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The economics of that probably played a role in Thomas Lincoln moving to Indiana. But I don't really know how, since they both had easy markets available for crops on the Ohio River. What I'm saying is, Thomas Lincoln wasn't an abolitionist, that part of Kentucky was sparsely rural anyway, and it isn't as if he moved far enough away to insulate himself against the competition of free labor.
Thomas Lincoln wasn't pro-slavery. He apparently had a disgust for slavery although I'm sure he was also no equal rights supporter either (typical for most white Americans at the time).
He was a bit of a shiftless man and Abraham Lincoln had a difficult relationship with his father, or rather, he did not look up to his father. Lincoln was clearly someone far more intelligent than his father and resented his father's failures and how it impacted his own education and childhood.
Thomas Lincoln moved from Kentucky in part because he couldn't prove title to his lands. This was a common problem on the frontiers and people often unwillingly bought land that did not have a clear and free title.
Southern Illinois and Indiana had some existing slavery in the very early frontier days, but it would have been few in numbers. These slaves were grandfathered when the new state constitutions were established and banned slavery. I did a quick search on google and wiki mentions 190 slaves being grandfathered in Indiana and as late as the 1840 census there were still three slaves in Indiana. But even when both states became reliably free, anti-slavery states, both were also strongly anti-black, not just anti-slavery, and did not welcome the existence of free blacks.
Southern Illinois and Indiana were also infamous for Copperheads during the war years, so there was some southern sympathies extant in the very southern parts of those states.
Where do y'all consider Lincoln from? Personally, I'm bias towards the Indiana argument. Looking forward to hearing what everyone else thinks!
I'll go with Illinois. His truly formative years were his years as a lawyer and elected politician. Remember, he did not get a formal college or legal education.
I'll go with Illinois. His truly formative years were his years as a lawyer and elected politician. Remember, he did not get a formal college or legal education.
Well, it's not like we can pick and choose what we like or where we want him to be from. It is what it is. Lincoln was born in KY and spent a portion of his childhood there. He was a born Kentuckian as was Jefferson Davis. It's a little ironic that of all the states back at that time, Kentucky was the birthplace of both of them.
Lincoln was born in Knob Creek, Kentucky. There is a replica of the log cabin in which he was born in Hodgenville, KY. The National Park in LaRue County, KY—Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park is a beautiful site with the replica of the cabin enclosed in a lovely building. I was there last fall. Well worth a visit.
No, Lincoln was born in Hodgenville, about 10 miles from Knob Creek. I have also visited the Sinking spring farm and also the KC farm.
I think I have posted this before. What's my line TV show, the last person alive (at the time) who was in Ford's theatre the night Lincoln was assassinated.
Location: New Albany, Indiana (Greater Louisville)
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The place in Indiana that Lincoln moved to is only 12 miles from the border with Kentucky. That part of Indiana even today is more culturally similar to KY than the rest of Indiana. Also the forested hills where he live in KY did not have any plantations, those were centered around Lexington and far SW KY. Hodgenville KY and Dale IN are similar places. If Linocoln had moved from the plantation country near Lexington to Dale IN... that would be a big difference.
To me debate is more rather Lincoln was from the Ohio Valley region or Central Illinois. I'd say he was an assimilated Illinoisan but his Ohio Valley background meant he could never be a true native of the region.
Well, it's not like we can pick and choose what we like or where we want him to be from. It is what it is. Lincoln was born in KY and spent a portion of his childhood there. He was a born Kentuckian as was Jefferson Davis. It's a little ironic that of all the states back at that time, Kentucky was the birthplace of both of them.
Thanks and repped.
I think it's more that certain areas are more formative on one's life. I lived my first six and a half years in Riverdale, part of the Bronx in NYC. In no way was that formative. Except for college and law school, and five and a half years, mostly as a bachelor in midtown New York City, I have lived in Westchester. I have always had Westchester's rather than other place's issues and problems highest in my mind.
I suspect Lincoln would have said the same about Springfield.
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