Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-03-10

where they remained till he was nine,
when they migrated again, this time to
Indiana. 1t was in Knob creek that the
boy almost lost his life. hut not in
Nolin creek, as is sometimes errone
ously stated. 1t is probable also that
when in later life President Lincoln
spoke affectionately of his Kentucky
home and expressed a desire to revisit
| it be referred to the Knob creek farm
rather than to his birthplace, though he
may have had both in mind.
A National Shrine.
| One of the most exciting things about
q country boys life in those days was
| going to mill. That TO which Thomas
Lincoln sent his grists was situated
about five miles from the Rock spring
| farm, and he patroniZed it even after
| moving to Knob creek. The milling
was usually attended to by Abe, who
would throw sack of corn or wheat
across the old horse, climb on behind
and trudge off in the morning to re-
main all day waiting for the grist to be
ground. 1t is probable that at such
times and when on hunting trips he
often revisited the farm on which he
was born. However that may be, it Is
the birthplace in which the American
! people are interested, and 1t Is here
that they are to establish a national
shrine.
Thomas Lincoln sold this little stony
farm of 40 acres TO a man by the
name of Creal. The reason for the sale
was that Lincoln could not pay for it,
He was not very thrifty man, spent
much of his time in hunting and tell
ing yarns" and with the little corn
and wheat he could raise on the place
and the few odd jobs of carpentering
he got to do it was hard to make both
ends meet 1t was so hard. In fact, that
Tom Lincoln never succeeded in get
ting a clear title to any of the many
farms on which he lived.
The Rock spring place remained in
the hands of the Creal family for sew
enty years, after which it was bought
by \. W. bennett. a wealthy reStan-
rant man, who designed making park
of it. but was prevented from doing so
by financial reverses. 1t was next
bought by Rev. J. W. Bingham. n Meth
odist minister. who took the old Lin
coin cabin TO the Nashville exposition
and afterward sold it to n show COM
pany that displayed it in various north
ern cities.
1t is evident that Mr.. Bingham did
not keep the place up. for recently it
was advertised to be sold for taxes.
This announcement was noted in the
country papers. but beyond this GREAT
cd 10 In
reached the attention of Robert J. Col
Ler, however, and he realized it's sig
nificance 1t also caused an enterpris-
ing firm of distillers in Louisville to sit
up and take notice. They decided that
n brand of firewater known as Lin
coin Birthplace Whisky" ought to be a
good seller, and they decided to gath
er in that little farm for advertising
purposes. So confident were they of
being able to do so that they had their
labels printed in advance.
A Dream That Never Came True.
At the time of the sale Richard Lloyd |
Jones of Golfers hied himself to Eliza |
BEETHOVEN, Ky. In the village hotel he
found couple of representatives of
the Louisville distillers who were sam
ping other brands of their wares and |
as result unfolded to Mr.. Jones their
plans. They celebrated their prospec- |
tive coup not wisely, but too well, for |
they INDUCED so long that they over |
slept. Mr.. Jones arose early and stole |
a march. Going to Hodgensville, he in
duced the man who had the sale in |
charge to get busy before 2 O'Clock.
The representatives of the distillery |
had not yet appeared on the scene.
and Mr.. Jones watched anXiousfy for
the cloud of dust that would herald |
their coming. When the property was
put up at auction there were present
as bidders Il Wisconsin Grand Army
veteran. who lost interest after the
price of $500 had been reached; a
northern newspaper man, who dropped
out at $4,000; New York lawyer, who
struck his limit at 5000. and Louis
vile attorney, who was overcome by
WEAKNESS when the bidding reached
$500. Mr.. Jones got the property.
With the papers safe in his inside