The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1897-07-14
LINCOLN SIGNED IT.
BOND MADE BY THE WAR PRESI-
DENT JUST COME TO LIGHT.

Should Occupy the Farm During Their
Lives-An Interesting Relic.
A curious collection of papers has just
Eome into the hands Of Pearsons & Taft,
farm mortgage firm of Chicago. 1t in
oludes a deed to A braham Lincoln FROM
his father and mother, and another deed
or bond for a deed-from Abraham
Lincoln to John d. johnson. The land
transferred was the homestead of Thomas
Lincoln a tract of 40 acres in Coles coun-
ty, Ills. The transactions of greatest i'm
portance took place in 1871.
1t is easy to follow the fortune of Abra~
ham Lincoln by the generous actions Of
the man. Always kindly and helpful, he
was also a provdent man. 1t has been
said he was not d good business man; that
he neglected affairs; that he would not
charge big fees, and that he was a poor
collector. But the man 5 fortune certainly
grew year after year, from the very begin
ming. And he began his system of assist
ance to others just as soon as that action
was possible. In 1S41 he had gained q
standing at the bar. He must have made
some money. In that year his father,
Thomas Lincoln, then an old man, lived
on the Coles county farm and was in very
poor circumstances. He was not of the
timber from which rich men are made.
He was probably in debt, and was past the
age at which labor can accumulate. A bra
ham Lincoln, who had been Il member of
the state legislature, who was factor in
politics, who had helped in the choice of a
congressman, and was i'll the line of sue
cession himself, came to his father assist
ance and bought the old farm. He paid
down 5000 in cash. 1t was a great deal of
money in those days.
If the reader imagines S. an acre was a
small price to pay for his fathers home
stead, the reader must read further. The
grantOrs, Thomas Lincoln and Sarah Lin
coin, his wife, retained life interest in
the property. AS long as they lived the
farm was theirs to make from it whatever
they could. They were not even under the
obligation Of paying taxes. The buyer at
tended to that. They had the free use Of
the $500 in cash, and went on in secure
and undisturbed possession of the farm as
long as they or either of them lived.
Thomas Lincoln died first Sarah Lin
coin, the wife, the stepmother Of Abra-
ham Lincoln, survived him several years
A braham Lincoln, in the same year the
property was conveyed to him, made a
contract to sell the farm to one John d.
Johnson when the life estate of both
Thomas and Sarah Lincoln should be ex-
tinguiShed. He agreed to sell the land to
Johnston for $500 when that time should
come, and johnson need pay no interest
on the purchase price till the title became
aomnletp So that his advancing the
money to his father WAS uureIv hevond the
uossihiIi+v Of . money mai KING transaction
Here is a conv of the houd.
.nD.r,.,, ,,-~.,,->- No -J,rr,- r, rlr-,--
~ A141' IL cCI~ 'N1l-' - 0O1A1'
Bord fo, @ .7ood 5s+a1 a. o. 1911 e1aa hoo
: 7S5I recor6 nae n recitrs.
Whereas. l have purchased Of Thomas Lin
coin and his wife the n 6. Il Of the s. e. 4 Of
Sec. q, T. II, n. R. 8, g. OF the third ?. M,
Cole county, illinois, for winch have pald
'Ae sum OF 80 ana nave ,"Eeh 'AeIr oeea OF
49, ti.l ,'' ..,5 - Ion
,ivo, Of f}ern now hind NE NV roi-,g
and as-iaI... TO carvev said tract of land to
John d. Johnson or his heirs a- ANY rir.. a+rlr
the death u the survivors Of the said Thomas
Lincoln and wife, provided he snail pay me,
my heiIs or assigns the sum Of 500 at any
llL-e "l,"la on. J ear "I''F inc oeaEA OF the
aTd tT,a ear1a ,.as, 49, --
erc.r,+i,,,, .at., III. r.-l - ..
afcresaiJ 60
yvit,,.-.. -,,-- r..,,,7 -,1 ...r a1;. ,~.7, H. - G
Dc+lJ,o-. n I,f Tl - y"
$50 0'~''
ra1.-. .7., ,..,-
VOl'AooH "a" Ho0 -ouS ftttil MS equity
ID the property. Thomas Lincoln died
shortly after the transaction recOunted
here. and the advancing ace Of Mrs. lin
coin 1uada necessary como o+bar arro,,cga-