Was Lincoln of Dutch descent?

[loetar44]

I read in an article that President Lincoln was of English ancestry, along with a smaller amount of DUTCH and Scots-Irish (Northern Irish) roots.

I’m not a genealogist, but I’ve never heard before of Lincoln’s Dutch roots, so I started some research, to find some evidence that Dutch blood runs in Abraham Lincoln’s lineage? I’ve only found two traditions re. Alexander Herring, but no (clear) proof. My question. Is there any proof? If not, which tradition is most commonly believed in? Would be great if Lincoln was in a small amount Dutch.

First tradition:
Alexander Herring (Lincoln’s paternal great-grandfather) was of English descent.
Probably inspired by the story of Herring Chrisman (1823 – 1911) in his book “Memoirs of Lincoln” (published posthumously by his son William Herring Chrisman in 1930) the first immigrant Herring was according to some accounts an English gentleman’s son born in Norfolk County England. His name was Alexander (I) and was possibly related to William Herron of Ford Castle (in Berwick upon Tweed, Northumberland). It is said Alexander’s parents died when he was a boy and he went to live with family who sent him to a boarding school. Discipline was harsh, so he ran away and hired himself for passage to a shipmaster who was about to sail to the colonies. It is believed that he landed in the upper colonies, lived in New York, eventually married and that is where his only son Alexander (II) and possibly his other children (daughters) were born. Alexander (II) was born in 1674. At some point Alexander II took his family to Sussex Co., Delaware, bought land and is found living there until his death in 1735. Alexander II (1674 – 1735) began the branch from which Bathsheba Herring (Lincoln’s paternal grandmother) descended. His son Allexander (III) married Abigail Harrison and they were the parents of Bathsheba.

Second tradition: Alexander Herring was of Dutch descent.
Jan Pietersen (= son of Pieter = Peter) Haring (Haring is Dutch for Herring, yes the fish) was born 26 December 1633, at the town of Hoorn, in today’s Province of Noord Holland (North Holland) in the Netherlands. He cannot be documented in New Netherland before 1662, when he was 28. So he was of a mature age at emigration. He was a wheelewright, the occupation of his father­in­law. Cosyn Gerritsen van Putten. Jan married the widow Margrietje Cosyns Gerritsen (her first husband was Harman Theunisen). The marriage was the first to be performed in the new Dutch Church at the Stuyvesant Bowery on Whitsuntide, February 1662. She was the daughter of Cosyn Gerritsen and Vrouwtie Gerritse. Margrietje was born in Haarlem, Holland and baptized in New Amsterdam on 5 May 1641, at the Dutch Reformed Church. She died in Orange County, New York in 1733, age 90. Through his marriage to Grietje, Jan Pietersen Haring acquired land in the Out Ward of Manhattan, which he farmed. All of the children of the Haring’s were born on their farm. Later almost the entire family moved to Tappan, New York, in 1686. (Jan obtained a deed from the Tappan Indians on 17 March 1681/1682, but never was there because he died in New Amsterdam on 7 December 1683). According to Garry Bryant Jan Pieterse Haring and Margrietje Cosyns had eight children. The 4th son (Source: Gary Boyd Roberts, Ancestors of American Presidents, Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society) was: Alexander Harring (= Alexander Herring), born 12 February 1674, married to Margaret (maiden name unknown), died before 1738. He began the branch from which Bathsheba Herring descended. His son Allexander Jr. married Abigail Harrison and they were the parents of Bathsheba, Lincoln’s paternal grandmother.

[Eva Elisabeth]

Kees, what you dig up is always fascinating!

[Ed Steers]

Dear Kees, Proof of a Herring ancestry is lacking, although most Lincoln scholars believe, as you point out, that Bersheba (Bathsheba) was a Herring, the daughter of Alexander Herring of Rockingham County, Virginia. As to the Herring ancestry being Dutch, I have never come across any proof or even suggestion of it. The record is basically absent as far as I know. Your account of the possible Dutch ancestry via Alexander Harring is intriguing and now in my files on Lincoln's ancestry. many thanks. Ed Steers

[loetar44]

“The Haring Family Notebook—1810”, a family record made by Julia (Haring) White (1850–1928)and possibly transcribed (it’s not proven, but it is likely) from a family bible in the estate of Jan Pietersen’s son, Peter Jansen Haring, who died in 1750 was the source for many researchers.

