Hammond Times, Volume 1, Number 201, Hammond, Lake County, 12 February 1907 — Page 8

PAGE EIGHT.

THE LAKE COUNTY TIMES Tuesday, Feb. 12, 1907.

010 NOT SELL II

BUSJUCT TO EEFERENEUSI -

The Parents o:

Abraham By IDA M. Among the many wrongs of history and they are legion there is none in our American chapter at least which is graver than that which has been done the parents, and particularly the mother, of Abraham Lin ' r -i - Ida M. Tarbell coln. Of course, I refer to the widespread tradition that Lincoln was born of that class known in the South as "por whites," that his father was not Thomas Lincoln, as his biographers insist on declaring, but a rich and cultured planter of another State than Kentucky, and that his mother not only gave a fatherless boy to the world, but herself was a nameless child. The tradition has always lacked particularity. For instance, there has been large difference of opinion about the planter who fathered Abraham, who lie was and where he came from. One story calls him Enloe, another Calhoun, another Hardin, and several different States claim him. Only five years asro a book was published in North Carolina to prove that Lincoln'3 father was a resident of that State. The bulk of the testimony offered in this instance came from men and women .who had been born long after Abraham Lincoln, had never seen him, and never heard the tale they repeated until long after his election to the Presidency. Of the truth of these statements as to Lincoln's origin no proof has ever been produced. They were rumors, diligently spread in the first place by those who for political purposes were glad to belittle a political opponent. They grew with telling, and, curiously enough, two of Lincoln's best friends helped perpetuate them Messrs. Lamon and Herndon both of whom wrote live3 of the President which are of great interest and value. But neither of these men was a student, and they did not take the trouble to look for records of Mr. Lincoln's birth. They accepted rumors and enlarged upon them. Indeed, it was not until perhaps twenty-five years ago that the matter was taken up seriously and an investigation begun. TI113

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The Log Cabin in which Lincoln was born

has been going on at intervals ever since, until I venture to say that few persons born in a pioneer community, as Lincoln was, and as early as 1809, have their lineage on both sides as clearly established as that of Abraham Lincoln. It takes, indeed, a most amazing credulity for any one to believe the stories I have alluded to after having looked at the records of his family. Lincoln himself, backed by the record in the Lincoln family Bible, is the first authority for the time and place of his birth, as well as the name of his father and mother. The father, Thomas Lincoln, far from being a "poor white," was the son of a prosperous Kentucky pioneer, a man of honorable and wellestablished lineage who had come from Virginia as a friend of Daniel Boone, and had there bought large tracts of land and begun to grow up with the country, where he was killed by the Indians. He left a large family. By the law of Kentucky the estate went mainly to the oldest son, and the youngest, Thomas Lincoln, was left to shift for himself. This youngest son grew to manhood, and on Tune to. T?o6, was married, at Beechland, Kentucky, to a young woman of a family well known in the vicinity, Nancy Hanks. There is no doubt whatever about the time and the place of their marriage. All the legal documents rcquired in Kentucky at that period for a marriage are in existence. Not only have we the bond and the certificate, but the marriage is duly entered in a list of marriage returns made by Jesse Head, one of the best-known early Methodist ministers of Kentucky. It is now to be seen in the records of Washington County, Kentucky. There is even in existence a very full and amusing account of the wedding and the fanfare which followed by a guest who was present, and who for years after was accustomed to visit Thomas and Nancv. This guest, Christopher Columbus Graham, a unique and perfectly trustworthy man, a prominent citizen of Louisville, died only a few years ago. But while these documents dispose effectually of the question of the parentage of Lincoln, they do not, of course, :lear up the shadow which hangs over ;he parentage of his mother. Is there anything to show that Nancy Hanks herself was of as clear and clean linkage as her husband? There had been aothins whatever until, a few years

