Abraham Lincoln Unknown Family History -

[Vincennes]

Thanks for taking the time to look at this. I don't know where to correctly assign its topic but it has bothered me for years and I don't know where to go for help in authenticating it.

Actually, I'm not a nut, I retired from the State Patrol and before that the State of Ohio other departments.

I just hate the fact that this story is going to fall out of knowledge along with the names of the people who were part of it. Here's my story and here's how I know it.

20 years ago I was working in Chicago for a gentleman who at that time was the CEO of a rubber company. His background also included being a Medal of Honor winner in WWII. He was quite well to do as was his remaining family. Part of my job was assisting him with his family financial matters. Even though he was so wealthy - he was nice. A really nice man. He would laugh and say, "You know I am related to Abraham Lincoln." Now this was funny because that battlefield commission at Tarawa was awarded to a 19 yr old kld, who was 5' 5" tall - we would giggle but really I didn't not quite believe him. I thought he was just being funny. However, when his mother passed away, I discovered it was not humor - It was fact! His humor was taken in the fact he didn't need any prestige in the relationship so that's the way he saw it.

It was after his mother's death, I became tasked with assisting processing her will which included her birth certificate. This is fact - Their family farm (oil bearing) was on Linoln Trail in Vincennes, Ind. Her birth name was HANKS. Her birthdate was approx. 1895. Since my boss (Charlie) had really not much interest in the exact relationship, I could get no more information from him. Only, "I don't know, I think it was an great uncle, maybe.

But what he thought wa funny, he would laugh and say, "What people don't know or understand is that Abraham was not as poor as is believed. Even back then politicians knew how to accentuate the "positive" they wanted people to perceive. Nancy Hanks had married poorly, poorly and Lincoln's father was a loss but Nancy Hanks had background. Her grandfather, also Charlie's grand - grand whatever had owned a plantation. Now, please, please dont give up on me here.....Charlie said that that plantation had stayed in family hands until he, himself, was a child, saying "I used to play on the same farm Lincoln did when he was a boy." It was still in the family at the time of WWII. " But Nancy Hanks had some background that was covered up."

I went on with that for several years until I was working at a minority owned advertising agency and came across I book on minority history. Charlie's last name caught my eye and I looked at the article only to find a picture of a black lady ELIZABETH HOBBS KEGLEY. & right there amd knew I was looking at a family strong, strong resemblance to Charlie !!!!! I went back to look just now and the resemblance again overwhelms me. Elizabeth was with the Lincoln family all the time in the White House. She was Mary Todd's closest confidant. Why not? She was family. Before the war Elizabeth was born on the Hobbs plantation which was on the west of the White House between the Grant and the Davis plantations.

If you look at a photograph Elizabeth is obviously of mixed racial background and recorded as being an unusual over 6' tall She could read and write (in that time ??????) and had been trained as a dressmaker. (Nancy Hanks was born as illigitimate ??? That's why the last name Hobbs doesnt match). She had been sold as a teenager to a man who mistreated her. WHEN THEY FOUND OUT THE WOMEN IN THE HOBBS FAMILY WENT TO ST. LOUIS, BOUGHT HER, AND BROUGHT HER BACK TO THEIR PLANTATION !!!!!! How common was that ???? Then, quite suddenly as time goes, she was able to buy her freedom. They loved her as did Abraham and Mary Todd.

I have never read such a loving book in my life and if you get nothing out of this, I hope you will just read it. Elizabeth was Mary Todd's closest confidante, the reason Elizabeth wrote the book was to tell how Abraham and Mary loved each other and how Mary's soul was damaged to the deaths she had experienced. Robert Lincoln after he found out about the book did everything he could to end it. Why? If you read it, Robert knew the book showed family, education, and communication that would give family secrets away.

Yes, Charlie's last name was HOBBS.

I DO HAVE MORE - I HOPE ANY ONE WHO READS THIS lets me know what you think!. I have tried, tried to be brief. I do have more. Questions please. If you have anyone who might study this and advancel it will just be forgotten. Please let me know!

*snip*

Edited November 12, 2012 by bLu3 de 3n3rgy
email address removed

[Ashotep]

That is an interesting story, thanks for posting.

Welcome to the forum.

[ali smack]

This sounds very interesting

and I believe it.

I have heard before he was meant to have black ancestry.

[ruiomichlet]

This sounds very interesting