GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS Judge for yourself: does that famous jawline reveal Lincoln’s true paternity? Spring 2008 olloquyVolume 9 • Number 1 CT HE U NIVERSI T Y OF T ENNESSEE L IBRARIES The Curious Paternity of Abraham Lincoln Great Smoky Mountains Colloquy WAS HE A SMOKY MOUNTAIN BOY? is a newsletter published by umors have persisted since the late 19th century that Abraham Lincoln The University of Tennessee was not the son of Thomas Lincoln but was actually the illegitimate Libraries. Rson of a Smoky Mountain man, Abram Enloe. The story of Lincoln’s Co-editors: paternity was first related in 1893 article in theCharlotte Observer by a writer Anne Bridges who called himself a “Student of History.” The myth Ken Wise was later perpetuated by several other Western North Carolina writers, most notably James H. Cathey in a Correspondence and book entitled Truth Is Stranger than Fiction: True Genesis change of address: GSM Colloquy of a Wonderful Man published first in 1899. Here is the 152D John C. Hodges Library story as it was told by Cathey and “Student of History.” The University of Tennessee Around 1800, Abram Enloe, a resident of Rutherford Knoxville, TN 37996-1000 County, N. C., brought into his household an orphan, 865/974-2359 Nancy Hanks, to be a family servant. She was about ten 865/974-9242 (fax) or twelve years old at the time. When Nancy was about Email: [email protected] eighteen or twenty, the family moved to Swain County, Web: www.lib.utk.edu/smokies/ settling in Oconoluftee at the edge of the Smokies. Enloe’s daughter, who was also named Nancy, eloped with a Kentucky man named Thompson, against the wishes of her family. Soon after the elopement, it became apparent that Nancy Hanks was pregnant. Mrs. Enloe was understandably very unhappy with this state of affairs. There are two versions of what happened at this point. In one version, Nancy Hanks had her baby in the Enloe home or perhaps a neighbor’s home in Oconoluftee. In the second version, she was removed from the home before the birth of her son. In both versions, the daughter, Nancy Thompson, who had reconciled with her parents, came home to visit. On her return to Kentucky, she took Nancy Hanks either pregnant or with her infant son, back to Kentucky to live with her. Soon after her removal to Kentucky, Hanks met and married GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS Thomas Lincoln, the man who was presumed to be Abraham Lincoln’s father. The theory that Abraham Lincoln was the son of Abram Enloe was bolstered by several factors. First there was the obvious similarity in the first names. Enloe was a tall, dark-haired man weighing between 200 and 300 lbs. Although Lincoln was not a heavy man, he was tall with dark hair. “Student of History” traveled to the Enloe family farm and met with Abram Enloe’s son, Wesley Enloe. He was the youngest of about sixteen children and did not know the Nancy Hanks story (continued on page 2) REGIONAL PROJECT GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS COLLOQUY Spring 2008 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Curious Paternity of Abraham Lincoln, continued To read more about the discussion of Abram Enloe as the father of Abraham Lincoln, see the following sources. Barton, William E. The Paternity of Abraham Lincoln. NY, George H. Family resemblance? personally, but apparently to live with relatives in Kentucky where Doran Co., 1920. LEFT : Wesley Enloe: several of the brothers and she met and married Lincoln. Half brother of Wesley’s daughter Julia William E. Barton analyzes various Cathey, James H. Truth Abraham Lincoln? resembled Lincoln. Wesley theories about the father of Abraham is Stranger than Fiction; himself did not look as much Lincoln in his book, The Paternity of CENTER : Julia Enloe: True Genesis of a Wonder- Niece of Abraham like Lincoln as other family Abraham Lincoln. Barton identifies ful Man. Atlanta: Franklin Lincoln? members, but “Student of seven alternative fathers for Lincoln. In Printing and Pub. Co., History” did notice a resem- addition to Enloe, the candidates for 1899. Later reprinted with blance in a photograph of a younger Wesley. Lincoln’s father include Abe Enlow of additional information as Both photographs of Wesley and Julia from Kentucky, John C. Calhoun, and Andrew The Genesis of Lincoln. Cathey’s book are reproduced here in the Marshall, adopted son of Chief Justice Colloquy. James Coggins in Abraham John Marshall. Barton rejects them all in Coggins, James Caswell. Lincoln: A North Carolinian added the favor of Thomas Lincoln. Apparently the Abraham Lincoln: A North additional theory that Lincoln’s birth date marriage certificate of Thomas Lincoln Carolinian: A True and had been falsified by biographers to hide and Nancy Hanks had been located Thrilling Story Never Before the fact that he was born before Nancy confirming that Lincoln and Hanks Published: Told by a Third Hanks and Thomas Lincoln were married. were married some three years before Cousin of President Lincoln Cathey also