The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-03-23

All Cot Down s~SIdenly ~ lnaiaas. A.
sassin sad surgeon.
chicaxo News
The sod fate Of the great .Emanciratcr'
haIlowed the name OF Lincoln. The recent
death Of little ABB. in London has
called renewed attention. 10 the great
president his ancestors and descend
ants Popular knowledge Of the family
covers about two centuries During that
time alternate generations have produced
three Abraham Lincolns, Ill OF whom have
died under circumstances that hare riveted
upon them the attention of Americans.
The years l7s6. 1855 and 1890 are menu
orabls in Lincoln chronology. for in those
years the grandfather Of the president.
President Lincoln himself and his grand
son fell--two BY the hands OF Assassins and
the third by the hand Of the surgeon. NO
less fell though better intentioned
The facts Of tia death Of the presidents
grandfather are meaeer. Descended from
the good old Quaker stock from Pennsyl-
vAnia, and possessed Of moderate means,
he WAS one Of the first 70 leavs his home in
Rockingham county, Va. in i7So. 70 fol-
low the lead Of Daniel Boone into the wilds
OF Kentucky, taking with him his wife and
hve children. Prepared TO brave dangers
and hardships for home, Abraham Lin
coin bought 900 acres Of land from the gov
eminent for 600. spot In the forest was
cleared. log cabin was erected, and soon
Lincoln found himself on the way 10 pros
perity. The three sons ordecai. Josiah,
and Thomas--whe partook Of the fathers
ambition, helped him with . will. The
little farm in the wilderness gradually
broadened. and two additional tracts Of
land. one OF 500 ana the other OF 800 acres
were taken.
But fortune soon changed. One morning
in 1856 Lincoln and his three sons went out
to the edge Of the clearing. aud scarcely
had work begun when q shot from the
bush killed tho father. Mordccai immedi-
ateiy ran 70 the cabin for gun and Josiah
to Hughes Station for assistance, while
Thomas was left with his fathers body.
Mordecai got the gun and was just in time
to save his brothers life by shooting the
Indian who was about to kill him. The
murdered man was buried near where he
fell. and soon after the family. for better
protection. moved 10 . thicker-settlcd poY-
ton of the wilderness. whore Mordecai,
with the settled hate horn OF unforgiven
wrongs, became an Indian stalker who slew
the redskins on no other provocstion than
mere sight.
Two generations later the second Ahra-
ham Lincoln was exalted from the position
Of an obscure lawyer to that Of president
Of the United States-an honor which be
bore with courage and fortituds and paid
for with his life. All ere familiar with the
story al his assassin alton.
Another break Of generation in tho
transmission Of names and the third Abra-
ram appeared in the family - the son of
Robert r. Lincoln, the American minister
to England Young Jack. ~ be was usu-
ally called. was born iu Chicago in IS73.
and the story Of his IL years is that Of
many another bright boy who has been
stricken down before the possibilities in
him have bcen developed. The promise of
the future was cus OF by the surgeons
knife while undertaking an operation for
an abseess- The operation Is not usually
regarded ~ dangerous. but Il proved fatal
in this case from the boys weakness.
Jack" was boy grave and deliberate
beyond his years. an unusually good
scholar, and . universal fsvorite among
his Associatex