The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1930-01-31

shrined the rude log cabin in which
he was born on February u, 1909.
Illinois, which first sent him into pub
lie life and gave him to the nation as
its President at one Of the most crit
ical periods in its history, has a score
or more reminders of his greatness.
But it is a curious fact that the state
in which he lived during fourteen of
the formative years of his life for a
long time did not have a single me-
mortal erected in honor of Abraham
Lincoln.
That state is Indiana, to which he
came at the age Of seven. Ii was in
Indiana that he got most Of his little
schooling; it was there that he earned
his first dollar; it was there that he
first met with the neighboring youth
in a country crossroads store, first
read the newspapers and got in touch
with the outside world, first began to
discuss politics, first took part in pub
lie debates and first read law. The
soil Of the Hoosier state was particu-
larry dear to him because it holds the
body Of the mother who bore him and
that Of his only sister who was mar
ried, lived and died there.
The only exception to the statement
that Indiana was strangely laggard In
honoring a man whom she could prop
erly claim as one Of her greatest sons
is the fact that more than fifty years
of dol fn
pieces the first marker erected by citi-
zens in Spencer county over the grave
of Nancy Hanks Lincoln, another and
more imposing marker was erected
there by Clement Studebaker Of South
Bend. So it is especially appropriate
that his daughter, Mrs. Anne Stude-
baker Carlisle, should be the president
of the Indiana Lincoln Union, which
Is now engaged in the work of raising
a fund Of more than a million dollars
to erect on Indiana soil a national
shrine to commemorate the lives Of
Lincoln and his mother.
Three years ago, on Mothers day,
the executive committee Of the union
held memorial services at the grave
Of Nancy Hanks Lincoln and pledged
itself to the patriotic task. On that
occasion, an aviator zooming low over
the grave and cabin site, dropped this
message:
TO THE NAMES OF NANCY HANKS
LINCOLN
The men and women of today are
here beside your grave
Among the guarding trees, to make
their vow, your name
Shall never die. And to their praise.
add our tribute, from the sky.
We are the artificers of the past,
whose handicraft
Has gained the praise OF men. With
stone and clay.
With brush and pen, we wrought. to
leave expressions of the truth we
found.
But you-You dared to take
A living child. plastic infant mind.
to mold
Into soul Of love, an instrument
divine. Your genius
Used an art that ours was mean be-
side To you then,
Master Artist, we send our word of
praise.
Through devious paths that masked
the way,
You led with kindly hand. a child
into the light of truth. And made an
honest man.
The memorial will include the spot
where the Lincoln cabin stood and the
grave where his mother lies buried.
1t is intended that it shall In all re-
spects typify the pioneer days when
Lincoln was a youth. The plans of
Frederick Law Olmstead, landscape
architect of Brookline, Mass, which
have been adopted, include the COM
plete restoration Of the area with APP
propriate markers, a magnificent me-
mortal hall and the pioneer atmo-
sphere Of native trees and shrubbery,
with small body Of water and
clearing.
The proposed national memorial will
link the three states Of Kentucky, In
diana and Illinois in the perpetuation
Of Lincoln's life and labors prepare
tory to his great destiny. 1t also hon.
ors the memory of the pioneer mother
who gave him to the world.
The story of that pioneer mother is
one Of the most appealing in all Amer
lean history. "A backwoods madon-
ma" DIR. William e. Barton calls her
and in his book, "The Women Lincoln
Loved" published by an Indiana pub
fishing company. Bobbs-Merrill of In
dianapoIs he gives this graphic word
picture of her life. and her death. in
he state 20 shich is given the priv
iiege of caring for her grave: