The Old Lincoln Homestead.
About 12 miles Northwest of Harrisonburg, Virginia.
John Lincoln, (Virginia John) from Robert McKay heirs, June 22, 1768.
Jacob Lincoln, from father, John Lincoln, about 1788.
Abraham Lincoln, from father, Jacob Lincoln, May 1822.
Widow and heirs of Abraham Lincoln, 1851.
Michael W. Bowman, by deed from heirs of Abraham Lincoln, May 29, 1874.
Samuel M. Bowman, by inheritance and division, March 12, 1885.
Bridgewater College Trustees, by will of Samuel M. Bowman, October 30, 1918.
J.N. Crawn, W.S. & J.R. Miller, from B. college Trustee, February 26, 1919.
Henry M. Henkel from Crawn & Millers, by deed march 7, 1930.
Harry M. Lillian M. Henkel, by inheritance, 1933.
Lillian M. Henkel, present owner, by deed of division, February 26, 1935.
Construction of first two houses of logs: present house of brick, in late 1790’s, L shape; 2 story; striking entrance doorway of Georgian type.
Interior is wide hall, colonial stairway to the top; ten large, airy rooms with fireplace, in each room; plain mantles, some on the second floor severely so. The fireplace in the old kitchen a very large one, with crane hooks still in the wall. It is still used to some extent.
Samuel Lincoln (…1690) came to this country form Norwich, Norfolk County, England to Massachusetts. He had a son, Mordecai (1st) of Higham (1657-1727). He in turn had sons Mordecai (2nd) born April 24, 1686, died 1736; Abraham born January 13, 1689; Isaac, born October 21, 1691, and a daughter, Sarah born July 9, 1694.
Mordecai, (2) and Abraham moved to Monmouth County, New Jersey, where the first named married Hannah Salter, granddaughter of Captain John Bowne, and his eldest son, born in Monmouth was named, John. (Note: John Bowne was Speaker of Assembly of New Jersey more than two hundred years ago).
John Lincoln 1716-1788)
About 1730, the Lincoln’s moved to Eastern Pennsylvania, where Mordecai, 2nd’s first wife died, and he married again. He died at Amity, Pennsylvania, and his will dated February 23, 2025 and proven June 7, 1736, mentions his wife, Mary, and children, John, Thomas, Hannah, Mary, Ann, Sarah, Mordecai (3rd) born 1730, and a prospective child. The latter proved a boy and was named Abraham, who subsequently married Ann Boone a cousin of Daniel Boone. John Lincoln the eldest son, with some of his neighbors, moved to Rockingham County, Virginia; he had sons, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Thomas and John, John (1st) died at Harrisonburg, Virginia.
The Pennsylvania immigrant, frequently styled "Virginia John" was born in Monmouth County, New Jersey, May 3, 1716, the son of Mordecai and Hannah (Salter) Lincoln and later migrated from Berks
The Old Lincoln Homestead
Page 2
County, Pennsylvania, to the Linville Creek community, where he settled. His sister Ann and her husband, William Tallman also came in and settled in the same region at, or about, the same time.
The original land was purchased June 22, 1768, 600 acres, a part of a 1200 acre grant to McKay, Duff, Green and Hite, march 26, 2024 by patient. This land was conveyed by the above firm to Robert McKay, June 20, 1746, and by him devised to his sons by will October 7, 1746. The McKay’s in turn conveyed it to Lincoln.
210 acres of this land were later conveyed by deed of gift by John Lincoln to his son, Abraham (the Captain), August 12, 1773, and 200 acres more, part of his home plantation were further devised by John to his son Thomas by will, February 8, 1786, recorded in Rockingham June 22, 1780.
The home plantation included a tract also devised by John to his widow, Rebecca for her lifetime, and at her death to his daughter, Rebecca Rymel. John Lincoln died, November 1788 and two years later, Thomas sold his share of the plantation to his brother Jacob, the deed bearing date September 20, 1791, and removed to Kentucky about this time or the following year.
"The widow Rebecca" (1720-1806) daughter of Enoch and Rebecca Flowers, following her husband’s death, lived with her daughter, Hannah Harrison. At the time Jacob took possession, she was 70 years old, and shortly before Hannah’s death, John Rymel and his wife took her, August 3, 1803, she died July 21st, 1806.
John Lincoln’s will names his wife Rebecca and sons, Abraham, (1744-1786-8), died in Pennsylvania.
Isaac (1750-1816) died at Watauga, Tennessee.
Jacob (1751-1822) married Dorcas Robinson; both buried near Linville, Virginia.
John (1755-1835) died at Lebanon, Ohio, married Mary Yarnell, both buried at Lebanon, Ohio.
Thomas (1761-1819) died near Lexington, Kentucky, married Elizabeth Cosne.
Hannah (1748-1803) married John Harrison.
Lydia, twin sister of Hannah, married a Bryan. (She was unmarried at the time of her father’s death.)
Sara (1757…) said to have married a Dean.
Rebecca (1767-1840) died near Greenville, Tennessee, married John Rymel 1786.
John Lincoln was a Baptist and closely connected and associated with the Linville and Smiths Creek congregations, the church services Associations. He was an industrious, thrifty man and added many acres to his original purchase. His first two houses were of logs, the first one being destroyed by fire; the third one was of brick and joins up at the rear of the present brick house built later by his son Jacob. He died in 1788, after and active, useful life.
Jacob Lincoln (1751-1822)
Born in Pennsylvania, the third son of John Lincoln, married August 29, 1780, Dorcas Robinson (1763-1840) daughter of David and Dorcas Robinson. They lived at the old homestead and both lie buried in the family burying ground a few hundred yards from the house where their tombstones may be seen today. Close by in the same burial ground, may be seen also, a stone erected to the memory of "Uncle Ned and his wife, Queen", the last of the Lincoln slaves. This stone was placed by the late Miss Mary Lee Pennybacker, a direct descendant; whose sister, Miss Kate M. Pennybacker is now living at the Pennybacker home, one of
the several of the old Lincoln Plantations.
The Old Lincoln Homestead
Page 3
Jacob Lincoln came into possession of the home place at the death of his father and lived there until his death in 1822. It was Jacob who built the present house which forms the front, joining at the rear, the brick part built by his father sometime before, which was the third house built by his father, the whole forming and L shape structure. Just when the older part of the house was built is not known. The first two houses built by John, Jacob’s father, were of logs, the first of which was destroyed by fire. They were of the usual pioneer type, and built on the "defensive" style. The near part built by Jacob in the late 1790’s is of the usual style architecture of that day and has large, airy room the two lower rooms frequently being used for the church services, he like his father and brothers being closely identified with the Linville church. He was also one of the "near ten thousand subscribers" to the Dissenters Petition: which was presented to the Virginia House of Delegates by Thomas Jefferson, for Religious Freedom, to worship according to their own conscience and their own form of service.
Jacob Lincoln was the son of "Virginia John" Lincoln, and the brother of Abraham and of John the clerk of the church. Of Jacob's military records I have not been able to learn very much except in a general way Records show that on March 26, 2024 he qualified as a Lieutenant of the Rockingham Militia. What part he took in active service I do not know. I was informed by Miss Kate Pennybacker that he rose to be a Colonel in the Revolutionary forces. That he was interested in the education of his children is shown by the fact of his being one of the subscribers to the school of William Herrons in 1790.
Among Jacob’s children was a daughter Elizabeth and a son, John (1773-1818); Abraham (1799-1851); Mary (Harmon) (1802-1874); David (1781-1840); all of whose tombstones are standing in the old family burying ground near the house, except Elizabeth and David. David and his wife are buried at Lacey Spring Cemetery, he having settled at the "Big Spring" where he acquired a tract of the original Harrison land from Col. John Koontz. The present Rockingham family is headed by Samuel Lincoln, a son Abraham L. Lincoln, and grandson of Jacob Lincoln.
