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Browsing named entities in William H. Herndon, Jesse William Weik, Herndon's Lincoln: The True Story of a Great Life, Etiam in minimis major, The History and Personal Recollections of Abraham Lincoln by William H. Herndon, for twenty years his friend and Jesse William Weik.

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Virginians (search for this): chapter 2
ding the definition of the names Lincoln and Hanks it is said, the first is merely a local name without any special meaning, and the second is the old English diminutive of Hal or Harry. the grandfather of the President, emigrated to Jefferson county, Kentucky, from Virginia about 1780, and from that time forward the former State became an important one in the history of the family, for in it was destined to be born its most illustrious member. About five years before this, a handful of Virginians had started across the mountains for Kentucky, and in the company, besides their historian, William Calk,--whose diary recently came to light,--was one Abraham Hanks. They were evidently a crowd of jolly young men bent on adventure and fun, but their sport was attended with frequent disasters. Their journey began at Mr. Priges' tavern on the Rapidan. When only a few days out Hanks' dog's leg got broke. Later in the course of the journey, Hanks and another companion became separated fr
February 10th (search for this): chapter 2
as the register of marriages, births, and deaths which he made in his father's Bible. The latter now lies before me. That portion of the page which probably contained the record of the marriage of his parents, Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks, has been lost; but fortunately the records of Washington county, Kentucky, and the certificate of the minister who performed the marriage ceremony--the Rev. Jesse Head--fix the fact and date of the latter on the 12th day of June, 1806. On the 10th day of February in the following year a daughter Sarah Most biographers of Lincoln, in speaking of Mr. Lincoln's sister, call her Nancy, some — notably Nicolay and Hay — insisting that she was known by that name among her family and friends. In this they are in error. I have interviewed the different members of the Hanks and Lincoln families who survived the President, and her name was invariably given as Sarah. The mistake, I think, arises from the fact that, in the Bible record referred to, a
February 12th (search for this): chapter 2
rvived the President, and her name was invariably given as Sarah. The mistake, I think, arises from the fact that, in the Bible record referred to, all that portion relating to the birth of Sarah, daughter of Thomas and Nancy Lincoln, down to the word Nancy has been torn away, and the latter name has therefore been erroneously taken for that of the daughter. Reading the entry of Abraham's birth below satisfies one that it must refer to the mother. was born, and two years later, on the 12th of February, the subject of these memoirs came into the world. After him came the last child, a boy — named Thomas after his father — who lived but a few days. No mention of his existence is found in the Bible record. After Mr. Lincoln Regarding the paternity of Lincoln a great many surmises and a still larger amount of unwritten or, at least, unpublished history have drifted into the currents of western lore and Journalism. A number of such traditions are extant in Kentucky and other loc
John Johnston (search for this): chapter 2
who will not turn away from him in any extremity. He notes the fall of a sparrow, and numbers the hairs of our heads; and He will not forget the dying man who puts his trust in him. Say to him that if we could meet now it is doubtful whether it would not be more painful than pleasant; but that if it be his lot to go now he will soon have a joyous meeting with the many loved ones gone before, and where the rest of us, through the help of God, hope ere long to join them. Ms. letter to John Johnston, Jan. 12, 1851. Nancy Hanks, the mother of the President, at a very early age was taken from her mother Lucyafterwards married to Henry Sparrow — and sent to live with her aunt and uncle, Thomas and Betsy Sparrow. Under this same roof the irrepressible and cheerful waif, Dennis Hanks Dennis Hanks, still living at the age of ninety years in Illinois, was the son of another Nancy Hanks — the aunt of the President's mother. I have his written statement that he came into the world
Gray (search for this): chapter 2
y people should make so much over him. Among the earliest newspaper men to arrive in Springfield after the Chicago convention was the late J. L. Scripps of the Chicago Tribune, who proposed to prepare a history of his life. Mr. Lincoln deprecated the idea of writing even a campaign biography. Why, Scripps, said he, it is a great piece of folly to attempt to make anything out of me or my early life. It can all be condensed into a single sentence, and that sentence you will find in Gray's Elegy, The short and simple annals of the poor. That's my life, and that's all you or anyone else can make out of it. He did, however, communicate some facts and meagre incidents of his early days, and, with the matter thus obtained, Mr. Scripps prepared his book. Soon after the death of Lincoln I received a letter from Scripps, in which, among other things, he recalled the meeting with Lincoln, and the view he took of the biography matter. Lincoln seemed to be painfully im
