1809-1816

It was mid-winter of 1809, and Thomas and his family were preparing for a baby. They had just built the log cabin just before it became too cold to do so. The cabin was layered with dirt and had one door bound by leather hinges and one window.  It was considered a poor and crude home; they forged for food; and survived on what they had.

                And when the day of February 12^th came, Nancy knew she was going to give birth.  So, Thomas walked down the road to ask Peggy Walters to be their midwife.  They called down Thomas and Nancy Sparrow, and with them, was Dennis Hanks, who was just nine years old. “I ricollect Tom comin’ over to our house, one cold mornin’ in Feb’uary an’ sayin’ kind o’ slow an’ sheepish : ‘ Nancy’s got a boy baby,’” [1]Dennis recalled.

                Dennis Hanks sat next to Nancy all night while she was giving birth. “’ What you goin’ to name him, Nancy?” [2]

                “Abraham, After his grandfather,” Nancy replies while tucked away in bear skins near the fire place. “I rolled up in a b’ar skin an’ slep’ by the fire-place that night, so I could see the little feller when he cried, and Tom had to git up an’ ‘tend to him. Nancy let me hold him purty soon., Dennis remember. “[3]

This was the birth of the sixteenth President of the United States. A man of humble beginnings who would be lifted by the arms of angels to the presidency. One of the greatest leaders ever was born on the twelfth of February. He was born into a family of illiterates and may have been illegitimate, but this is where it all began.  By February of 1809, President Thomas Jefferson was in his lame-duck period and Secretary of States, James Madison was to assume the duties of President.

They called him Abe for short. He continued to be called Abe until his last days.

Life in Kentucky was a sad exhibit. “When Nancy married Tom he was workin’ in a carpenter shop in Liztown. — Elizabethtown? — Well, I reckon. We was purty keerless about names them days. It wasn’t Tom’s fault he couldn’t make a livin’ by his trade. Thar was sca’cely any money in that kentry. Every man had to do his own tinkerin’, an’ keep everlastin’ly at work to git enough to eat. So Tom tuk up some land. It was mighty ornery land but it was the best Tom could git, when he hadn’t much to trade fur it. “[5]

In Kentucky, he learned the basic skills and how the world works. “Abe used to go with me … to shoot fish in puddles and holes washed by the water — killed a fawn — Abe was tickled to death — Abe exhibited no special trait in K[entuck]y except a good, kind somewhat wild nature,”[4] Dennis recalled.

His first years were spent at Nolin’s Creek. And at the age of three, his parents moved, which was not uncommon for them.  This piece of land was named Rock Spring because of all its mountains. Here, Nancy kept the family together by cleaning, cooking, sewing clothes, handling infant Sarah and little Abe, and cooking meals for Thomas and her children. Nancy had a lot on her plate being a frontier mother. Thomas always told her stories of his father’s death and she prayed to God every night that her husband wouldn’t make the same fate.   

Abraham grew fast. “He growed out o’ his clothes faster’n Nancy could make ’em,” [6]Dennis recalled. Abe learned how to crawl, and wine. Abe was enclosed in such a small area that he spent most of his time outside.  “Abe never give Nancy no trouble after he could walk except to keep him in clothes. Most o’ the time we went b’arfoot.”[7]

Abe, at a young age, learned the reality of life on the frontier. He heard of the stories of Daniel Boone and the death of his Grandfather. He even heard of the Westfield Massacre that killed seventeen people, or the Long Run massacre that killed thirty-two people.

                Abraham Lincoln had a sense of respect for his countrymen. One time, a soldier was coming back from The Battle of New Orleans and was hungry and sleep-deprived; Abraham gave him a fish.

                People who derived from Kentucky include Henry Clay, then Speaker of The House of Representatives.  It was explored through the years by the Indians. It was a place where slavery grew, and it would continue to grow. Abraham’s father knew that firsthand.

                When Abraham was four years, he and a playmate, Austin Gollaher were playing by a creek, and he recalled the incident to Ida Tarbell:

One Sunday my mother visited the Lincolns, and I was taken along. Abe and I played around all day. Finally, we concluded to cross the creek to hunt for some partridges young Lincoln had seen the day before. The creek was swollen by a recent rain, and, in crossing on the narrow footlog, Abe feil in. Neither of us could swim. I gota long pole and held it out to Abe, who grabbed it. Then I pulled him ashore. He was almost dead, and I was badly scared. I rolled and pounded him in good earnest. Then I got him by the arms and shook him, the water meanwhile pouring out of his mouth. By this means I succeeded in bringing him to, and he was soon all right.

