Nancy Lincoln facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Nancy Lincoln
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| Born |
Nancy Hanks
February 5, 1784 |
| Died | October 5, 1818 (aged 34) Spencer County, Indiana, U.S.
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| Cause of death | Milk sickness |
| Nationality | American |
| Known for | Mother of Abraham Lincoln |
| Spouse(s) | |
| Children |
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| Parent(s) |
James Hanks |
| Relatives |
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Nancy Hanks Lincoln (born February 5, 1784 – died October 5, 1818) was the mother of U.S. President Abraham Lincoln. She also had a daughter, Sarah, and another son, Thomas Jr., with her husband, Thomas Lincoln.
In 1816, after being married for about 10 years, Nancy and Thomas moved their family from Kentucky to western Perry County, Indiana. Two years later, in 1818, Spencer County was formed, and their home was then inside its borders. Nancy Lincoln passed away in 1818 from a sickness called milk sickness or possibly consumption. She was at the Little Pigeon Creek Community in Spencer County, and Abraham was only nine years old at the time.
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Nancy Hanks Lincoln's Early Life
This article shares the most common ideas about Nancy Hanks Lincoln's family history. You can find more details about other theories in the Nancy Hanks Lincoln heritage article.
Where Was Nancy Hanks Born?
Nancy Hanks was born in what was then Hampshire County, Virginia. Today, this place is known as Antioch in Mineral County, West Virginia. Abraham Lincoln's law partner, William Herndon, said that Lincoln told him his mother's father was "a well-bred Virginia farmer."
It is thought that Nancy Hanks was raised by her grandparents, Ann and Joseph Hanks, from the time she was a baby. Her grandfather passed away when she was about nine years old. When Nancy was born, Joseph Hanks, his wife, and their eight children lived on a farm in Hampshire County, Virginia. In March 1784, Joseph Hanks sold his land and moved his family, including young Nancy, to Kentucky.
The family settled on land near Pottinger's Creek in a place called Rolling Fork, in Nelson County, Kentucky. They lived there until Joseph Hanks died in 1793. After his death, Nancy's grandmother, Ann, decided to go back to her home in Farnham parish in Virginia. At this time, Nancy went to live with her mother, Lucy Hanks Sparrow, who had married Henry Sparrow a few years earlier.
In 1796, Nancy's aunt, Elizabeth Hanks, married Henry Sparrow's brother, Thomas. Nancy, who was about 12 years old, then went to live with Elizabeth and Thomas Sparrow. She thought of them as her mother and father and was known as Nancy Sparrow. People described her as "intelligent, deeply religious, kind, and loving." Elizabeth and Thomas Sparrow also raised Dennis Friend Hanks, an illegitimate son born to Lucy's sister in 1799.
While living with Elizabeth and Thomas Sparrow, Nancy learned important skills for frontier life. She learned how to grow crops and how to make clothes and food for her family. She also learned to read the Bible and became a very good seamstress. She even worked at the Richard Berry home before she got married.
Lucy's marriage to Henry Sparrow resulted in eight children. Lucy was known as a "fine Christian woman." Two of her sons supported the Union during the Civil War and became preachers.
Nancy Hanks' Life Journey
Sparrow
Sparrow
Nancy Hanks' Marriage and Family Life
On June 12, 1806, Nancy Hanks married Thomas Lincoln. Their wedding took place at Beechland, the home of Richard Berry, and was led by Reverend Jesse Head. Nancy had come to the Berry home to work as a seamstress. Her friend Polly Ewing Berry, who was married to Richard Berry Jr., had brought her there. Polly was a friend of Nancy's from Mercer County, Kentucky, and Richard Berry Jr. was a good friend of Thomas Lincoln.
Richard Berry Jr. signed Nancy's marriage bond, calling himself her guardian. This was a common courtesy when a bride's father was not available to sign. A record of their marriage license can still be found at the county courthouse.
Nancy and Thomas had three children:
- Sarah Lincoln (born February 10, 1807 – died January 20, 1828)
- Abraham Lincoln (born February 12, 1809 – died April 15, 1865)
- Thomas Lincoln Jr. (died as a baby in 1812)
The young family lived in what was then Hardin County, Kentucky, now called LaRue, on the Knob Creek Farm. Neighbors said that Nancy Hanks Lincoln was "superior" to her husband. She had a gentle yet strong personality. She taught young Abraham his letters and helped him develop the kindness and patience he was known for.
In 1816, the Lincoln family moved to Spencer County in southern Indiana. They built a home at the Little Pigeon Creek Settlement, which is now the Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial. Nancy's aunt and uncle, Elizabeth and Thomas Sparrow, and Dennis Hanks, moved to Little Pigeon Creek the next fall. They lived in a shelter that the Lincolns had used until their cabin was ready. Even though Abraham was ten years younger than his second cousin Dennis, the two boys were very good friends.