Dennis (search for this): chapter 2
hout, so far as is known, revealing them to anyone. On the subject of his ancestry and origin I only. remember one time when Mr. Lincoln ever referred to it. It was about 1850, when he and I were driving in his one-horse buggy to the court in Menard county, Illinois. The suit we were going to try was one in which we were likely, either directly or collaterally, to touch upon the subject of hereditary traits. During the ride he spoke, for the first time in my hearing, of his mother, Dennis and John Hanks have always insisted that Lincoln's mother was not a Hanks, but a Sparrow. Both of them wrote to me that such was the fact. Their object in insisting on this is apparent when it is shown that Nancy Hanks was the daughter of Lucy Hanks, who afterward married Henry Sparrow. It will be observed that Mr. Lincoln claimed that his mother was a Hanks. dwelling on her characteristics, and mentioning or enumerating what qualities he inherited from her. He said, among other things, t
August, 1865 AD (search for this): chapter 2
ature would have accelerated her son's success, and she would have been a much more ambitious prompter than his father ever was. As a family the Hankses were peculiar to the civilization of early Kentucky. Illiterate and superstitious, they corresponded to that nomadic class still to be met with throughout the South, and known as poor whites. They are happily and vividly depicted in the description of a camp-meeting held at Elizabethtown, Kentucky, in 1806, which was furnished me in August, 1865, by an eye-witness. J. B. Helm, Ms. The Hanks girls, narrates the latter, were great at camp-meetings. I remember one in 1806. I will give you a scene, and if you will then read the books written on the subject you may find some apology for the superstition that was said to be in Abe Lincoln's character. It was at a camp-meeting, as before said, when a general shout was about to commence. Preparations were being made; a young lady invited me to stand on a bench by her side wh
Mordecai (search for this): chapter 2
of Abraham Lincoln, the President's grandfather. Mordecai's revenge. Thomas Lincoln, his marriage and marrifrom his father. The dead pioneer had three sons, Mordecai, Josiah, and Thomas, in the order named. When the father fell, Mordecai, having hastily sent Josiah to the neighboring fort after assistance, ran into the cabidy. Beside the latter sat the little boy Thomas. Mordecai took deliberate aim at a silver crescent which hunwounded. The tragic death of his father filled Mordecai with an intense hatred of the Indians--a feeling fen to relieve the tedium of long winter evenings. Mordecai and Josiah, I knew Mordecai and Josiah Lincoln Mordecai and Josiah Lincoln intimately. They were excellent men, plain, moderately educated, candid in their manners and intercourse, andupon as honorable as any men I have ever heard of. Mordecai was the oldest son, and his father having been kild a very competent estate. The others were poor. Mordecai was celebrated for his bravery, and had been in th
Abe Lincoln (search for this): chapter 2
oughout the South, and known as poor whites. They are happily and vividly depicted in the description of a camp-meeting held at Elizabethtown, Kentucky, in 1806, which was furnished me in August, 1865, by an eye-witness. J. B. Helm, Ms. The Hanks girls, narrates the latter, were great at camp-meetings. I remember one in 1806. I will give you a scene, and if you will then read the books written on the subject you may find some apology for the superstition that was said to be in Abe Lincoln's character. It was at a camp-meeting, as before said, when a general shout was about to commence. Preparations were being made; a young lady invited me to stand on a bench by her side where we could see all over the altar. To the right a strong, athletic young man, about twenty-five years old, was being put in trim for the occasion, which was done by divesting him of all apparel except shirt and pants. On the left a young lady was being put in trim in much the same manner, so that he
John Hay (search for this): chapter 2
ned the record of the marriage of his parents, Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks, has been lost; but fortunately the records of Washington county, Kentucky, and the certificate of the minister who performed the marriage ceremony--the Rev. Jesse Head--fix the fact and date of the latter on the 12th day of June, 1806. On the 10th day of February in the following year a daughter Sarah Most biographers of Lincoln, in speaking of Mr. Lincoln's sister, call her Nancy, some — notably Nicolay and Hay — insisting that she was known by that name among her family and friends. In this they are in error. I have interviewed the different members of the Hanks and Lincoln families who survived the President, and her name was invariably given as Sarah. The mistake, I think, arises from the fact that, in the Bible record referred to, all that portion relating to the birth of Sarah, daughter of Thomas and Nancy Lincoln, down to the word Nancy has been torn away, and the latter name has therefore
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