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+--- Thread: Thomas Lincoln's religiosity (/thread-3290.html)
Thomas Lincoln's religiosity - Steve - 02-15-2017 12:22 PM
What did people who knew Lincoln's father have to say about his religious beliefs and practices? When they were about to leave for Illinois, the Pigeon Creek Baptist church granted him a letter of dismission, stating that he had been a member of the church in good standing but it was withdrawn after objections by members of the Grigsby family:
http://www.thelincolnlog.org/Results.aspx?type=CalendarDay&day=1829-12-12&r=L0NhbGVuZGFyWWVhci5hc3B4P3llYXI9MTgyOSZyPUwwTmhiR1Z1WkdGeUxtRnpjSGc9
I would guess this was based more on personal issues than religion, but I still would like to know more about Thomas Lincoln's religious beliefs and if they changed over time, ie if he became more religious after he started his family in Kentucky.
RE: Thomas Lincoln's religiosity - RJNorton - 02-15-2017 05:03 PM
I have never seen a lot of information on the topic of Thomas Lincoln and religion; there are some thoughts of a gentleman named Thomas B. McGregor here.
RE: Thomas Lincoln's religiosity - Gene C - 02-15-2017 05:14 PM
Roger and I were thinking the same things, I was going to post the same article.
There was usually only one church to be a part of in these small communities and most would not have a full time minister.
Most likely a traveling minister who served several Baptist or similar congregations in the area.
Thomas must have been a special caring person. He took in at least two of Nancy's kin after she died, Dennis and Sophie, until they married. I believe there were others of the Hanks family in the area that could have cared for them. That's quite a step to take for a man who just lost his wife.
Very possibly he opened his home for others from the Hanks family, at different times, on a short term basis.
RE: Thomas Lincoln's religiosity - Steve - 02-15-2017 07:26 PM
Thanks for the link, it really helps shine a light on what type of church the Pigeon Creek congregation was. Burlingame painted the church in an unflattering light in his book, even desribing it as antimission which doesn't seem to match what MacGregor found at all.
It also shed some light on how Thomas Lincoln was seen by other congregants of the church. Although, I do widon't we had more information on his religious beliefs and practices before he married.