However, "The Notebook" only gives 7 children as follows:

“John Haring and Margaret Cozine had issue as follows: 1. a Son named Peter born the 13th day of August 1664. 2. a Daughter named Vroutje who became the wife of Teunis Quick she was born May the 3d 1667. 3. a Son named Cozine (John J. Haring inserted in pencil above) born the 3d of March 1669 (M Maria Blanch inserted in pencil above the word March). 4. a Son named Cornelius born the 4th of March 1672 (m Cathalina Flieboam inserted in pencil over the word March). 5. a Daughter named Bridget who became the wife of Teunis (Douwese inserted above in pencil) Taleman. She was born the 4th day of July 1675. 6. a Daughter named Mary who became the wife of Jacob Fliereboam (son of Judge of Albany Co inserted in pencil). She was born September 27, 1679. 7. a Son named Abraham born the 24th day of November 1681 (inserted in pencil: he married Derckje Tallman).”

All later works, including Firth Haring Fabend in her 1991 publication of her book on 5 generations Haring family (“A Dutch Family in the Middle Colonies, 1660–1800”) and Peter Haring Judd’s “Genealogical and Biographical Notes” , compiled in 2005, also give 7 children. No Alexander Herring. I think their work is based on "The Notebook".

A certain John Williams looking to confirm Abraham Lincoln's Herring line, primarily followed the Quackenbush collection of Dutch family sheets from the PCHS (Passaic County Historical Society). He wrote (August 1999): “President Lincoln's father Thomas was son of Abraham Lincoln and Bathsheba Herring. Bathsheba, b abt 1745, m. 9 Jun 1770 Harrisonburg VA to Abraham Lincoln, was daughter of Alexander (Sander) b. abt 1720, Oyster Bay, Long Island, NY, and Abigail Harrison, b 1710 Smithtown, Long Island, d 1780 Rockingham Co. VA. Alexander (Sander) was son of, Sander b. 12 Feb 1674, Tappan NY, and Margaret (married abt 1707 Oyster Bay). Sander was son of Jan Pieterse Haring, the immigrant, and Grietje Gerritsen.”

http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th...935699359,

Garry Bryant (in his October 2014 article "History of Jan Pieterse Haring, 1633 - 1683") include Alexander (Dutch name “Sander”) and gives 8 children, as follows:

CHILDREN 1. Pieter Jansen Haring - Born 13/15 August 1664, at New York City, New York, New York. Married on 4 Deember 1687, to Margrietje Jans Bogaert (1688-1749), at Haarlem Dutch Reformed Church in New York, 12 children. He died after 1726. 2. Vrouwtye (Wintje) Haring - Born 3 May 1667, and christened on 15 May 1667, Dutch Reformed Church, New York City. Married on 30 October 1689, to Teunis Jacob Quick, 9 child-ren. She died after 1706. His Will dated 25 April 1739, and proved 1 November 1743. 3. Cosyn Haring - Born 3 March 1669, New York City, christened on 31 March 1669, at Dutch Reformed Church in New York City. Married 1st Maria Blanch; 2nd to Margretje Blauvelt, 8 children. She died in 1743. Cosyn was a captain in Rockland County Militia in 1717. Was one of those who purchased land at Tappan in 1682. Cosyn’s Will dated 13 September 1733, and proved 13 June 1743. 4. Cornelis Haring - Born 4 March 1672, in New York City, christened 10 April 1672, at Dutch Reformed Church in New York City. Married about 1693 to Catharina Matthys Vlierboom, 9 children. He died in 1763. His Will dated 7 February 1742, and proved 28 June 1775. 5. Alexander Harring - Born 12 February 1674. Married to Margaret ???. He died before 1738. (A great-grandchild was Pres. Abraham Lincoln.) 6. Brechje Haring - Born 4 July 1675, New York City, and christened 14 July 1675, at Dutch Reformed Church of New York City. Married 1st in 1694 to Teunis Douwensen Tallman (1665- 1739), at Tappan, Rockland County, New York, 9 children. She died about 1709. He married 2nd on 11 January 1712, to Margrietje Meyndert Hogen camp, 3 children. He died 17 July 1739, at Tappan, Rockland County, New York. 7. Marytie (Maretje) Haring - Born 27 September 1679, and christened 11 October 1679, at Dutch Reformed Church of New York City. Married in 1695 to Jacob T. Vlierboom, 9 children. 8. Abraham Haring - Born 24 November 1681, New York City, christened 13 December 1681, Dutch Reformed Church of New York City. Married on 25 June 1701, to Dirckje Harman Tallman (1678-1768), at Tappan, Rockland County, New York, 13 children. He died 18 March 1772, at Tappan, Rockland County, New York. (2nd son was Col. Abraham Haring of the Revolutionary War.)

Ancestry.com include Alexander.

Attached p61: Genealogical history of Hudson & Bergen Co., NJ with more information of the Hoorn origins of Jan Pietersen Haring.