Talk:Thomas Lincoln

Whereabouts from 1802-1804
The dates and locations given in the article are at odds with information appearing on a historical plaque in Burkesville, Kentucky that reads "In Jan 1802, and again in 1804, he was appointed constable. On Sept 1802 he was commissioned ensign in Cornstalk Militia of Cumberland County. Returned to Washington County. Married Nancy Hanks 1806..." (the first pic at this link) I won't change the article's info now, just add a little blurb acknowledging his time in Cumberland Co. Chime in if you have info either way, otherwise I'll change the article soon. - Draeco 23:03, 8 January 2007 (UTC)

Middle name "Herring"
I can not document that Thomas Lincoln had a middle name Herring, and so have removed it. --Janeky (talk) 06:25, 21 December 2007 (UTC)

Encouragement of Lincoln
The comment that Thomas encouraged his son's education - I haven't read that previously, and have read the opposite and also that his stepmother encouraged his educational endeavors. I have found some sources that his father did not encourage this - does the Donald book really say that? 165.189.169.190 (talk) 15:36, 9 January 2008 (UTC)
 * It does. Sarah Bush Lincoln, for instance, said Thomas never interrupted Abraham while reading if he could help it, and said he encouraged Lincoln's reading, even if he didn't understand what good it would do.--Idols of Mud (talk) 18:38, 9 January 2008 (UTC)

 What can this possibly mean: "But for all Abraham's reticence about his father, one thing speaks for itself. Thomas was a popular storyteller with a remarkable memory and gift for mimicry [15]. Abraham spent his earliest years in the corner of the room listening to the grownups, learning to emulate his father and enthrall his own friends later with a limitless supply of stories. It was one of his great political skills."

This bizarre factoid does not speak for itself at all, and I have not a clue what the writer intends by including it in this article. Because his father told stories and Abraham did too...what? The section about the father's relationship with his son is filled with weirdness like this. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 98.248.194.180 (talk) 11:22, 29 December 2010 (UTC)

Move to Illinois
I was under the impression Thomas Lincoln relocated to Illinois at the behest of his first wife's relation, John Hanks, not his stepson, John Johnston (cf. Donald, 36). Unless someone has different information, I'll change the entry next week. Narosenblum (talk) 20:23, 8 February 2010 (UTC)

Deletion?
I can't see the advantage or encyclopaedic purpose of this article. Does every person who deserves an entry also give all of their relatives the same right? The only pages that link here are in reference to his son Abraham, so surely simply making a section in A.Lincoln's page about his father, if it's needed at all, would be far more useful? Sheepdean (talk) 14:11, 14 June 2010 (UTC)


 * That's not true, there are other articles that link here. Albeit, some of them are from the Abraham Lincoln template. Abraham's Lincoln's life is discussed in a number of articles, which also includes articles specifically about Abe or other relatives, and his father is referred to in many of those articles.-- CaroleHenson (talk) 17:55, 29 November 2016 (UTC)

Referring to him as "Thomas" instead of "Lincoln"
Is there a reason why the article refers to him by his first name and not his last as in every other article in wikipedia? Hamsterlopithecus (talk) 15:56, 10 July 2013 (UTC)


 * - Good point, the changes have been made, except where his full name is used or the discussion includes other Lincoln family members.-- CaroleHenson (talk) 17:48, 29 November 2016 (UTC)

Thomas not Abe's biological father? Rumor allayed
There are discussions that Thomas was castrated before puberty (at 10) and unable to father children.

Troy Cowan, Quora, 11/28/15 cites Emanuel Hertz, The Hidden Lincoln from the letters and papers of William H. Herndon, Blue Ribbon, Inc. 1938, pg 176

This then leaves an open question of who Abraham's biological father was. Troy mentions Samuel Davis..

This online source document NIU Lincoln / Net, items 673, 674 describe Enloe's denial and substantiate Thomas's inability..

LarryLACa (talk) 23:37, 23 November 2016 (UTC)


 * I have read about that, too, and it seemed to me that this is a fringe theory. Somewhere I saw an article that debunked this. Have you seen a modern, noted historian that has said this?-- CaroleHenson (talk) 17:51, 29 November 2016 (UTC)
 * I just saw that this was discussed on Talk:Abraham Lincoln, and the result of the conversation was to leave it out.-- CaroleHenson (talk) 17:59, 29 November 2016 (UTC)Thomas not Abe's biological father

Thanks to all for your contributions. The fallacy of this question is covered in Talk:Abraham Lincoln and laid to rest there, where any further comments should be made. I wish there was a place where we could discount rumors as well as we document what is.

