The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1899-06-01
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
Tradition Concerning the Paternity
of the Great War President En-
bodied in Book Form.
( t,heyjIIe Citizen.

The citizen is under obligations to
the author for an exceedingly in
terestino book Truth Is Stranger
Than Fiction: True Genesis of
Wonderful Man" being the first
printed record Of tradition that has
long been more or less well known in
Western North Carolina concerning
the paternity Of Abraham Lincoln,
the treat war President of the United
States.
This volume is the work Of James
II. Cathev, of Bryson City, Swain
county, North Carolina, and certainly
from literary standpoint indicates
that this young lawyer is fluent
writer Of very clever English.
Mr. Cathey does not pretend to
originality in the statements recorded
in this book. He simply complies
from all the sources obtainable the
tradition concerning the parentage OF
Lincoln that has been more or less
widely known throughout Western
North Carolina for so long.
1t is a fact, we think, that no
biographer of Abraham Lincoln has
claimed to know anything of the
antecedents of Nancy Hanks, the
reputed mother of the great Presi-
dent All agree that she married
Thomas Lincoln in Kentucky near
the beginning of the present century
Appleton's Cyclopedia Of American
Biography says .'he (Thomas Lincoln)
learned the trade Of a carpenter, and
married, 18th June, 1906, Nancy
Hanks, niece OF the man with whom
he learned his trade. She is repre-
scented, by those who knew her at the
time of her marriage, as a handsome
young woman of %, OF appearance
and intellect superior to her lowly
fortunes This is all that is said OF
the mother Of one of the most re-
markable men America has ever pro-
duced.
The North Carolina tradition a:
told by Mr.. Cathey is that Nancy
Hanks lived in this State in The
family Of Abraham EnlOc. She came
with Enloe when he moved from
Rutherford county to Ocona Lufta, ;
point now in the confines of Swair
county. Either while living with
EnIoe or soon after being sent tt
Kentucky by him she gave birth to ;
child This child took the surname
Of the man who subsequently married
its mother and was named Abraham
it is believed, after his real father
Abraham Enloe.
This story is told in practically Thu
same way by number OF differen
persons in Mr.. Cathey's book all, o
nearly all Of whom are we'll know
| people of this section of North Caro-
| lima. The statements are, of course
| at secondhand, none of them bein!
old enough to have been PERSONAL,
| cogniZant Of the facts.
That the correct story of tn
paternity is told in this little boo
| beyond the shadow of doubt canno
be said, but there is a narration her
that Will interest all and undoubtedl
carry to many conviction as to it
truthfulness.
The book contains the pictures of
| number of the members of the EnlO
family. the Enloe homestead at whic
Nancy Hanks lived and the picture o
Mr.. Lincoln.
The author is i great admirer Q
Lincoln, and his work was prompte'
by no desire to bring the name of tn
great man into disrepute, but wa
written for the sake of truth. MI
Cathey believes the story himself
and believes others will believe it
they will read the testimony tina
brought conviction to his own mine
The book is for sale at the boo
store of H. Taylor Rogers, Sout
Main street, Asheville.