Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-12-03
LlNCOLN'S PARENTS.
HIS MOTHER, NANCY HANKS. WAS A
CHARACTER or THE HANKS GIRLS.
The Finest Singers and shoutcrs at the Old
Camp-Mestings-what Abe. Lincoln
Said About His Percentage.
To the Editor of the Charlotte On. c.


To the Editor OF the Charlotte On. O.
Observer:
Recent articles in the Charlotte OBJ
server have endeavored to prove that
Abraham Lincoln was the illegitmats
child OF Abram Enloe and his maid SER
want Nancy Hanks. who were both citi-
zens OF North Carolina at the time. and
that Abram Enloe. 10 avoid scandal and
keep peace in his family, hired Ken
lucky horse-drover named Thomas LIN
coin to take Nancy 20 Kentucky and
marry her, and that therefore not only
Abram Enloe but also Misv. Nancy
Hanks and Honest Old Abe whom she
brought into the world through natures
back door," are products OF North Caro-
Ina, and should be so reported in the
census tables BY the side Of our tar.
pitch, turpentine. and 'possum tails.
The facts In the case are as follows:
Thomas IAncoln and Nancy Hanks were
married IN Washington county, KY, June
10, 1906. The fact and date are both fixed
by the records OF the county as well as
by the certificate of the preacher that
married them. Eight months after the
marriage a child was born. IL is not ne
cessary to discuss the paternity OF that
child II may have been base. or It may
have been premature, or II may have
been previous However that may be,
the child was born eight months after
the marriage and the child was girl.
named Sarah. Abraham Lincoln was not
the first but the second child born after
the marriage OF Nancy Hanks and
Thomas Lincoln. fle was born February
II. 1889, which was two years and eight
months after the marriage Of his parents.
These facts do not establish his leglu-
macy, but they disprove most clearly the
"Enloe Hanks horse-drover story" and
leave Il blank in the census returns which
the "Old North State" will try TO FL
hereafter. Sarah Lincoln. Abes older SIS
ter. was married, In the month OF Au-
gust, 1884, to Aaron Grigsby. in Spencer
county, Ind. She died In childbirth eIgh-
teen months later, at the age OF q.
BORN IN VIRGINIA.
Nancy Hanks the mother OF Lincoln,
was the illegitimate offspring Of Lucy
Hanks, and was born in Virginia. After
the birth OF Nancy, Lucy Hanks was
married TO Henry Sparrow, and the ille-
climate child, Nancy, was sent to live
with her aunt and uncle. Thomas and
Betsy Sparrow. Under the same roof
lived another illegitimate. Dennis Hanks,
cousin TO Nancy. The Hankses migrated
from Virginia TO Kentucky.
The following description OF the Hanks
family Is taken from Herndon's Life OF
Lincoln: "As a family the Hankses were
peculiar to the civilization of early Ken
| lucky. Illiterate and superstitious, they
corresponded to that nomadic class still
10 be met with throughout the South
and known as poor whites They are
happily and wildly depicted in the de
scription of a Camp-meetng held al
Elizabethtown. Kentucky, In 1906, which
was furnished me in August. $780, by an
| eyewitness The Hanks girls" narrates
| the latter were great at camp-meetlnRs
| remember one in 1906. l will give you
q scene, and IL you will then read the
| books written on the subject you may
| find some apology for the superstition
that was said TO be in Abe Lincoln
! character. II was at camp-meeting. as
| before said, when general shout was
/ about to commence. Preparations were
| being made; a young lady invited me
TO stand on bench by her side where
we could see all over the altar. To the
] Il g.
! q wears old, was being put in trim FOL
the occasion, which was done by diyest
ing him OF all apparel except shirt anc
/ pants On the left a young lady was
| being put in trim in much the same man
| ner. so that her clothes would not be II
! tho way, and so that when her comb!
! flew out her hair would 30 into grace
! full braids. She too, was young. not NOR
than 20, perhaps. phe performance com
menced about the same time by the youn'
man on the right and the young lady OF
| the left. Slowly and e. cefully thel
worked their way toward the centre
| singing, shouting. hugging, and kissing
generally their own sex, until at las
nearer and nearer they came. The centr'
OF the altar was reached, and the two
/ closed. with their arms around each other
the man singing and shouting at the tot
| Of his voice,
II have my Jesus In my arms,
! Sweet as honey, strong as bacon nam.
"Just at this moment. the young lady
holding to my arm whispered: They ar
10 be married next week; her name II
| Hanks Inere were ~ few who die
| not believe this true religion. inspired b,
! the Holy .s-lrit, and ito man who cOul'
/ not believe IL Md we'll to keep 1t TO b =
! self The Hankses were the finest sins
ers and shouters In our country. Herr
nv informant stops, and on account o
! his death several years ago l failed Il
! learn whether the young lady shoutel
who figured In the foregoing scene wa!
| the Presidents mother or not. The fac
that Nancy Hanks did marry that yea
gives color 10 the belief that 1t was she
As to the probability Of the young maj
! being Thomas Lincoln. IL is difficult e
/ say.
"Such a performance as the one de
scribed must have required a little mor'
! emotion and enthusiasm than the tardj