Lincoln Slept Here

[Eva Elisabeth]

Thank you for the information, Dr. Steers, and I subscribe to Gene's words and Bill's "thank you"! "The best of the lot" is what I've felt about all your books I read!

[LincolnMan]

Just glancing through the book- it looks great. It is larhe size, soft cover, with lots of pictures. This is a much needed volume in the Lincoln world.

[LincolnMan]

Kieran: the book looks great! Love the design and the pictures.

[LincolnMan]

The book has a page addressing whether the well-known photo of Thomas Lincoln is really him. It concludes with a statement to the effect that most accept that it is actually Thomas Lincoln but we will never know for sure.

[RJNorton]

but we will never know for sure.

I agree, Bill. I think the provenance for the Sarah Bush Johnston Lincoln image is considerably better than the provenance for the Thomas Lincoln one.

[LincolnMan]

I've always wondered about that Thomas Lincoln picture. To me, Abraham Lincoln doesn't look like him at all.

[Miss_Bellatrix]

I've always wondered about that Thomas Lincoln picture. To me, Abraham Lincoln doesn't look like him at all.

I've often thought that, too, whenever I've seen that picture of him. If the picture I've seen of his mother, though, is what she really looked like, he appears to resemble her.

[LincolnMan]

Yes, one can see that Nancy and Abraham have similar facial features. What a beautiful painting!

[Eva Elisabeth]

Miss Beatrix and Bill, is second you regarding both, the Thomas and the Nancy Lincoln image!

[RJNorton]

Mary, thank you for posting Lloyd Ostendorf's artwork. His image of Nancy Hanks Lincoln seems to be the "gold standard" based on books I have. I think most every book I have that includes a portrait of Nancy uses Mr. Ostendorf's work.

However, I thought I would include another version. Several years ago I was contacted by a gentleman named Bryan Eaton. Bryan said he had researched Nancy. Bryan's portrayal of Nancy Hanks is below. Bryan writes:

"I have performed a second bit of forensic photo work to portray Nancy Hanks as she may have looked in the early 1800s. I think one can see a better potential of the likeness to what may have been the way Nancy Hanks Lincoln appeared. I have achieved this by taking facial characteristics from the Lincoln family members and eliminating facial characteristics that are not from Thomas Lincoln or Mary Todd. Added references to photos of the family tree, specifically noting resemblences to the offspring of Robert Lincoln, Jessie Harlan Lincoln and Mary Beckwith Lincoln, are used to obtain the most recurring facial structure."

©Copyright Bryan Eaton - image is from www.ColorOfLincoln.com

[LincolnMan]

Interesting. I wish it could tease out Thomas Lincoln's features.

[Eva Elisabeth]

Very interesting, thanks for sharing, Roger.

[RJNorton]

Very interesting, thanks for sharing, Roger.

Thanks, Eva. I checked Vicky Paulson's book on Hanks' genealogy, and Vicky includes a variety of descriptions of Nancy Hanks:

Dennis Hanks said she was 5' 8" and 130 pounds, bluish-green eyes, highly intellectual.

Presly Neirl Haycraft said Nancy was of good size and comely.

N. W. Bronson said Nancy had a light complexion, dark hair, intelligent and a Christian.

Nathaniel Grigsby said she was 5' 7" with dark hair, light hazel eyes, light complexion, and had an extraordinary strength of mind. She was superior to her husband in every way. She was brilliant, had good sense, and modest.

David Turnham said she was rather above medium height, had rather course features, and was good looking. She weighed about 120 pounds with black hair and blue eyes. She had very good moral habits.

John Hanks said she was tall, slender, dark skinned, black hair and eyes. Her face was sharp and angular with a high forehead. She was an intellectual woman, rather extraordinary. Her nature was kindness, mildness, tenderness, and sadness. He felt Abraham was very much like his mother.

[Eva Elisabeth]

To me Ostendorf's painting matches these descriptions well, especially "Her face was sharp and angular with a high forehead."

[Miss_Bellatrix]

To me Ostendorf's painting matches these descriptions well, especially "Her face was sharp and angular with a high forehead."

I'm in agreement with you, Eva.

The Ostendorf painting also seems to portray her character as well that John Hanks mentioned - kindness, mildness, tenderness and sadness. She looks like she was such a gentle person - the type of mother I've always thought that Lincoln would have had.

Roger, you're welcome The Ostendorf painting is a favourite of mine. Thanks for posting the portrayal that Bryan Easton did of Nancy Hanks Lincoln. Even in that one, I see features that remind me of Lincoln. I've always found it interesting when we don't have a photo a person to see how they are portrayed in paintings.