The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1907-01-30
l. lincoln 5 Love
Affair
And His EarIy
Ward Hill Lam0n. Experiences as A
Eieadss pa iBsd,ss.5d ~ a. LaWmakerf
CHAPTER /.

CHAPTER I. 81
Abraham Lincoln First and Fondea
Love.
+ n AlfEs RTTLEDGE was the
IL founder OF New Salem, the little
al town in Illinois to which Abra.
~, ham Lincoln removed at the age
of twenty three. and the owner In part.
OF the famous mill on the Sangamon.
He was born In South Carolina and
syof the illustrious Rutiedge family
of that state. From South Carolina he
emigrated to Kentucky and thence to
Illinois. In 1928 be settled at New sa.
lem. built the mill and laid out the vii
lage In conjunction with Mr.. Cameron.
a retired minister OF the Cumberland
Presbyterians. Mr.. RutIeIgc.s ciarac-
ter seems to have been pure and high.
for Wherever his name occurs In the
yoluminous records before ,ls--in the
long talks and the numerous epistles
of his neighbors-it Is almost invaria-
bly, coupled with some expression Of
genuine esteem and respect.
At one time and along with his other
business, which appears to have been
extensive and various, Mr.. Rutledge
kept the tavern, the small house with
Salem. Just opposite Lincoln's grocery.
There Mr.. Lincoln came to board late
In 1852 or early In 1854. The family
consisted of tile father, mother and
nine children, three OF them born In
Kentucky and six In Illinois, three
grown up and the rest quite young.
Ann, the principal subject of this chap
ter. was the third Child. She was born
OH the Ith of January, 1919. and was
about nineteen years OF age when Mr..
Lincoln came to live III tile house.
When Ann was little maiden Just
turned OF seventeen and still attending
the school of that relouhtnbe pe,la
gogne Mintcr Graham. there came to
New Salem a young gentleman of sin
snlar enterprise. tact and capacity for
business. lie was the pioneer ofNNcw
Salem us business pnint and built
the first storelUusc there ut the extrav-
agant cost Of Sii. He took boarding
with Mr.. Rmtledge's friend and part
iier, james Cameron. ana gave ont Ills
aamc as John Mcneil. He came to
New Salem with no other capital than
good sense and an active and plucky
pirit but somehow fortune smiled in
Discriminatory on all his en,leavors,
and very soon-as early as the latter
part OF 1S3o--lie found himself a well
to do and prosperous man, owning a
snug farm seven miles north of, New
Salem and half interest in the largest
store OF the place. This latter property
his partner. Samuel Hill. bought from
him at a good round sum, for Mcneil
now announced his intention of being
absent for brief period and his pur.
pose was such that he might need all
his available capital a: IA
In thes5meantime tile partners. TIili'
and Mcneil, had both fallen in love
with Ann Rutledge, and both courted
her with devoted assiduity. But the
contest had long since been decided In
favor OF Mcneil, and Ann loved him
with ali her susceptible and sensitive
heart. When the time drew near for
Mcneil to depart. he confidcd to Ann a
strange story and, in the eyes of q per-
SSh $3.50 AVhtt q tcks Stat ttHS
His name was not John Mcneil at all,
but John McNamar. His family was
highly respectable one in the state OF
New York, but a few years before his
father had failed In business and there
was great distress at home. John then
conceived the romantic plan Of running
away and at some underlined place in
the far west making sudden fortune
with which to retrieve the family dis
aster. He fed accordingly, changed
his name to avoid the pursuit OF his
father, found his way to New Salem
and-she knew the rest. He was now
able TO perform that great act Of flial
piety which he set out to accomplish,
would return Mt once to the relief of
his parents and in all human probable
ity bring them back with him to his
new home In Illinois. At nll events,
she might look for his return rs speed.
lily as the journey could lie made with
ordinary diligence, and tlienccforward
there should he no more partfngs be-
tween lin and his fair Ann. She be.
tieycd this tale because she loved the
nan that told 1t. and she would have
believed 1t all the same if It had been
ten times as Incredible. A wise man
would have rejected 1t with scorn, but
The girls instinct was n better guide.
and AIcNamar proved to be all that he
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