I copied the foregoing records in the recorder's office, in Dennison, Crawford County, Iowa, in the afternoon of May 22, 1908. Mr. Jepsen, the present owner of the land, is a retired German farmer and resides in Denison. I called at his home after I had copied the records. He came to the United States in 1867, and is proud of the fact that he is the owner of the land that Abraham Lincoln owned. The land joins another farm which Mr. Jepsen owns, where he formerly resided, in Goodrich Township, about seven miles northwest of Denison. The present veteran county surveyor, Moses Henry, told me that he surveyed the land Lincoln owned, and that it is now valued at one hundred dollars per acre. [Illustration: THE OLD STILL-HOUSE SITE _In Indiana, where Lincoln worked the latter part of the winter before going to Illinois, in March, 1830._] [Illustration: GIDEON WELLS HASKINS ABRAHAM LINCOLN HASKINS SIMON CAMERON HASKINS _Triplets named by Abraham Lincoln in 1861. They are still living._] [Illustration: HOUSE IN WHICH LINCOLN DIED] [Illustration: LINCOLN'S MILL] CHAPTER XV. Celebration of the Centennial Anniversary of Lincoln's Birth Preparations—General Observance—President Roosevelt Lays Corner-stone of Lincoln Museum at Lincoln's Birthplace—Extracts from Addresses at Various Places—Closing Tribute. Never, perhaps, in the history of mankind has such general recognition been given to the anniversary of any man's birth as was given to the one hundredth anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's birth on Friday, February 12, 1909. For weeks in advance the newspapers, both religious and secular, and the magazines were decorated with his pictures, and other pictures illustrating many scenes in his life. The recollections of personal friends and acquaintances, war incidents, stories, anecdotes, and his personal traits were placed on record, with various announcements and programs for the coming anniversary, showed the great interest attached to his name and his history. The day was made a national holiday by Congress and the proclamation of the President, supplemented by legislatures and governors of many States. The event was celebrated, almost without exception, by all the common schools, colleges, and universities throughout the nation. Churches, Grand Army posts, Young Men's Christian Associations, the various temperance organizations, clubs, trades unions, and almost every form of organized bodies celebrated the day. Courts and legislatures adjourned and joined in the general anniversary exercises, or held separate exercises. The wheels of the general Government at Washington, D. C., stopped to recognize the great memorial day. Business in many places was practically suspended in honor of the day. In every community, town, and city the praises of Lincoln were heard.