Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-03-24
LINCOLN'S 5gRRLATIVES
ANCESTRAL HOME OF THE MAR
TYRED PRESIDENT.
It is Near Harrisopburg, Rockingham
County, Observation-Disclosures Of the
Family Still Living.

is located ten miles north of my old town
of Harrisonburg, Rockingham county, Va,
two miles from Lacy Springs on the Win
chester and Staunton pike and midway be-
tween Harrisonburg and Newmarket" said
Charles Waller Scott Tarner to a reporter
of The Star at the Arlington.
THE house in which Lincoln's grand
father lived when he emigrated to Ken
lucky disappeared early in the last CEN
fury through natural causes, but Lincolns
still live on the ancestral estate. One Abra-
ham Lincoln is a prosperous miller and
farmer and highly respected by all who
know him. He nor any Lincoln have ever
known resembles Abraham Lincoln, late
President of the United States This par
ticuar Lincoln is about five feet seven or
eight inches in height, Is heavy set and has
regular features. He is about fifth cousin,
as far as l can ascertain OF Abraham Lin
coin of Illinois, and is at the present time
about seventy years or age. The original
Lincoln holdings in Rockingham have been
very much reduced in SIZE owing TO ire
uuent subdivisions among the heirs l can
safely say that If Abraham Lincoln Of II
linois were alive he would not be ashamed
of his Rockingham kinsmen.
while nearly all of the male Lincolns OF
Rockingham and Augusta bore arms dur
ing the late civil war in behalf of the
southern cause, 1 have reason to know
that they were proud of their distinguished
relative.
People Of Consequence
Or Lincoln is highly esteemed physi-
clan, and, by the way, the Maupins of
Rockingham an old family Of French de-
scent, are intermarried with the Lincolns.
The records of Rockingham county show
where the Lincoln holdings commence. and
also show that they were people of more
consequence in the early days. of the re-
Ylrhl IA w
/ have noticed that some members of the
family residing in Virginia spell their
names Linkhorn and some Linkin. There
are Linkins in Augusta. but all are de-
Lincoln family being of English ancestry,
probably entered Rockingham county
through Augusta. This may seem strange
to persons unacQuainted with conditions in
Virginia prior to the revolutionary war
Persons of English descent first visited
Richmond to arrange for the purchase and
settlement of their lands They then pro-
ceeded by water in the primitive boats Of
that period to Fredericksburg, which was
at that period the great entrepot of sup
plies for immigrants; from thence followed
the waters to Augusta, and from that point
worked their way into, Rockingham. On
the other hand, the German settlers in the
valley of Virginia who inmigrated from
Pennsylvania followed the natural trend
of the valley. whose mouth 1tthh is In that state.
Not Much Slavsholding.
Readers of The stat. Hay be interested
to know that Rockingham county is one Of
the most fertile and riohRsto counties in vir-
ginia. In a strict sense sof the term It
never was much Of q slaEeholding county.
and the sentiment of the,,people was strong
ly In favor Of perpetuating the union Of
states until 1t was perceived on their part
that Mr.. Lincoln wasss determined to use
coercive measures toward. such states as
had already determined TO- secede from the
Union The farms Of the county are divided
into small holdings and, the people are SO
industrious and prosperous that very few.
indeed, of the farm lands are incumbered
On the contrary, 1t is Notorious that the
farmers OF Rockingham. loan instead of Dor
banks, and It is remarkable fact that
stock In them Is exclusively owned by the
citizens Of the county. sHarrisonburg. the
county seat, Is the great horse-mart Of
gather from eastern cities at stated periods.
The famous trotter. Charlie c.. 213A. once
sold in this city for $4,000. was bred in
Rockingham county. Rockingham pos
practically undeveloped except her beds Of
iron ore. Her long line bordering on West
Virginia abounds in the finest quality of
iron ore and bituminous coal. while in the
same locality her timber resources are al
most inexhausttble and scarcely touched.
III Inc war.
"It Is worthy of note that previous to the
civil war the non-slaveholding class in the
valley emigrated to Ohio, Indiana and ILL
nois. but, strange to relate, when the war
began between the states the sons of Rock
ingham returned in large numbers and en-
listed In the several regiments which were
raised from time to time in the county. 1t
Is also worthy of notice that those who re-
manned in the states of their adoption came
to the aid of their kinsmen in Rockingham
In the way of financial backing after the
surrender of Lee, and aided them in re-
storing their farms to a productive condi-
tion. 1t may also be interesting to know
that the south fork of the Shenandoah
heads in Augusta county, twelve miles
southeast Of Stanton. The stream, how
ever, really does not rise to the dignity of
river until 1t receives the waters of Rock
tngham. which pour into It from its noun
tainous watersheds. The north fork OF the
shenandoah heads near Messy creek. fff-
teen miles northwest Of Staunton. but the
Shenandoah Is not entitled to Its name UNI
I'll the two streams unite at Fort Republic.
The Indians called the stream Shernandoa,
Daughter OF the Stars On the summit Of
the Blue Ridge at a point where Madison
and Green counties unite on the Rocking
ham line, known as Deanes Pass. is where
Gov. Spottswood and his attendants in Au-
gust, ZIG. for the first time gazed upon
the beautiful Shenandoah valley. If the sight
which then met their eyes so enraDtured
them as to call 1t an earthly paradise. what
now would be their emotions were they to
view 1t? For fertility and beautiful scenery
ha fho