gathered testimony from the birth of their son, Abraham. …A Buncombe County, several people who had second- or third- Why did the rumor that Lincoln North Carolina, Tradition. hand knowledge of the events that occurred was the son of Abram Enloe surface in Asheville: Advocate Pub. earlier in the century. A local merchant, the late 19th century? It is difficult to Co., 1925. Later reprinted Joseph A. Collins, related to Cathey a story know the reason at this point but it as Abraham Lincoln: A that had been told to him by Judge Gilmore may have been because, after his death, North Carolinian with Proof. of Texas. Gilmore had heard the story from Lincoln was idolized in the United States. Phillis Wells who, at the time that Lincoln An opportunity to link Western North Student of History. “Abram was born, was a traveling salesman. In his Carolina to Lincoln would have been Lincoln’s Parents. Another travels he often stayed with Abram Enloe seen as advantageous by the local writers. Chapter of the Story. Local in Oconoluftee. One day when Wells Apparently Lincoln himself did not talk Tradition of the Great arrived at Enloe’s house, he reported that much about his childhood and family Emancipator’s North Enloe said: “My wife is mad; about to tear background, leading to extensive specula- Carolina Ancestry and up the place; she has not spoken to me in tion. Some of the speculation may have A Visit to the Enloe two weeks, and I wanted to tell you about been the result of the supposition that a Homestead—Tracing a it before you went into the house.” When man as brilliant as Lincoln could not have Family Resemblance asked what the problem was, Enloe replied been the child of unschooled Thomas among the Enloes to that the problem was with Nancy Hanks, Lincoln and Nancy Hanks. Adding to the Lincoln.” The Charlotte the hired girl. On a subsequent visit, Enloe confusion, there may have been another Observer (September 17, told him that he had sent Nancy Hanks Nancy Hanks, not Lincoln’s mother, but 1893): 2. See also related to a family near Jonathans Creek to have a young woman who had the unfortunate Observer articles: her baby which she named Abraham. experience of delivering an illegitimate September 10, 1893. According to Wells, Hanks was then sent child fathered by Abram Enloe. Spring 2008 GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS COLLOQUY ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- New on the Smokies Bookshelf NON -FICTION FICTION Clabough, Casey. The Warrier’s Path: Barton, Beverly. The Murder Game. Reflections along an Ancient Route. NY: Zebra, 2008. Knoxville: University of Tennessee Press, 2007. Barton, Beverly. Raintree: Sanctuary. NY: Silhouette, 2007. Frome, Michael. Rebel on the Road: And Why I Was Never Neutral. Kirks- Caldwell, Wayne. Cataloochee: A ville, Mo. : Truman State University Novel. NY: Random House, 2007. Press, 2007. Carson, Jo. Teller Tales: Histories Hall, Karen J. Building the Blue Ridge [“What Sweet Lips Can Do” and Parkway. (Images of America series) “Men of Their Time”]. Athens: Charleston, SC: Arcardia Publishing, Ohio University Press, 2007 2007. JUVENILE Kavanagh, James. Great Smoky Moun- tains Birds: An Introduction to Over 140 Species. Phoenix: Waterford Bowes, John. The Trail of Tears: REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION FROM Building Press, 2008. Removal in the South. NY: Chelsea the Blue Ridge Parkway, BY Karen J. Hall. House, 2007. Kavanagh, James. Great Smoky AVAILABLE FROM THE PUBLISHER ONLINE AT www.arcadiapublishing.com OR BY CALLING Mountains Trees & Wildflowers: An 888-313-2665. Heermance, Sloan. Venture to the Introduction to Over 140 Familiar Smokies: A Teddy Bear Explores Great Species of Trees, Shrubs, and Wild- Smoky Mountains National Park. flowers. Phoenix: Waterford Press, Eugene, OR: Ventures Adventures, 2008. 2007. LaFevre, Kat and John. Scavenger Kent, Deborah. The Trail of Tears. Hike Adventures: Great Smoky NY: Children’s Press, 2007. Mountains National Park. Gilford, Madden, Kerry. Jessie’s Mountain. CT: Falcon, 2007. NY: Viking, 2008. Lea, Bill. Cades Cove: Window to Maynard, Charles W. Going to the a Secret World. Johnson City, TN: Great Smoky Mountains. Helena, Mountain Trail Press, 2007. MT: Farcountry Press, 2008. Miller, Joe. 100 Classic Hikes in REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION FROM O’Connor, Barbara. Greetings from North Carolina. Seattle, WA : MOUNTAIN TRAIL PRESS Nowhere. NY: Farrar, Straus and Mountaineers Books, 2007. Giroux, 2008. Minetor, Randi. Great Smoky Mountains National Park Pocket Guide. Guilford, CT: Falcon, 2008. Sturgis, Amy H. The Trail of Tears and Indian Removal. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2007. REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION FROM FALCON PRESS GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS COLLOQUY Spring 2008 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The “Mystery Building in the Sugarlands” Revisited n the previous issue of the Great Smoky Mountains Colloquy, in the Sugarlands.