Nancy Hanks' Appearance and Personality
People described Nancy as "mild, tender, and intellectually inclined." Abraham Lincoln was said to have inherited his mother's looks and gentle manner.
The Death of Nancy Hanks Lincoln
While living at the Little Pigeon Creek Settlement, Nancy Hanks Lincoln passed away on October 5, 1818. She was 34 years old. Her nine-year-old son, Abraham, helped his father make her coffin by carving the wooden pegs that held the planks together. Nancy's eleven-year-old daughter, Sarah, took care of Abraham until their father remarried the following year.
There are two main ideas about what caused Nancy Hanks Lincoln's death. One idea is that she died of "milk sickness." Several people in the area had died from this illness that fall. This included Elizabeth and Thomas Sparrow, who had raised Nancy and were living with her on the Lincolns' property. The Sparrows died in September, just weeks before Nancy. Dennis then moved in with the Lincolns.
Milk sickness was caused by drinking milk or eating meat from cows that had eaten a plant called white snakeroot. This plant contains a strong toxin called tremetol, which passes into the milk. People who had moved from the East were not familiar with this plant and its effects. In the 1800s, before people understood what caused the illness, thousands died from milk sickness in the Midwest.
The second idea is that Nancy died of consumption, which is another name for tuberculosis. In 1870, Lincoln's law partner and writer, William Herndon, wrote that "Mrs. Lincoln died as said by some with the milk sickness, some with a galloping quick consumption."
Nancy's grave is in what is now called the Pioneer Cemetery, also known as the Nancy Hanks Lincoln Cemetery. Her headstone was bought in 1878 by P. E. Studebaker, a businessman. At least 20 unmarked graves and eight marked graves are at the site. Nancy Lincoln is buried next to Nancy Rusher Brooner, a neighbor who died a week before Nancy from milk sickness. Henry Brooner, Nancy Brooner's son and Abraham Lincoln's best childhood friend, later remembered that his father told Thomas Lincoln, "We are brothers now," meaning they shared the same sadness. Nancy's aunt and uncle, Elizabeth (Hanks) and Thomas Sparrow, who cared for her as a child, are also buried nearby. The cemetery is located on the grounds of the Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial, a National Historic Landmark District managed by the National Park Service in Lincoln City, Indiana.
Honoring Nancy Hanks Lincoln
- In 1941, Katherine K. Davis, who helped write the song "The Little Drummer Boy", created music for a song called "Nancy Hanks." This song honored Lincoln's mother and used words from a poem by Rosemary Benét. An edited part of the poem was used in the 1939 movie Young Mr. Lincoln:
If Nancy Hanks
Came back as a ghost,
Seeking news
Of what she loved most,
She'd ask first
"Where's my son?
What's happened to Abe?
What's he done?"... ...
"You wouldn't know
About my son?
Did he grow tall?
Did he have fun?
Did he learn to read?
Did he get to town?
Do you know his name?
Did he get on?"
- Around 1990, the North Spencer School Corporation in Spencer County, Indiana, opened the Nancy Hanks Elementary School.
- In November 2008, the Mineral County Historical Society and the Mineral County Historic Landmarks Commission officially recognized the place where Nancy Hanks was born in Mineral County, West Virginia. They placed a memorial there.
- On February 12, 2009, which was Abraham Lincoln's 200th birthday, the West Virginia House of Delegates passed a resolution. This resolution honored Nancy Hanks Lincoln for her contributions and recognized her birthplace in Mineral County.
- A rest stop on Interstate 64 in Dale, Indiana is named after Nancy Hanks.
Famous Relatives of Nancy Hanks
- Nancy Hanks is a distant cousin of actor, producer, writer, and director Tom Hanks.
- George Clooney is also related to Nancy Hanks through her half-sister, Mary Ann Sparrow. Mary Ann Sparrow was Clooney's great-great-great-great-grandmother.
- Camille Cosby, who is married to Bill Cosby, was born Camille Olivia Hanks. She is also a distant cousin of Nancy Hanks.
Portrayals in Media
The wedding of Nancy Hanks and Thomas Lincoln was shown in a play called Dearly Beloved: The Vows of a Lincoln Legacy. This play helped start a three-year celebration of Abraham Lincoln's 200th birthday. The play was held at the Lincoln Homestead State Park in Springfield, Kentucky.
Nancy is played by Maria Hill in an episode of the TV show Daniel Boone called "Before the Tall Man."
See also
