The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-02-12
1t Seems Destined to Become a
Second Mt. Vernon.
Where the EmancipatOr Was
Born and Lived Eight Years.
HAS TWICE BEEN SOLD.
The Old Cabin Has Been Carted
About the Country.
But Now Rests Upon the Spot
1t Originally Occupied.

Hodgenville, Ky, Feb. 12.-Hodgen-
VILE which is near the geographical
center of the state Of Kentucky and not
far from the center of population Of the
United States, promises to become
new Mecca in America and the Lincoln
Farm a second Mount Vernon Al
though Abraham Lincoln had other
homes there is a sentiment about his
birthplace that does not attach to any
OF them. He lived here for eight years
and before he left. knew very much of
what Mark Twain calls the model
little farm that raised a man." He
went swimming in the nearby creek
and by the light from huge fireplace
in the little one room cabin he learned
his first lessons.
1t was in 1906 that Thomas Lincoln
brought his bride, Nancy Hanks, and
established the rude little home that
three years later was to welcome into
the world the future president Theirs
was the rough life of pioneers; the farm
was then as it is now a sterile piece OF
land and to make both ends meet the
older Lincoln did odd jobs of carpentry
in the vicinity, besides working the
farm. The actual necessaries of life
were seldom lacking, but it was life
For some years Thomas Lincoln
served as a county supervisor of public
roads. an important position in that
time. Lana owners pdlO InStT pOIi tdA
with pick and shovel then, and on road
Tnending days he used to take little ABE
along both for company and for help
There are old-timers here now VINO
claim that there IS not section OF the
old pike within several miles OF MS
home along which Abraham Lincoln
has not played or on which he has not
driven his OK team.
Sold the Farm.
At this time Kentucky offered few al
lurements to a poor man and In l9l4
the Lincolns sold the little farm and
moved to Indiana Subsequently Abra-
ham Lincoln moved into Illinois and
the rest is history. But through all the
years that followed he never forgot his
first home. He rarely referred to 1t,
but after he had become president or
the United States he is known 10 have
said. When the war is over I would
like very much to visit my old Ken
lucky home. remember it we'll
But he never did return and the farm
and the little log cabin had Varled
history Thomas Lincoln sold the place
to a family named Creal and II #
manned in their hands for over seventy
years. Its beautiful rock spring was
apparently its one redeeming feature
and only recently has anyone awaken
ed to the realization that those one
hundred and ten acres had any value |
beyond their yield in corn and sorghum |
From time to time newspapers have
announced that the Lincoln birthplace
of fact il has only changed hands twice
since Thomas Lincoln's original trans
fer A few years ago it was given into
the management, of a Rev. ]. W. Bing-
ham who removed the log cabin to the
exhibition at Nashville. and later sold
1t to some exhibitors who took it about
the country as a travelling show. But
a year or two ago the logs were found
in cellar at College Point, Long
Island where it was stored and with
ceremony was restored to its original
site.
Farm in Litigation
The farm Itself has been the subject
of litigation for several years and eff
forts have been made by various in
terests to use il for one purpose or
another. Many schemes have been
suggested from time to time but none
of them have borne any large national
significance. Finally in 1905 it was
advertised that ION August IS the Lin
coin farm was to be sold between the
hours of 10 and . from the court house
steps at public outcry and 10 the high
est bidder
Mr. Robert J. Collier of New York
city had been negotiating for the prop
erty and upon the appearance of this
notice he dispatched Mr. Richard
Lloyd Jones to Hodgenville with in
structions to buy the place If possible.
The day set for the bidding was
Monday and as the laws forbade Sun
day railway operation in this neigh