OCRed data provided
for searching only. september 1865
78. Nathaniel Grigsby, Silas Richardson, Nancy Richardson, John Romine (WHH interview)
Lincoln Farm Septr 14th 1865
I started from Nat Grigsby's house, with him as my guide & friend throughout the trip, Except at Rockport on the Ohio R. Grigsby lives in Gentryville Üpopulation about 300 Ülaid off in 1824 Üruns North & South Mostly ÜMainly ÜStarted at 8 o'c M. Went to the Lincoln farm about 11Ö2 m East of Gentryville and a little North. The house is a one Story hewed log one Üporch in front: it is not the house that L lived in Ü though he built it. The old houses Üthe 1st & 2d are gone Üfronts South Üchimney at East End Ühas 2 rooms, the East one & west one Ü Stands on a Knowl or Knob about 50 feet above the road & about 150 yards north of the road. On the Gentryville road leading to the Hoffman Mills. The Country is a heavy timbered one Üfarms are cleared and cut out of the forests. The woods Üthe timber is hickory Üwhite oak, called buck-eye and buck lands. The old farm now belongs to Jas Gentry Ü Son of JasGentry for whom, the old man the brother of Allen ÜLincoln went to
N. Orleans in 1828 or 29. John Heaven or Heavener now lives as tenant on the land: it an orchard on it part of Which Abm Lincoln planted with his own hands ÜAllen Gentry got drunk and fell off the boat going to Louisville and was drowned ÜAbe Lincoln hewed the logs of this new house for his father Üone door north & one South Ü2 rooms Üplank partition Üone window Ü 2 rooms: it has been moved from its original position Üplaced further south than the old ones: it is not as Lincoln left it: it was not completed by Thomas Lincoln. The farm was sold to ___________ by Thomas Lincoln in 1829 Ü went to the place of the old Spring N.W of the house Üabout 300 yards Ü: it was dry ÜSaw the place Ü Saw various old well all Caved in Ü it is Said water Could not be had on that hill Üpity ÜSaw 5 or 6 old Üold apple trees: the old house and Shelter are gone I say again and again ÜStarted to ‚nd Mrs Lincoln's grave Üit is on a Knob Ühill or Knowl about 1Ö2 m S.E of the Lincoln house Üpassed out of the lane going East Ülanded at the grave Ütied my horse: the grave was
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is on the very top or crown of the hill. The Know or Knowl is a heavy timbered one. A Space is cut out of the forest by felling the trees Somewhat circularly. In the centre of this Small cleared place about 15 feet from a large white oak tree
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rather Somewhat between 2 of them, lies buried Mrs Lincoln. God bless her if I could breathe life into her again I would do it. Could I only whisper in her Ear
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¿Your Son was Presdt Üof the U.S from 1861 to 1866,îI would be satis‚ed. I have heard much of this blessed, good woman. I stood bare headed in reverence at her grave. I can't Say why Üyet I felt in the presence of the living woman translated to another world. ¿God bless her,îsaid her Son to me once and I repeat that which Echoes audibly in my Soul Ü¿God bless herî. The grave is almost undistinguishable: it has Sunk down, leaving a Kind of hollow. There is no fence around the grave yard and no tomb Üno head board to mark where She lies. At her head
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close to it I peeled a dog wood bush and cut or marked my name on it. Mrs
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