q
young man myself, but infer that as,
you are of the same generation of my
father, you are some older. shall be.
very glad to hear from you again.
Very truly your relative.
A. Lincoln.
Hon. w. II. Mcbride, republicans
candidate for Representative, and Hon
G. III. Finch anti-monopoly candidate
for Representative, will hold serie
ofjoint discussions as follows:
At Phillipsburg CHI. Thurs. eve Oct. %
At Big Bend 5. h. Friday eve Oct. 2e
g. w. WOOD,
c. LAMB.
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Sale of SchooI Lands.