The Lincoln Homestead
Abraham Lincoln (1799-1851)
The youngest of 11 children of Jacob and Dorcas (Robinson) Lincoln, and inheritor of home place from his father. He was a nephew of Abraham Lincoln—grandfather of the President. He married Mary Harmon October 24, 1822, and he came into possession of the home place in that year, the year of his father’s death. He and his wife are both buried in the family burying ground near the Lincoln house and their tombstones may be seen there today. He was the last of the Lincoln’s to inherit the Lincoln homestead, tho his widow and heirs lived there until 1874, when the property was sold to Michael W. Bowman, thus going out of the possession of the Lincoln family.
Abraham followed closely the lines laid by his father and his grandfather in his interest in the affairs of the community.
He was a Colonel in the Regiment of Virginia State Militia, and his silk sash and bandana, handkerchief now in the possession of Miss Kate M. Pennybacker, his granddaughter. The sash is of a shade of red and the handkerchief, about 24 inches square, of a light shade of yellow; both of a soft, fine quality of silk and well preserved the more than a hundred years old. I do not know what, if any, active service he may have been called upon to perform, not having access to any information along this line. Muster days there was back in those days, when the local soldiery were assembled for drill, etc. at stated intervals. Abraham, like his father and grandfather, was a farmer and like them, thrifty and resourceful in many ways. In those early days, manufacturing was largely a local affair, and many things had to be provided for on the place, and everything done by hand. Abraham died in 1851.
The Old Lincoln Homestead
Page 4
Abraham Lincoln (1744-1786-8)
Son of "Virginia John" Lincoln, brother of Jacob and grandfather of President Lincoln. Born in Berks County, Pennsylvania died in Kentucky, to which State he had removed shortly after his marriage to Bathsheba herring. He was the eldest of our brothers. Hannah Harrison, (wife of John Harrison) was his sister (It may be well to note here that it was a detachment of Yankee soldiers who, in setting fire to Rockingham Records, destroyed the records of Mr. Lincoln’s own ancestry).
After the purchase of the 600 acre tract by his father John Lincoln from the Robert McKay heirs, his father deeded to Abraham (the Captain) as a gift, 210 acres August 12, 1773. He married Bathsheba Herring. His marriage license was granted, June 9 179_. This date is unintelligible or absent.
Early biographers of the President beginning with Nicolay and Hay have named Captain Lincoln’s wife as Mary Shipley, the daughter of Robert and Sarah Shipley of Launenburg county, Virginia, reaching the conclusion that Captain Abraham was twice married, but by comparison of writers and later investigators, it appears reasonably certain that there was only the one wife, the "fair" Bathsheba. He was a captain of Militia as shown by an order of tithables to be taken in the various companies in Augusta County, August 20, 1777, one in which he was the Captain.
In connection with his marriage to Bathsheba, it is interesting to note that he met with great opposition on the part of her father, Alexander Herring. Bathsheba was an only daughter, and the chief joy of her widower father who looked with scorn up upon the alliance, and gave her the choice of giving up her lover or being disinherited. The high spirited woman did not hesitate, she married the man she loved and she with her husband continued to live on his Linville Creek and until about 1780; and after the birth of their son Thomas in 1782, they removed to Kentucky, where Thomas later became the father of President Abraham Lincoln.
In his short autobiography, written out of regard to his old friend, Hon. Jesse W. Fell, and not for publication, the President says, "My parents were both born in Virginia. My paternal grandfather, Abraham Lincoln, emigrated from Rockingham County, Virginia to Kentucky about 1781 or 2, when a year or two later he was killed by the Indians, not in battle but by stealth when he was laboring to open a farm in the forest. My father at the death of his father, was but six years old, and he literally grew up without education".
Authorities are not in agreement as to the date of birth of Thomas Lincoln. Lea and Hutchinson record it January 20, 1780, while the more recent authors record it January 5, 1778.
