Near Hodgenville in Larue County, Kentucky — The American South (East South Central)
The Lincolns at Knob Creek
Photographed By Courtesy:: Ginger L. Drenning, September 5, 2012
1. The Lincolns at Knob Creek Marker
Inscription.
The Lincolns at Knob Creek. . Challenges to land titles were common in Kentucky’s early years, and the Lincoln family experienced these problems firsthand., In 1811, Thomas and Nancy Lincoln moved here, to Knob Creek, with their two children, Sarah and Abraham. They leased thirty acres of bottomland along the Old Cumberland Trail, and it was here that their third child, Thomas, was born and died in infancy., Abraham and his sister attended the local school, located two miles northeast of here. Two teachers, Zachariah Riney and Caleb Hazel, gave young Abraham his first formal schooling. Lincoln’s classroom education, however, would not last. The demands of the frontier required him to work the family farm, but he continued his education. He borrowed books and read them in front of the fireplace or under a shade tree., In 1815, the Lincolns and nine of their neighbors were involved in a land title dispute for the entire Knob Creek valley. The next autumn, Thomas Lincoln lost a court case to regain the Sinking Spring farm where the Lincoln Birthplace Memorial is now located. He then moved the family to present-day Spencer County, Indiana., [ Insert - Lincoln letter to Hon. Samuel Haycraft ], The place on Knob Creek, mentioned by Mr. Read, I remember very well; but I was not born there. As my parents have told me, I was born on Nolin, very much nearer Hodgin’s-Mill than the Knob Creek place is. My earliest recollection, however, is of the Knob Creek Place., , Letter from Abraham Lincoln to the Hon. Samuel Haycraft, June 4, 1860, [ Insert on Left Side ], Kentucky , – ∮ – ∮ – ∮ – , Lincoln , Heritage Trail , 1809 , Abraham Lincoln born at Sinking Spring Farm, in present-day Larue County, Kentucky., 1816 , Lincoln family moved from Kentucky., 1841 , Abraham Lincoln visited his friend Joshua speed at Farmington, the Speed family plantation, in Louisville, Kentucky., 1842 , Abraham Lincoln married Mary Todd of Lexington, Kentucky., 1847 , The Lincoln family visited Lexington, Kentucky, en route to Abraham’s only term in Congress., 1860 , Abraham Lincoln elected President of the United States in November., 1865 , Abraham Lincoln assassinated at Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C.
Challenges to land titles were common in Kentucky’s early years, and the Lincoln family experienced these problems firsthand.
In 1811, Thomas and Nancy Lincoln moved here, to Knob Creek, with their two children, Sarah and Abraham. They leased thirty acres of bottomland along the Old Cumberland Trail, and it was here that their third child, Thomas, was born and died in infancy.
Abraham and his sister attended the local school, located two miles northeast of here. Two teachers, Zachariah Riney and Caleb Hazel, gave young Abraham his first formal schooling. Lincoln’s classroom education, however, would not last. The demands of the frontier required him to work the family farm, but he continued his education. He borrowed books and read them in front of the fireplace or under a shade tree.
In 1815, the Lincolns and nine of their neighbors were involved in a land title dispute for the entire Knob Creek valley. The next autumn, Thomas Lincoln lost a court case to regain the Sinking Spring farm where the Lincoln Birthplace Memorial is now located. He then moved the family to present-day Spencer County, Indiana.
[ Insert - Lincoln letter to Hon. Samuel Haycraft ]
The place on Knob Creek, mentioned by Mr. Read, I remember very well; but I was not born there. As my parents have told me, I was
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born on Nolin, very much nearer Hodgin’s-Mill than the Knob Creek place is. My earliest recollection, however, is of the Knob Creek Place.
—Letter from Abraham Lincoln to the Hon. Samuel Haycraft, June 4, 1860
[ Insert on Left Side ]
Kentucky
– ∮ – ∮ – ∮ – Lincoln
* Heritage Trail *
1809 — Abraham Lincoln born at Sinking Spring Farm, in present-day Larue County, Kentucky.
1816 — Lincoln family moved from Kentucky.
1841 — Abraham Lincoln visited his friend Joshua speed at Farmington, the Speed family plantation, in Louisville, Kentucky.
1842 — Abraham Lincoln married Mary Todd of Lexington, Kentucky.
1847 — The Lincoln family visited Lexington, Kentucky, en route to Abraham’s only term in Congress.
1860 — Abraham Lincoln elected President of the United States in November.
1865 — Abraham Lincoln assassinated at Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C.
Erected by National Park Service Dept. of the Interior.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Notable Places. In addition, it
Photographed By Courtesy:: Ginger L. Drenning, September 5, 2012
2. Full View - - The Lincolns at Knob Creek Marker
Location. 37° 36.689′ N, 85° 38.278′ W. Marker is near Hodgenville, Kentucky, in Larue County. Marker can be reached from Bardstown Road (U.S. 31E) north of White City Road (Kentucky Route 470), on the left when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Hodgenville KY 42748, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Photographed By Courtesy:: Ginger L. Drenning, September 5, 2012
4. Text - - The Lincolns at Knob Creek Marker
Photographed By Courtesy:: Ginger L. Drenning, September 5, 2012
5. Title Disputes - - Survey Map
Text reads —
Many pioneer Kentuckians faced the same land claim issues as Thomas Lincoln. To the left is a survey map of overlapping land claims in late-18th-century Kentucky, where many individuals laid claim to the same tract of land.
Courtesy of the Eastern Kentucky University Archives
Photographed By Courtesy:: Ginger L. Drenning, September 5, 2012
6. Photo - Cabin & Text
Text reads —
The cabin before you was constructed using logs from the original Gollaher cabin. Austin Gollaher, a childhood playmate of Abraham Lincoln, is believed to have saved Lincoln from drowning by pulling him to safety from the nearby swollen creek.
Courtesy of Mary Brooks Howard
Photographed By Courtesy:: Ginger L. Drenning, September 5, 2012
7. Photo - Cabin Logs & Text
Text reads —
The Gollaher cabin logs prior to their reassembly at the present site before you.
Courtesy of Mary Brooks Howard
Photographed By Courtesy:: Ginger L. Drenning, September 5, 2012
Photographed By Courtesy:: Ginger L. Drenning, September 5, 2012
9. Cabin
Courtesy:: Kentucky Historical Society, January 23, 2008
10. Interior - - Cabin
Photographed By Courtesy:: Ginger L. Drenning, September 5, 2012
11. Obverse - - Cabin
Photographed By Courtesy:: Ginger L. Drenning, September 5, 2012
12. Tree with "Knob"
Photographed By Courtesy:: Ginger L. Drenning, September 5, 2012
13. Sign - -
(Text of sign):
Northern Catalpa
“Soft, weak, and brittle with very good
decay resistance and stability.
Mainly used for fence posts, rails,
beams, and crating. Also good for
turned articles and carving due to soft-
ness and stability. Other uses include
millwork, framing, forms, furniture,
drawer sides, and general purpose
construction.”
Photographed By Courtesy:: Ginger L. Drenning, September 5, 2012
14. "Knob" of Tree
Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on October 9, 2012, by Al Wolf of Veedersburg, Indiana. This page has been viewed 674 times since then and 30 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14. submitted on October 9, 2012, by Al Wolf of Veedersburg, Indiana.