LOT OF DOCUMENTS AND EPHEMERA RELATED TO THE FAMILY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN.

Lot consists of two Lincoln related items from the Dr. John K. Lattimer collection, both illustrating the difficulties presented by shared names in Lincoln’s extended family: (A) May 1774 Berks County, Pennsylvania, document signed by Abraham Lincoln and Samuel High as commissioners in appraising a parcel of land for tax purposes. 1 pg. folio. CONDITION: Excellent. This Abraham Lincoln appears to be the President’s half-great uncle rather than his grandfather as initially cataloged in a 1997 sales catalog. (B) Small carved wooden book from the home of Dennis Hanks at Charleston. A small, torn gray cardboard tag accompanies it reading “Charleston Home” and a tag indicating it may have come from a “Fay Sale” or Riba’s catalog #85. Hanks was born in Kentucky in 1799, the illegitimate son of Nancy Hanks, the aunt of Lincoln’s mother, also named Nancy Hanks, thus making him first cousin, once removed, to the President, with whom he was close friends in growing up, with Hanks moving in with Lincoln’s immediate family and later remaining in contact. He later lived in Charleston, Illinois, where he died from injuries sustained in an accident in 1892. CONDITION: Very good. Tag is torn but legible.