The Delta independent., 1890-04-01

THREE ABRAHAM LINcoLNs.
All Cut Down Suddenly by Indian.
Assassin and Surgeon.

Assassin and Surgeon.
Chicago News.
The sad fate Of the great "Emsncipator"
hallowed the name Of Lincoln. The recent
death Of little s.Abe' in London has called
renewed attention to tho great president.
his ancestors and descendants. Popular
knowledge Of the family covers about two
centuries. During that time alternste gen.
erations have produced three Abraham
Lincolns. all of whom have died under cir
cumstances that have riveted upon them
the attention Of Americans.
The years 1855, 1865 and 1880 are memor-
able 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 the death Of the presidents
grandfather are mesger. Descended from
the good old Quaker stock Of Pennsylvania,
and possessed Of moderate means, he was
one Of the first to leave his home in Rock
ingham county, Virginia, in 17so, TO follow
the lead Of Daniel Boone into the wilds OF
kentucky, taking with him his wife and
five children. Prepared TO brave dangers
and hardships for home, Abraham Lin
coin bought 400 acres Of land from the Gov
ernment tor eco. A spot in the forest was
cleared, q log cabin was erected, and soon
Lincoln found himself on the way to pros
perity. The three sons-Mordecai, Josiah
and Thomas-who partook Of the fathers 8
ambition, helped him with . will. The
little farm in the wilderness broadened,
and two additional tracts Of land, one Of
500 and the other Of 500 acres, were taken.
But fortune soon changed. One morn
ing in 1855 Lincoln and his three sons
went out TO the edge of the clearing, and
scarcely had work begun when . shot from
the bush killed the father. Mordecai i'm
mediately ran to the cabin for gun, and
Josiah TO Hughes station for assistance,
while Thomas was left with his father s
body. Mordccai got the gun, and was just
in time to save his brothers life by shoot
ing the Indian, who WAS about TO kill him.
The murdered man was buried near where
he fell, and soon after the family, for bet
ter protection, moved to thicker settled
with the settled hate that Is born of unfor-
given wrongs, became an Indian stalker,
who slew the redskins on no other provo
cation than mere sight
Two generations later the second AbrA-
ham Lincoln was exalted from the position
of an obscure lawyer to that Of President
OF the United States-an honor which he
bore with courage and fortitude and paid
for with his life. All are familiar with the
story Of his assassination.
Another break Of q generation in the
transmission Of names, and the third
Abraham appeared in the family a. the
son of Robert T. Lincoln. the American
minister to England. Young Jack as
he was usually caaed, was born in Chicago
in 1873, and the story OF his seventeen
years is that Of many another bright boy
who has been stricken down before the
possibilities in him have been developed.
The promise Of the future was cut on by
tho surgeons knife while undergoing an
operation for an absccss- The operation Is
not usually regarded as dangerous, but il
proved fatal in this case from the boys
weakness. ....
'Jackr was boy Srsve AID deliberate
beyond his years, an unusually good
scholar and universal fayorits among
his associates.