Linco TARBELL

In

ago, through the efforts of Mrs. Caroline Hanks Hitchcock cf Cambridge, Mass., who had in preparation the genealogy of the Hanks family in America, a little volume was published, showing what she had established in regard to Nancy Hanks. Mrs. Hitchcock had begun at the far end of the line the arrival of one Benjamin Hanhs in Massachusetts in 1699. She discovered that one cf his son3, William, moved to Virginia, and that in the latter part of the eighteenth century his children formed in Amelia County of that State a large settlement. All the records of these families she found in the Hall of Records in Richmond. When the migration into Kentucky bepn, late in the century, it was joined by many members of the Hanks settlement in Amelia County. Among others to go was Joseph Hank3 with his wife, Nancy Shipley Hanks, and their children. Mrs. Hitchcock traced this Joseph Hanks, by means of land records, to Nelson County, Kentucky, where she found that he died in 1703, leaving behind a will, which she discovered in the records of Bardstown, Kentucky. This will shows that at the time of his death Joseph Hanks had eight living children, to whom he bequeathed property. The j-oungest of these was 'My daughter Nancy," as the will puts it. Mrs. Hitchcock's first query, on reading this will, was: "Can it be that this little girl she wa3 but nine years old when her father died is the Nancy Hanks who sixteen years later became the mother of Abraham Lincoln?" She determined to find out. She learned from relations and friends of the family of Joseph Hanks still living that, soon after her father's death, Nancy went to live with an uncle, Richard Berry, who, the records showed, had come from Virginia to Kentucky at the same time that Joseph Hanks came. A little further research, and Mrs. Hitchcock found that there had been brought to light through the efforts of friends of Abraham Lincoln all the documents to show that in 1806 Nancy Hanks and Thomas Lincoln were married at Beechland, Kentucky. Now, one of these documents was a marriage bond. It was signed by Richard Berry, the uncle of the little girl recognized in the will of Joseph Hanks. Here, then, was the chain complete. The marriage bond and marriage returns not only showed that Nancy Hanks and Thomas Lincoln were married regularly three years before the birth of Abraham Lincoln, thus setting forever at rest the story of Lincoln's illegitimacy, but they showed that this Nancv Hanks was the one named in the v ill. The suspicion in regard to the origin of Lincoln's mother was removed by this discovery of the will, for the recognition of any one as his child by a man in his will is considered by the law as sufficient proof of paternity. Now what sort of people were Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks? It has been inferred by those who have made no investigation of Thomas Lincoln's life that Nancy Hanks made a very poor choice of a husband. The facts do not entirely warrant this theory. Thomas Lincoln had been forced from his boyhood to shift for himself in a young and undeveloped country. He is known to have been a man who in spite of this wandering life contracted no bad habits. He was temperate and honest, and his name is recorded in mere than one place in the records of Kentucky. He was a church-goer, and, if tradition may be believed, a stout defender of his peculiar religious views. He held advanced ideas of what was already an important public question in Kentucky, the right to hold negroes as slaves. One of his old friends has said of him and his wife, Nancy Hanks, that they were "just steeped full of notions about the wrongs of slavery and the rights of men. as explained bv Thomas Jefferson and Thomas Paine." These facts show that he must have been a man of some natural intelligence. He had a trade and owned a farm. That the two people who endured its hardships and made in spite of them a home where a boy could conceive and nourish such ideals and enthusiasms as inspired Abraham Lincoln from his early years should have their names darkened by unfounded suspicions is a cruel injustice against waich every honest and patriotic American ought to set his face. If in carrying out the noble project of making a National Park of the Kentucky far-n where Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks made their first home the directors do nothing more than to set forth the facts of the parentage of Abraham Lincoln they will justify their undertaking.

DuPont Powder Company Explains Its Relations With the United States Government.

