Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1891-09-04
LINCOLN SPLIT NO RAILS.
[sck of Evidence That He Used the Maui
in the wilds of Indiana.

lack of Evidence That He Used the Maui
in the wilds of Indiana.
Lincoln City, a small village in Spencer
|ounty, was for four wears the home of
ABRAHAM Lincoln's parents when he was
growing up. 1t was there his mother died
~ 1918. The log cabin, the home of the
I4incolns, was of rough oak logs, about 10
BY 20 feet in size, the crevices filled in with
mud, the door of split slabs with wooden
hinges and but one window, with no glass.
There was no chimney, a large opening in
. he roof being left for the smoke to escape
Che roof was of split slaves, pegged down
by cross poles.
The beds were few blankets on the
tirt floor and the table was two split
labs on skids. President Lincoln's father
Vas a river man and worked on fiat boats
.bn trips down the Ohio and Mississippi to
New Orleans, and was at home only part of
3 he year. The Lincolns moved, after three
r four years. to Illinois The mother of
abraham Lincoln had previously died and
as buried on hill near this cabin.
At the time he was seventeen years old
Lincoln was an awkward, indolent and APP
|)arently unambitious boy. There was
lothing in his appearance that indicated
more than ordinary intelligence. The
ttories of his great industry, and particu-
arly of the immense number of rails he
pitt, are fiction. He did not split rails
here. The Lincolns had no fences, and
had no need of them then, as the country
vas an almost unbroken wilderness. After
Mr.. Lincoln became president a thriving
business was done in the manufacture of
ales and various other articles from
rails said to have been split by him.
L 1 4 i
bf the Lincolns, was transported bodily to
Illinois, when in fact, the original cabin
nad been torn down and and all traces of
t destroyed years before. The burial
ground on the hill was grown up with
briers and bushes. The identity of the
graves was lost. No one living can posi-
lively say which was the grave of Nancy
Hanks Lincoln. One was selected which
vas supposed to be her grave. The Stude-
bakers, of South Bend, gave money to erect
plain slab and placed an iron fence about
he lot. The much heraded monument
erected in memory of the mother of Presi-
lent Lincoln does not exist.
Twenty-Five years ago a company of Bos-
on capitalists conceived the idea of build
ng up a city on this historic spot. Five
hundred acres of land, including the
ground on which the Lincoln cabin stood
Ind the graves on the hill, were laid out in
OTIS and an artificial lake was made Maps
Ind illustrated circulars were scattered
broadcast throughout the United States.
Auction sales were held, and hundreds of
OTIS were sold at high prices. Scores Of
cottages were built and most liberal in
JUDGEMENTS were offered to attract people.
A large number of families moved there
Ind the scheme promised to be success,
put sickness soon pervaded the town. No
femunerative employment was provided
for the citizens, and in few years the town
was deserted and the enterprise proved a
Failure. The lots and cottages reverted to
be company or w4re sold for taxes, and the
and was again on the market at twenty to
Forty dollars an acre.-Indianapolis Jour
hal