The Osceola times., 1883-09-15
LINC0LN'S PARENTS.
The Marriage Of Thomas Lincoln and
Nancy Hanks IndispuiabIy Proven.
Testimony OF an Eye Witness 10 The Marriage
Ceremony.
Indianapolis Herald.

that he labors TO cast reproach upon the
parents of his dead benefactor, by more
than insinuating that they were never
legally married. Thus he says that "dil
igent and thorough search by the most
competent persons have failed to Jiscov-
er any trace of the fact in the public re-
cords of Hardin and the adjoining coun
ties. The license and minister's return
in the case of Lincoln and Sarah John
son, his second wife, were easily found
in the place where the law required them
to be; but of Nancy Hanks marriage
there exists no evidence but mutual ac-
knowledgement and cohabition." In
many other ways and places Mr.. Lamon
slurs the character Of Mrs. Lincoln with
vile insinuations. Mr.. Heraden, too, has
seemed equally willing to cast reproach
upon the memory of the great martyrs
parents. Why these men, who enjoyed
his favor as long as he lived, should can
eel the obligations which their accept
ance of confidence and patronage at his
hands placed them under by slanderinq
his father and mother, and disparaging
himself as fair and just man, is aDso-
lutely incomprehensible. A little honest
search would have shown them that
there was quite as clean a record of the
honorable marriage of the presidents
father and mother rs of that of his faith
er and that excellent woman, Mrs. John
son, his stcpmothcr. The record is com
rlete in both cases, as had occasion to
lear some years ago, upon the first al
pearance of the life of the president by
Lamon, and the lecture of 1arndon.
got my clue TO the place Of the marriage
of the parents of the president from Gen
NJ. ID. Mason of our state, who was shown
the ruins of the cabin where it took
place by a venerable citizen Of Ken
lucky, who knew all about it,
have forgotten his name, but the pa
pers ! furnish you herewith are equally
conclusive. AT my request Capt. r. +,
Jeter furnishes me with the following
data, which Mr.. Lannon's competent
persons" should have found before he
"scrawled that lie." The following is q
copy of the bond given by Thomas Lin
coln toindemniiy the clerk ifthere should
be any lawful cause to obstruct the mar
riage between him and Nancy Hanks:
"Know all men by these presents that
we, Thomas Lincoln and Richard Berry
are held and firmly bound unto his ex-
cellency the governor of Kentucky in the
Just sum of fifty pounds, current money,
to the payment of which, well and truly
to be made to the said governor and his
SUCCESSORS, we bind ourselvs, our heirs,
etc, Jointly and severally, firmly by
these presents, sealed with our seals and
dated this 10th day of June, 1906.
"The conditions of the above obliga-
tions are such that, whereas, there is a
marriage shortly intended between the
above bound Thomas Lincoln and Nancy
Hanks, for which license has been is
sued now, if there be no lawful cause to
obstruct the said marriage, then this OBJ
legation to be void, else to remain in full
force and virtue. THOMAS LINCOLN,
RICHARD BERRY.
Witness: MOSES RICE.
estate OF KENTUCKY, WASHINGTON
COUNTY, set. |. w. f. Booker, clerk of the
Washington county court, certify that
the above is true copy of the marriage
bonds of Thomas Lincoln as shown from
the records on file in my office. Given
under my hand and seal of Office at
Springfield. KY, this 10th day of August,
1888 w. +. BOOKER,
[sEAL.l "Clerk Washington County
Court"
There is no evidence on file showing
that the marriage so contemplated was
actually celebrated. Thus ii appears
that the marriage was celebrated Sep
tember %, 1906:
81 certify that onthe 23d of September,
1906, solemnized the right (sic) of mat
rimony between Thomas Lincoln and
Nancy Hanks. JESSE HEAD, d. NJ. L. c."
But Capt Jetcr, not content with the
record, hunted up and found an eye and
ear witness to the ceremony. who re-
members il well, and gives the following
account of it:
"CRAB ORCHARD, Ky, Aug. II. 1888.
"My DEAR Old FRIEND-I have your
letter in regard to the marriage OF
Thomas Lincoln, the father of Abraham
Lincoln, 10 Nancy Hanks; and | answer
that was at the wedding--my remem-
b.ancc is 1906. They both lived in
Washington county, KY, and were there
married by license from the county court
at Springfield. Jesse Head special
friend of mine, and methodist preacher,
married them. Head was then cabi-
net-maker in Springfield, and afterwards
moved to Harrodsburgh, where he es-
tablished respectable country paper,
and edited it up to the day of his death.
Lincoln and his bride were poor but re-
spectacle. Nancy Hanks was full of life
and pretty fast, but nothing in justice,
could be said against her morl character
"Jsdge Felix Grundy and other re-
spectacle neighbors were at the wedding
This was before the Judge moved to
Nashville, Tenn, after which he was at
torncy-general of the United States at
Washington, and one amongst the most
the most noted men in the Union.
"The Lincolns at that time were called
the Linkens. AS very few at that early
date could spell, almost all the names
were improperly pronounced. Kindly