(Special Correspondence). New York, Feb. 12. Many of tho leading newspapers of the country have recently contained dispatches frcm Washington in which statements have been marie alleging that tho DuPont . Powder company, which manufactures smokeless powder for the government, has sold the scret formulae for this powder to other governments, and that on Its government contracts the powder company was making 100 per cent, profit. The Truth about Smokeless IoTder. Smokeless powder, as now used by the government, has not been so used except in tho last ten years. The first order of any consequence for such powder was given in 1S97, when 100,000 pounds were ordered of the DuPont concern. Prior to that time the government had been using Brown Prismatic powder, which is a powder of entirely different character. The smokeless powder now used by the Government is manufactured and furnished under specifications prepared by tho army and navy departments and must conform to them. In the year 1895 Admiral Converse and Lieutenant Pernadou took out a patent covering a certain kind of smokeless powder. This patent was of fered to the DuPont company at that time and the DuPont company refused to purchaso it, thinking that it was not ,f value. It was subsequently acquired by the International Smokeless Powder company, in which at that time the Du Pont company had no interest. During the existence of the Converse Bernadou patents the Lafiin & Rand Powder ompany, the California Powder works and the DuPont company have manu factured smokeless powder and fur nished It to tho government entirely irrespective of the provisions of these patents, on the ground that there was nothing in tho patents which would 1 prevent such manufacture. This course was at no time objected to by the owners of tho Converse-Bernadou patents. Converjte-Ilernadou Patents Not I'sed. Stock of the International Smokeless Powder company was purchased by the DuPont company in 1903-04, and the ownership of the Converse-Bernadou patents was thus acquired by the DuPont company. Since that time the DuPont company has continued to furnish smokeless powder to tho army and navy departments, but the specifications under which this powder has been furnished have been such that the product has been very different from that described in the Converse-Bernadou patents. For this reason all the criticism of the DuPont company alleging that it has a monopoly of the smokeless powder business of the United States government because of its ownership of the Converse-Bernadou patent has and can have absolutely no foundation. In regard to furnishing information to foreign governments about the formula and secret processes employed in the manufacture of smokeless pewder for the United States government, it is sufficient to say that so far as tho Converse-Bernadou patents are concerned titer are on public record and that product manufactured under them cannot be protected by secrecy. It has been stated that Mr. Watts, at one time president of the International Smokeless Powder company, wrote a letter to some of the foreign govern ments offering to give them the formula used in the manufacture of powder for tho United States government. Mr. Watts is now dead, and it is impossible to give the circumstances attending the sender of that letter. Undoubtedly if lie were alive he could satisfactorily explain them. It is enough to say that the letter was written at a time when the DuPont company had absolutely no connection, as a stockholder, or otherwise, with the International Smokeless Powder company, nor did anyone interested in the DuPont company, or in any company with which it was associated, have any relations with that corporation. o Secret Patents on Siiiokeleaa Powder. There are patents owned by the DuPont company which have been the result of experiments made at their own works, ami to which tho government can have no possible claim, which in a measure facilitate the manufacture of smokeless powder, and result in economies. These patents might be a handicap to a certain extent upon a new company which desired to go Into thi3 business, but there is no patent, so far as the DuPont company is informed, which covers the product as such and which would prevent its production by anyone with sufficient skill and capital. Government Assisted by DuFont Co. A smokeless powder plant was erectDaughter as a Substitute. An old bachelor bought a pair of I socks and found attached to one a pa per with these words: "I am a young lady of 20 and would like to correspond with a bachelor with a view to matrimony." The name and address were given. The bachelor wrote and In a few days got thi3 reply: "Mamma was married 20 years ago. Evidently the merchant of whom you bought those sox did not advertise or he would have sold them long ago. My mother handed me your letter and said possibly I might suit I am 18." Advice to the Girls. If you are not pretty you can be attractive and charming by cultivating a pleasant expression, by baring a cheerful disposition, and by training your body to symmetry and gracefulness, Exchange,

