The early life of Abraham Lincoln:: containing many unpublished documents and unpublished reminiscences of Lincoln's early friends — John Shaqi
The early life of Abraham Lincoln:: containing many unpublished documents and unpublished reminiscences of Lincoln's early friendsTarbell, Ida M. (Ida Minerva)
History
The early life of Abraham Lincoln:: containing many unpublished documents and unpublished reminiscences of Lincoln's early friends
Tarbell, Ida M. (Ida Minerva)
Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865 -- Childhood and youth
In 1816 a great event happened to the little boy. His father emigrated
to Indiana from Knob Creek (Thomas Lincoln had removed from the farm on
Nolin Creek to one some fifteen miles northeast, on Knob Creek, when
Abraham was four years old). “This removal was partly on account of
slavery, but chiefly on account of the difficulty in land titles in
Kentucky,” says his son. It was due, as well, no doubt, to the
fascination which an unknown country has always for the adventurous, and
to that restless pioneer spirit which drives even men of sober judgment
continually towards the frontier, in search of a place where the
conflict with nature is less severe—some spot farther on, to which a
friend or a neighbor has preceded, and from which he sends back glowing
reports. It may be that Thomas Lincoln was tempted into Indiana by the
reports of his brother Josiah, who had settled on the Big Blue River in
that State. At all events, in the fall of 1816 he started with wife and
children and household stores to journey by horseback and by wagon from
Knob Creek to a farm selected on a previous trip he had made. This farm,
located near Little Pigeon Creek, about fifteen miles north of the Ohio
River, and a mile and a half east of Gentryville, Spencer County, was in
a forest so dense that the road for the travellers had to be hewed out
as they went.
[Illustration:
SARAH BUSH LINCOLN.
From a photograph in the possession of her granddaughter, Mrs. Harriet
Chapman of Charleston, Illinois. Sarah Bush was born in Kentucky,
December 13, 1788. She was a friend of Thomas Lincoln and Nancy
Hanks, and it is said that Thomas Lincoln had been her suitor before
she married Daniel Johnston. Her husband died in October, 1818. In
November, 1819, Thomas Lincoln went to Kentucky to seek her a second
time in marriage. An incident of the courtship is told by Mr. J. L.
Nall, a cousin of President Lincoln: “Uncle Thomas came back to
Kentucky after the death of his first wife, Nancy Hanks, and
proposed marriage to the widow Johnston; she told him that she would
be perfectly willing to marry him, as she had known him a long time,
and felt that the marriage would be congenial and happy; but it
would be impossible for her even to think of marrying, and leaving
the State, as she was considerably in debt. Uncle Thomas told her
that need make no difference, as he had plenty of money, and would
take care of her financial affairs; and when he had ascertained the
amount of her indebtedness and the names of the parties to whom the
money was due, he went around and redeemed all her paper and
presented it to her, and told her, when she showed so much honor
about debts, he was more fully satisfied than ever that she would
make him a good wife. She said, as he had displayed so much
generosity in her behalf, she was willing then to marry and go with
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