“Then a new difficulty confronted us. If our mothers discovered our wet clothes they would whip us. This we dreaded from experience, and determined to avoid. It was June, the sun was very warm, and we soon dried our clothing by spreading it on the rocks about us. We promised never to tell the story, and I never did until after Lincoln’s tragic end.”[8]

                Abraham and his playmate were dirty when they got home. They were wearing only pantaloons.  When he got home, he was washed off by Nancy and was summoned to the farm to get back to work. He pulled weeds and placed the seeds of produce in the soil. For now, he would do the light work, but Thomas had a lot in store for Abe Lincoln.

                A few years after his birth, Abraham and his family relocated to Knobs Creek, eight miles from Hodgenville. Here, the Lincolns would live until Abe was about seven years old. The over 200 acres of land was suitable for a growing family.

                Before they moved, Nancy had another son, named Thomas after his father who died within days of his birth. Abe would remain close to his sister, Sarah. They would play for hours at a time near a creek.

                At Knob Creek, Lincoln began going to school. He and his sister would wake up early and walk the four miles to the School of Zechariah Riney and Caleb Hazel. Here, Abe and his sister learned the fundamentals of early academics.   By this time, Abe had become interested in the world around him. He would ask his classmates what certain words meant: they had no idea! “He was sent more as company for his sister then with the exception that he would learn much, he then & there learned his letters & to spell a little,”[9] A friend of the Lincolns said.

The school had dirt floors similar to the Lincoln’s cabin in Hardin County, had no windows, and one door. They mostly learned from repeating what the teacher had previously said. Things such as multiplication tables and alphabets were in common use.   Caleb Hazel had no other qualifications as s school master other then being able to cipher to the rule of 3.

                On every day of the week, he and his sister would receive this mediocre education. But this school showed nothing of what Abe was to learn. This was just a start for Abe who was a self-educated man. He and his family were humble but dirt poor. How does a person in such poverty become President of the United States? Abraham worked hard for what he earned. He became the man he was because of hardships and only because of that.

                Abraham’s experience on Knobs Creek was a happy one. It was an experience anyone man would want. An experience where people grow and people learn from their mistakes. Lincoln loved to view the mountain ranges nearby, and observe the wild ducks floating away in the pond. Lincoln lived in a place with plentiful amounts of work and fun. Knobs Creek was the origins of Abraham Lincoln, a place of solitude and peace. “Me ‘n’ Abe got purty handy contrivin’ things thataway,” Dennis Hanks recalled. “An’ Abe was right out in the woods, about as soon’s he was weaned, fishin’ in the crick, settin’ traps fur rabbits an’ muskrats, goin’ on coon-hunts with Tom an’ me an’ the dogs; follerin’ up bees to find bee-trees, an’ drappin’ corn fur his pappy. Mighty intertin’ life fur a boy, but thar was a good many chances he wouldn’t live to grow up.” [10]

                “Abe used to go with me to shoot fish in puddles and holes washed by the water — killed a fawn — Abe was tickled to death — Abe exhibited no special trait in Ky except a good, kind somewhat wild nature,”[11] Dennis Hanks said of Lincolns childhood. Hanks, was ten years older than Lincoln and would be the second person to hold him after his birth. It was an instant connection.

                Dennis and Abe would play jokes on their superiors. Thomas, who had a good sense of humor was not very happy about certain pranks they pulled.

                Times at Knobs Creek were simple and secluded. “Abraham’s experiences on Knob Creek were, however, of far greater value than any premature schooling could have been. Lovely and noble were his surroundings, perfect and healthful conditions,”[12] Albert Beveridge wrote.   All around Knob Creek, there were ponds and landmarks to play near. There was close to no noise and no one bothered them

                Thomas Lincoln worked hard to provide for his family.  He worked more then he could handle at certain points. But there is no evidence of him being an abusive parent. . Later, a friend of the Lincolns named Nathaniel  Grigsby recalled that, “ Thomas Lincoln was a large man—say 6 feet or a little up—strong & muscular—not nervous—. Thomas Lincoln was a man of good morals—good habits and exceedingly good humored.”[13] 

                Thomas loved his children, but he was definitely hard to deal with sometimes. He was stone-cold and stern. Dennis Hanks reported, that Thomas “…loved hi children. I never could tell whether Abe loved his father very well or not. I don’t think he did for Abe was one of those forward boys—I have seen his father nock him down of the fence when a stranger would call for information to neighbour house.” Then, Dennis concludes that, “the old man loved his children.”[14]

                For Mrs. Lincoln, she loved her children, and this is documented by Dennis Hanks. “Mrs. Lincoln always taught Abe goodness —kindness—read the good bible to him—taught him how to read and to spell—taught him sweetness & benevolence as well.”[15]

                In 1816, Thomas Lincoln was appointed road surveyor in place of George Redman. This would once again show how Thomas would distinguish himself as a respectable person in society. He was known as the supervisor of the community.  