ed at Indian Head in 199 by the United States government, and Instead of opposing the erection of that plant, the DuPont company assisted the officers of the United States in every possible way, furnishing them much valuable information in tho way of blue prints and gave them the result of their experience in the business, and did everything possible to make this venture a succers from the standpoint of the government. The samo attitude was assumed by the DuPont company in regard to the appropriation made by the last congress for the erection of a smokeless powder plant, and the company not only offered to furnish, but has furnished, the proper departments of the United States government with plans and blue prints to facilitate that work. GAL NO TWO DUPONT POWDER CO. There has been some comment in tho papers, and also in congress, in regard to the relations of the DuPont company to a smokeless powder plant in process of erection by the government of Brazil. This in no way involves any secret processes or methods which are employed by the United States, or in the manufacture 01 its powder, the DuPont eompany brought its plans to the attention of the proper departments of the United States government, and wlth the qualifications above mentioned no objection upon the part of the executive departments of our government was mado to the Du Pont company undertaking the business. Xot EnormouN Profits on DusSnens. In regard to the prlco which is and has been charged the government for smokeless powder which has been furnished by the DuPont companies, it has been stated that this business shows a profit of 100 per cent to the duTont ! company, and that on account of these profits that company has been enabled to sell commercial exproslves at or below cost to such an extent as to render it Impossible for Independent companies to compete in certain commercial fields. In this regard It was shown in a recent hearing before the sub-committee of the appropriations committee of the house of representatives, which lias had in charge the matter of further appropriations for the construction of smokeless powder plants, that instead of yielding a profit of 100 per cent, this business has yielded the Dul Pont companies 17 per cent profit on the operations and capital invested, and a profit considerable less than that realized by it in othor lines and from the larger part of its commercial business. All of these facts appear from detailed statements made before the congressional committee which are now on public recaord. What Makes Powder Expensive f It must be remembered that there are peculiar burdens imposed on this business by its nature. To say nothing of the dangers of accident which often result in very large losses, the governmental departments are continually considering changes in the formula and in the specifications which they require to be fulfilled in the furnishing of explosives. The result of these changes has frequently rendered powder already manufactured of no avail, and frequently abandonment of expensive machinery which was no longer available has been necessitated. The demands of the government have been spasmodic, requiring large plants which for long periods at a time are idle. The specifications are very strictly enforced and the result is that large amounts of powder have been unavailable and have been left on the hands of the company. The DuPont company was organized in 1S02 and furnished the United States government all the powder used in the war of 1812, and the major part of that used In 1S4S, 1S61-5, and 1S9S. A careful investigation of the prices charged by contractors during the last two wars, show that while practically every other contractor who had been previously selling munitions of war to the government, advanced its price, the duPont company sold at no greater and, for some kinds of material, at a less price than had before been charged. The company undertook to manufacture Brown Prismatic Powder when it was seen that the supply of smokeless powder was not sufficient, putting In new machinery based upon the contracts then given. Upon the signing of the protocol In July, 1S98, and the demonstration of the absolute unfit'ness of Brown Prismatic powder for military purposes, the government requested the cancellation of the unfilled portions of tho contracts, which DuPont company sold at no greater and out any compensation for the new machinery which then remained on its hands. Great Future fcr Berlin. The biggest city in the world CO years to come will be Berlin. That is the calculation of Herr Olumke, a noted statistician. Its population will be near 14,000,000, and its only serious rival will be New York. In a pamphlet he has written to set forth this prophetic theory, Herr Olumke say3 the population of Berlin is increasing more rapidly than that of any other city except Budapest, Hungary. To-day Great Berlin contains over 3,000,000 Inhabitants. The rapii growth with Berlin's political and commercial importance "will place the Prussian capital ahead of London, Paris and New York. He calculates that London In 1953 will have 7,000,000 Inhabitants. Caterpillars Slgnt. A caterpillar's eyes cannot eee at a greater distance than 2-5tis of an Inch.