On the 12th of February 1780, "Abraham Lincoln of the Count of Rockingham, and State of Virginia, and Bathsheba his wife for 5,000 pounds current money of Virginia, deeded to Michael Shanks and John Reuf of the County and State of aforesaid", 250 acres, part of the 1200 acres granted to McKay, Duff, Green and Hite, by patent 26th March 1739, and by them Conveyed, etc. and the aforesaid McKay’s conveyed to John Lincoln, 600 acres of the aforesaid land by deed 22nd June, 1768 and John Lincoln, conveyed a part of this within mentioned 250 acres to the Tunes, VanPelt, Thomas Bryan and Holton…Munsey conveyed the rest of the said land to Abraham Lincoln…lying and being on the north side of Linville Creek…etc.
Signed Abrm. Lincoln
Bathab Lincoln
Witness
Charles Mair
Solomon Mathews
George Chrisman
The Old Lincoln Homestead
Page 5
This deed from Abraham Lincoln and Bathsheba, his wife was proved 26th, June 1780 by the oaths of Charles Mair and George Christman and by the "Solemn Affirmation" of Solomon Mathews.
Abraham’s next record is found in Kentucky, in fact on March 4, 2025 he had already secured three warrants for land there totaling 1200 acres. He died in Pennsylvania in 1786 or 1788.
The administration of Abraham Lincoln’s estate was granted in Nelson County, Kentucky, October 14, 1788. His land was in Jefferson. Following his death, his widow removed to Washington County with her family, where she was residing in 1792. She died in 1836.
Nancy Hanks—Thomas Lincoln
Joseph Hanks (1725-1793, native of Richmond, Virginia, and the ancestor of Nancy Hanks, the mother of Lincoln, according to Barton’s The Lineage of Lincoln, removed from Hampshire, now Mineral County, West Virginia, to Nelson county, Kentucky, 1784, where in 1793 he died, leaving will dated and proven this year, naming "Nannie", sons Thomas, Joshua, William, Charles, Joseph and daughters Elizabeth (married Thomas Sparrow, of Kentucky as above, in Kentucky 1795). Polly and Nancy (married Levi Hall). He also had a daughter Lucy, the eldest, who married henry Sparrow, brother of Thomas Sparrow as above, in Kentucky 1790. On January 10, 2025 the widow Nancy, (daughter of William Lee of Richmond county, Virginia) and her son Joseph joined in selling the contract under which the hanks land was held, to William, her son, following which she and Joseph "returned to Virginia" here she died.
The county in which the widow Hanks died, and the time of death is unknown. Thomas hanks, when the family went to Kentucky remained in Hampshire, and it is presumed that she returned to this County. In 1800 he removed from Hampshire to Rose County, Ohio. Joseph hanks on March 8, 2024 testified in Nelson County, Kentucky, to having "migrated to Virginia and back again" (Barton page 189).
Nancy hanks the mother of Lincoln was born about 1783. The account of her childhood is involved in much conjecture. She is said to have been reared in the home of her grandmother, hanks until the latter returned to Virginia, when, so it is assumed, Lucy took her. Sometime following Elizabeth marriage she went to live with her and continued as one of Thomas Sparrow’s family until her own marriage in 1806 to Thomas Lincoln.
Chrisman states that Thomas first met his future wife Nancy at the home of a relative of his, in Rockingham County while he (Thomas) was on a visit back from Kentucky. Nancy at the time, relates the Memoirs," lived just over the hill", and later emigrated from the neighborhood to Kentucky with her people. The Kentucky hanks were Baptists, also Thomas Lincoln, as was "sister Nancy Hanks" of the Brock’s Gap region. Considering the circumstances, it appears highly probably that "Dr. Hanks" was Joseph, who resided with his mother Nancy, the future wife of Thomas Lincoln was stopping with her grandmother and Joseph when some occasion of the neighborhood, per chance one of the identical church meeting of the old minutes, happened to lead to their introduction.
Court Records, personal visit.
Miss Kate M. Pennybacker.
Houston J. Harrison in his Settlers by the Long Grey Trail.
September 8, 1936 Geo W. Fetzer
Harrisonburg, VA