                Soon after, Thomas would be sued as a “trespasser.” According to law, he wasn’t paying taxes on the land, which he was tending to, Every day, he, Abe, and Dennis would work on the farm. He had to prove his rights as a land owner in court.  Thomas did and gained his sovereignty. But Thomas, who had been thinking about another re-location, wanted to head a place with better opportunities. He was not making good money in Kentucky so the most logical thing to do was to move somewhere else.  

Thomas Lincoln was born into a Kentucky with a small population that had now grown immensely. Thomas liked the seclusion he had in Kentucky.  It may have also been due to the never-ending expansion of slavery. In Abraham Lincoln, campaign Biography, he wrote of the move: “This removal was partly on the account of slavery; but chiefly on account of the difficulty in land titles in Ky.”[16]

To make things worse, the land Thomas had bought back at Mill Creek was not surveyed correctly. Instead of the land being 238 acres, it was 200 acres.  And the division between social classes in Kentucky was hard to deal with.  As Dennis Hanks recalled, “Kaintucky was gittin’ stuck up, with some folks rich enough to own n——ers, so it didn’t seem no place fur pore folks anymore.”[17]

Thomas Lincoln, who was opposed to slavery due to religious beliefs, had to deal with this institution in Kentucky. We do not know if this affects Thomas and Nancy but one thing that is known is that they would head north to the state of Indiana. In Abraham Lincoln, campaign Biography, he wrote of the move: “This removal was partly on the account of slavery; but chiefly on account of the difficulty in land titles in Ky.”[18]

                By 1816, slavery had increased in Kentucky, and according to Lincoln, this may have contributed to their removal to the state of Indiana.   And for Thomas Lincoln, he had been around slaves his entire life; he even was a patroller of slaves at one point. But what really bothered Thomas was the superiority of people who had slaves, and the inferior people, including Thomas, who didn’t own slaves. Friends told him about the state of Indiana, another place of new opportunity, fresh soil good for farming and raising live sock, prairies, and flower fields.    

                In conclusion, he sold his farm at Knobs Creek for two dollars an acre and headed north. With him, a flatboat he built, an axe, and other necessary belongings, he floated down the Ohio River to bring the household belongings to a nearby shelter called Posey and then headed back to Hardin County to retrieve his family. Along the way back, he had to travel miles through the wilderness of Indiana and back to Kentucky. He would bring two horses through the journey: one for he and one for little Abraham. He then guided his family to their new home of Little Pigeon Creek, just northwest of Spence County.

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[1] The Boyhood of Lincoln, interview of Dennis Hanks by Elanor Atkinson. Page, 6, 1908

[2] The Boyhood of Lincoln, interview of Dennis Hanks by Elanor Atkinson. Page, 8, 1908

[3] The Boyhood of Lincoln, interview of Dennis Hanks by Elanor Atkinson. Page, 8, 1908

[4] Albert Beveridge, Abraham Lincoln,1809-1858 1:30  

[5] The Boyhood of Lincoln, interview of Dennis Hanks by Elanor Atkinson. Page, 10-11, 1908

[6] The Boyhood of Lincoln, interview of Dennis Hanks by Elanor Atkinson. Page, 9, 1908

[7] The Boyhood of Lincoln, interview of Dennis Hanks by Elanor Atkinson. Page, 13, 1908

[8] Ida Tarbell, The Life of Abraham Lincoln, 1:15

[9] HI, 99

[10] The Boyhood of Abraham Lincoln recalled by Dennis Hanks and interviewed by Elanor Atkinson, 1961 Reprint

[11] Hi, 103-104.

[12] AB, Abraham Lincoln, 1809-1858, 1;29

[13] Nathaiel Grigsby Interview by WHH, September 12^th, 1865, HI

[14] HI, 176

[15] HI, 40.

[16] 4: 61-62. CW

[17] The Boyhood of Abraham Lincoln recalled by Dennis Hanks, and interviewed by Elanor Atkinson, 1961 Reprint

[18] 4: 61-62. CW

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