Cnlcago Is at Last Quit of Her Street Car Question Final Settlement in April. Chicago, Feb. 12. Tho city council by a vote of 57 to 12 passed, over the veto of Mayor Dunne, the ordinances granting twenty-year franchises to the present street rnilwaj' companies of Chicago. The ordinances will become vfilld if ratified bj- referendum vote at the city election in April, thus settling finally the street car franchise question which has been a foremost subject in Chicago for ten years. Under the ordinances franchises are to be granted for twenty years to the Chicago City railway and Union Traction company. The companies are to grive universal transfers, through routes and better service for a o-cent fare. The lines are to be rehabilitated under the direction of the city at a cost of $40.0CKX(. The city, "on a months' notice, may buy the lines for $30,000,C00 phis the cost of rebuilding. While the companies operate the lines they are to pay the city T5 per cent, of the net Income.

Death of a Kansas Heroine. Leavenworth, Kan., Feb. 12. Mrs. Clara Parquette, a Kansas pioneer, d'ed of apoplexy here, acred S." years. In the border war clays she he' ' Colonel .Tennison and his band of "lied. I.ogs" at bay at Shawnee. Kan., for five hours, giving her husband, a strong anti-slavery advocate wnr was marked to be shot, time to escape. Persia la Moving: Ahead. Teheran, Feb. 12. The shah has sent a message to parliament granting all the popular demands, including formal recognition that the country is under constitutional government. This message was telegraphed to Tabriz, wnere the people had seized the arsenal and closed the government offices. All la quiet. Briton Wins a Boxinfr Bout. London, Feb. 12. In a twenty-round boxing contest for the lightweight championship of England and a purse of Sl.fiOO at the National Sporting club Jack- Goldswain, of London, knocked out "Pat" Daley, of the United States, in the fifth round. Chicago Coliseum Annex Burned. Chicago, Feb. 12. The Coliseum annex was destroyed by a fire which for a time threatened the main building. The loss to the building and exhibitors of the Chicago Hardware show, which begins on Thursday, is estimated at $73,000. A Grateful Town. A man who had been born and reared In a small town in the interior went to one of the large cities, engaged in business and accumulated a fortune. After a lapse of twenty-five years he made a visit to his native village. Desiring to do something for the place, he rented a vacant building on the principal street for a long term of years and telegraphed an order for a first class chemical engine and other appurtenances. Having previously secured the promise of the village trustees that a volun teer fire department would be organized at once, he had the satisfaction of seeing the engine installed in the building before he went away. A few day3 after his return to the city a friend In the little town sent him a copy of tho local paper. It contained a full account of his philanthropic action and expressed the gratitude of the citizens for his liberality, but wound up thus: "There is a general feeling, however, that with his vast wealth it wouldn't have hurt him n bit If be had given U3 instead a system of waterworks and a regular steam fire engine, with a span of bay horses and a paid fire department. Then we could have crowed over every town in the county. As It Is, we are merely on a par with PUgrlmvIlle ind Kohankus, and if wo 5:0 to putting on airs they'll give us the laugh." Innalre and Eiio.niro. "While you are on the mbject of spelling," says a correspondent, "can you kindly explain why business men persist ia writing 'enquire' and 'en quiry' for 'inquire' and 'inquiry?' The word Is pronounced in,' and in' clearly expresses the meaning." The explanation, we think, must bs that business men are too much given to tho study of the elder classics of our language. In the romance of "Generydes," for example, tho business man reads that: Of ouery man ho enqueryd the certente Whiche of his men were ded and whlcho wero taken. And they have noted that Child's text of "The Bailiff's Daughter of Ialiasrton" says that: To falre London she would go Her true love to enquire. Congreve spells It with an "e," but Milton with an "i." Spenser spelled It with an i," but the translators of the "Authorized Version" spelled it with an "e." So the honors are perhaps e3y as regards the classics. Eut there Is no doubt that the "i" has it all its own way in the practice of modern writers of repute. London Newa Testing Ees For Freshness. Dissolve two ounces of salt in a pint of water and then place the egg to b? tested in this llauld. A new laid egg v.Ul at once sink to the bottom; an ej three days old will remain suspended about midway, and an egg that Is five days old or moro will float on the top of the solution. The vacuum in the shell is the explanation of the varying actions of tho egg. The larger it becomes owing to the evaporation of the contents through the shell the moro easily the egg float

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