1860 Census and Phillip Dinkell

[Steve Whitlock]

(12-13-2015 06:46 PM)maharba Wrote:  I know this Census can be a fairly dry topic which may interest few, but yet I believe there is a bit of a historical mystery here that is worth examining. So, I will plunge ahead. I asked: Where was Abraham Lincoln in the 1840 Census listing? My assumption is that all of us would at least say
Abraham Lincoln lived in Illinois in 1840. So, we do find a listing: in Hancock county, Illinois there is an ABRAM Lincoln. And, for more confirmation, I notice that several genealogists list this (1840 Hancock IL Abram Lincoln) as one and the same, the future president Lincoln 1809-1865. But, in my opinion, that 1840 Hancock county listing is for his first cousin Abraham Lincoln 1797-1852. He was the son of Mordecai Lincoln who was the brother of Thomas Lincoln (Abe's father). Mordecai and Thomas were brothers, their sons both named Abraham were 1st cousins. So, it looks to me that, over the years, historians and genealogists have either smoothed over, or drawn a blank in referencing Abraham Lincoln in the 1840 census. So, I'll keep looking to try and find where he was 'hiding' in that 1840 census. Any ideas are appreciated.

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You should expect to find Abraham Lincoln in the 1840 census with the William Butler family. According to several sources Abraham was living with the William Butler family for about 4 years in the 1837-1841 range.

Gene C of this Forum alludes to it in a thread for Sarah Rickard:

Gene C
Hero Member

Sarah Rickard
"And he was equally determined not to marry her (Mary Todd)
In fact, he was so dtermined that he proposed within a year to another girl. He was thirty two at the time, the girl he proposed to was half that age. She was Sarah Rickard, the little sister of Mrs. Butler, at whose house Lincoln had been boarding for four years."

from Lincloln the Unknown by Dale Carnegie. p63

The author seems to have borrowed a lot from William Hendon on the early life of Lincoln, so is there any truth to this?
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Papers of Abraham Lincoln Digital Library

Barret, Sarah Rickard

Born: 1824-03-02 Fauquier County, Virginia

Died: 1911-10-25 Kansas City, Missouri

Flourished: 1830-1850 Sangamon County, Illinois

Alternate name: Rickard

Sarah moved from Virginia to Sangamon County, Illinois, along with her parents and siblings in 1830. Sarah's older sister Elizabeth married to William Butler, a close friend and political ally of Abraham Lincoln. As a young girl, Sarah spent much time in the home of her sister and brother-in-law, and there she became acquainted with Lincoln. According to Sarah as well as Lincoln's close friend Joshua F. Speed, Lincoln proposed to Sarah in the winter of 1840-41, but she declined as "he seemed allmost like an older Brother." In 1850, she married Dr. Richard F. Barret, and they made their home in St. Louis.

Joshua F. Speed to William H. Herndon, 30 November 1866; Sarah Rickard Barret to William H. Herndon, 3 August 1888 and 12 August 1888, Douglas L. Wilson and Rodney O. Davis, eds., Herndon’s Informants: Letters, Interviews, and Statements about Abraham Lincoln (Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1998), 663-65; John Carroll Power and S. A. Power, History of the Early Settlers of Sangamon County, Illinois (Springfield, IL: Edwin A. Wilson, 1876), 97, 165, 613-14; Illinois Statewide Marriage Index, Sangamon County, 14 March 1850, Illinois State Archives, Springfield, IL; Abraham Lincoln to Joshua F. Speed; Abraham Lincoln to Joshua F. Speed; Abraham Lincoln to Joshua F. Speed; Illinois State Journal (Springfield), 28 October 1911, 9:1.
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William Butler
Birth 1798
Death 12 Jan 1876 (aged 77–78)
Burial
Oak Ridge Cemetery
Springfield, Sangamon County, Illinois, USA
Memorial ID 19485 · View Source

Butler was one of the "Long Nine" & when Abraham Lincoln moved to Springfield in 1837, he boarded at the Butler home. Butler was one of Lincoln's seconds in the famous duel with General John Shields. In 1859, Governor Bissell appointed Butler as State Treasurer, & in 1860 he was reelected for 2 more years.

Bio by: Connie Nisinger
Family Members
Spouse

Photo
Elizabeth Rickard Butler

1808–1869

Children

Photo
Salome Enos Butler

1835–1909
Photo
Speed Butler

1837–1885
Photo
Henry Wirt Butler

1840–1915
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Note in the Find-a-grave memorial for William Butler the mention that Abraham Lincoln moved to Springfield in 1837 and boarded at the Butler home. The 1840 census suggests the possibility, even tho the census taker has the ages off a bit, not unusual. Also, did the Butlers know Abe's real age.

Wm Badler

in the 1840 United States Federal Census

Name: Wm Badler
[Wm Butler]
Home in 1840 (City, County, State): Springfield, Sangamon, Illinois
Free White Persons - Males - Under 5: 2[Speed and Wirt Butler]
Free White Persons - Males - 15 thru 19: 1
Free White Persons - Males - 20 thru 29: 2 [One is Abe Lincoln, 30-31]
Free White Persons - Males - 30 thru 39: 1 [William Butler is really 42]
Free White Persons - Females - Under 5: 1 [Salome E. Butler]
Free White Persons - Females - 20 thru 29: 3
Free Colored Persons - Males - Under 10: 1
Persons Employed in Learned Professional Engineers: 1
Free White Persons - Under 20: 4
Free White Persons - 20 thru 49: 6
Total Free White Persons: 10
Total Free Colored Persons: 1
Total All Persons - Free White, Free Colored, Slaves: 11
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William Butler

in the 1850 United States Federal Census

Name: William Butler
Age: 40
Birth Year: abt 1810
Birthplace: Kentucky
Home in 1850: Springfield, Sangamon, Illinois, USA
Gender: Male
Family Number: 328
Household Members:
Name Age
William Butler 40
Elizabeth Butler 35 [Elizabeth (Rickard Butler]
Salome E Butler 14
Speed Butler 13
Wirt Butler 10
Catharine Powell 20
Caroline Bird 6
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There are also many other records for him in Springfield, IL for 1840, including letters he wrote with a Springfield, IL address.