LarryLACa (talk) 02:19, 30 November 2016 (UTC)


 * That would be a wonder! There are so many rumors, aside from Lincoln himself, there are a lot about Nancy Lincoln.


 * An easy way to look at it is to check the books about Lincoln by noted historians and biographers. If they don't have it, then it's probably a rumor or fallacy.


 * I have been charging ahead with sorting out the sources, inserting inline citations - and don't want to step on your toes. Is there anything you'd like to be doing here?-- CaroleHenson (talk) 02:39, 30 November 2016 (UTC)


 * Right now, I'm trying to find back up for something in the 101 Things you didn't know about Lincoln book: During Lincoln's lifetime, he and his wife were not invited to Abe's wedding and never met Abe's wife or children.[39]


 * I am pretty sure that I've read about this somewhere else, but cannot remember where. Is this familiar to you?-- CaroleHenson (talk) 02:43, 30 November 2016 (UTC)

For what it's worth, Abraham Lincoln, the president, was said to resemble his uncle, Thomas Lincoln's brother Mordecai, and Mordecai's son, who was also named Abraham. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 73.36.157.242 (talk) 20:58, 3 September 2020 (UTC)

Sources - question posted at Talk:Abraham Lincoln
I posted a question at Talk:Abraham Lincoln regarding isolation of the modern, noted historians that would be good to use - versus others that should not be used in the article.-- CaroleHenson (talk) 18:20, 29 November 2016 (UTC)

External links modified
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 * Added archive https://web.archive.org/web/20131101130918/http://www.historyillinois.com/files/Markers/db_markers_by_county.php?county=Coles to http://www.historyillinois.com/files/Markers/db_markers_by_county.php?county=Coles
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New Resource
A new biography of Thomas Lincoln was published this year (2019): Thomas Lincoln: Abraham's Father, Beacon Publishing Group, by Daniel Cravens Taylor. It is fully documented and brings together the story of Thomas' life in detail. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Bugs77 (talk • contribs) 16:36, 26 October 2019 (UTC)

ferried merchandise on a flatboat to New Orleans
"In 1806, he ferried merchandise on a flatboat to New Orleans down the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers for the Bleakley & Montgomery store in Elizabethtown."

Does this make sense? It makes sense to float a flatboat to New Orleans from Elizabethtown down the Ohio and then Mississippi River. But would the cargo be "for" a store in Elizabethtown or "from" a store there? Further, doesn't it make more sense that the shipment was "from" New Orleans to the store in Elizabethtown, thus "up" the Mississippi and then the Ohio? What would that store in Elizabethtown have that New Orleans wanted or needed? WithGLEE (talk)


 * The first source listed has no info on the stated flatboat usage, and I do not have ready access to the other sources cited. Someone with that access (or to another corroborating source) would need to clarify this. We can't just go by what we think makes sense. —ADavidB 18:51, 29 July 2020 (UTC)
 * I found a Campanella-authored source that supports the current wording and added it to the article. The B&M store paid Lincoln; he did it for the store. Nonetheless, I changed "for" to "on behalf of" to avoid confusion. —ADavidB 11:22, 30 July 2020 (UTC)

Undo weight on insignificant things in the start of first sentence?
Is it right to start by calling him "an American farmer, carpenter, and father of the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln." Was he notable as a farmer and carpenter? So notable that it should come before being President Lincoln's father? Or if he's notable mainly as the President's father, maybe it would be better to put that first? 47.139.47.1 (talk) 21:19, 2 January 2021 (UTC)

Please correct anti-indigenous bias
The article states: "Lincoln witnessed the murder of his father by Native American Indians "... when he was laboring to open a farm in the forest." Lincoln's life was saved that day by his brother, Mordecai. One of the most profound stories of Lincoln's memory was: While Abraham Lincoln and his three boys, Mordecai, Josiah and Thomas, were planting a cornfield on their new property..."

I think we're past pretending that "settlers" moved into genuinely unoccupied land and were randomly attacked by bloodthirsty Indians for no reason. The fact is, these settlers trespassed onto land that didn't belong to them and set up farms and towns on other folks'(Native American) property as if the Native Americans were no more owners than the raccoons & deer.

It does us no credit to pretend otherwise by writing as if Indians simple attacked the Lincolns while they were "opening a farm in the forest." It wasn't their forest to "open" a farm on! Let's be honest.

I'm hoping someone with more knowledge than I have on the subject can jump in and make appropriate edits.

Elinde7994 (talk) 23:38, 14 February 2021 (UTC)