The Williamson enterprise. [volume] (Williamson, W. Va.) 1907-1911, 1911-02-09

"
- ~ declares well-known writer. ne
- W gins at his mothers knee. he
y hind every great endeavor and
II N unselfsh deed, every noble ca
<N reer OF every il1ustrious man
MzHHSTNM will be found woman-the frail
w WA and gentle creature whose name,
yS xN perhaps, remains obscured be-
WAEeZEI hind the glory OF her son, but
who began to teach him high
thoughts and ideals and to lisp
tho words OF aOur Father which art in heaven"
Abraham Lincons career began at the
knee OF Nancy Hanks Lincoln, his mother II
was she who taught him to read from an old
bible he came to know well, who told MIN
the stories in Aesop's fables and helped him
to study the Kentucky Perceptor
1t was she who taught him the letters OF
the alphabet and first trained his hand 10
scrawl them It was she who instilled in him
. hatred Of slavery and by her own gentle
loyeliness inspired regard and esteem for
women which lasted throughout his life
Nancy Hanks Lincoln, one or the great
presidents historians declares was "stoop-
ghouldered, thin-breasted, sad-at times mis-
erable:" a gentle kind, accompanying Wom-
an whose life had been one of hard labor,
with few enjoyments, and who died before ner
prime. This was Nancy Hanks Lincoln, VINO
lay on her deathbed, tired and worn her face
nfne-yearoh tad, whose deep-sunk eyes were
filed with tears, and who, when he later be-
came "a liberator of a race Of men," declared:
tsAll that am or ever hope to be owe
to my mother. Blessings on her memory
From his mother Lincoln once told his
friend and law partner, William H. Herndon,
he believed he inherited his power OF analy-
ais, his logic, his mental activity and MS am
bftion. Her memory remained with him. one
~. I,fy,cpc 18th
of good, heroic womanhood."
Nancy Hanks was nve years old when her
parents sold their farm In Virginia and Went
nioneering westward toward Kentucky. Nancy
was the Youngest of family OF eight chill
dren Her father was Joseph Hanks and her
mother Nancy Shipley daughter of Robert
Shipley Nancy was born February 8 1884.
The Journey westward was perllous one,
and it is said Nancy was stolen by Indians
while her parents were on the way. Roads
were bad; in fact, there was only footpath
through the wilderness, where passed the long
nrocession Of women and children on horse
back men trudging behind driving the cara
vans.
picture to yourself the procession, de-
scribed BY Justice Robertson Through pri-
yations incredible and perils thick, thousands
Of men women and children came In success
siye caravans, forming continuous streams OF
human DelnSS, HORSES, CdlIlC dilu otAASA
tic animals. moving onward along q lonely
and homeless path to a wild and cherries
land.
.Cast your eyes back" he continues, on
that long procession of missionaries In the
cause of civilization; behold the men on foot,
with their trusty guns on their shoulders, driy-
ing stock and leading pack horses; and the
women. some walking with pals on their
heads, others riding with children in their
laps and other children swung in baskets on
horses. fastened to the tails OF others going
before: see them encamped at night, expect
ing to be massacred by Indians; behold them
n the month OF December. in that memorable
season OF unprecedented cold called the hard
winter, travelling two or three miles day.
And imagine little Nancy Hanks, spindly-
legged and golden-haired. shivering as she
snuggled under blankets, pursuing the road
Of the pioneers In the child who was to
become the mother of Abraham Lincoln was
now developed courage and perseverance
which was to be inherited and which after.
ward marked one Of the greatest OF men.
The family settled in Washington county,
XIV. in winter. Hard work confronted them,
even priyation Trees had be be felled. log
cabin built and shelter erected for the stock
Little Nancy, with her sisters, Elizabeth
and Polly, helped their mother, cooking and
sewing and preparing the rude home, while
the brothers, Charles, Joshua. William; Thorn
As and Joseph, went about with the father,
clearing the land for cultivation in the spring.
They hunted animals and fshed In the cold