Nancy Lincoln

Nancy Hanks Lincoln (February 5, 1784 – October 5, 1818) is best known as the mother of United States President Abraham Lincoln. Her marriage to Thomas Lincoln also produced a daughter, Sarah Lincoln. When Nancy and Thomas had been married for just over 10 years, the family moved from Kentucky to Spencer County, Indiana. Nancy Lincoln died from milk sickness at the Little Pigeon Creek Community in Spencer County when Abraham was nine years old.

Biography

This article reflects the prevailing theories regarding Nancy Hanks Lincoln's heritage. There is information, however, published about the Shipley and Berry family and for Kentucky heritage sites that differs from the prevailing theory. This is explored in greater detail in the Nancy Hanks Lincoln heritage article.

Early life and education

Nancy Hanks Lincoln was born to Lucy Hanks in what was at that time part of Hampshire County, Virginia. Today, the same location is in Antioch in Mineral County, West Virginia. Years after her birth, Abraham Lincoln's law partner William Herndon reported that Lincoln told him his maternal grandfather was "a well-bred Virginia farmer or planter." According to William E. Barton in the "Life of Abraham Lincoln" and Michael Burkhimer in "100 Essential Lincoln Books", Nancy was most likely born illegitimate due to the fact that Hanks' family created stories in order to lead Abraham to believe he was a legitimate member of the Sparrow family.

Nancy Hanks (disambiguation)

Nancy Hanks Lincoln was the mother of Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States of America.

Nancy Hanks may also refer to:

Nancy Hanks (art historian)

Nancy Hanks (1927–1983) was the second chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). She was appointed by President Richard M. Nixon and served from 1969 to 1977, continuing her service under President Gerald R. Ford. During this period, Hanks was active in the fight to save the historic Old Post Office building in Washington, D.C. from demolition. In 1983, it was officially renamed the Nancy Hanks Center, in her honor, and today houses the offices of the NEA, among others.

Early life

Nancy Hanks was born in Miami Beach, Florida on December 31, 1927. She was a distant cousin of Nancy (Hanks) Lincoln, the mother of President Abraham Lincoln. She moved to Montclair, New Jersey, while she was in high school.

Hanks attended Duke University where she majored in political science and was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta sorority.

Career

Hanks was the first woman to serve as the Chairman of the NEA and her political skills enabled her to increase NEA’s funding from US$8 million to US$114 million over her eight-year tenure.