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Missing Lincoln: Examining the persistent rumors behind Abraham Lincoln’s Alleged Lost NC Heritage

by Heather Peterson

“Have you heard the rumors…Do you think it’s true?”

You’ve heard that rumors spread like wild fire and can “ruin” a reputation. Well, it may not have ruined his prestigious presidential reputation, but the rumors of Abraham Lincoln’s factual or fictitious North Carolina roots have persisted long since his death.

I don’t want to be one to tell you what is fact or fiction in this scandalous mystery because it is just too hard to separate mountain lore from genuine truth. But I will tell you the story I’ve heard and the things I have found through research.

I was first told the story of Lincoln’s “real father” over a dinner in eastern Gaston County. It began like another history lesson on presidential genealogy. The claim was that Lincoln’s mother Nancy Hanks met, married and left North Carolina with Tom Lincoln only after she was with child. The story claimed that his true father was a man named Adam Springs from the Gaston County town of McAdenville. Hanks had moved from her uncle’s farm to work and live with the Springs family. When Mrs. Springs discovered that Nancy Hanks was with child, the Springs quickly found a man to pay, marry and take away Hanks. That man’s name was Tom Lincoln.

After hearing this legend, I found myself interested in finding the truth. I figured with a little research the clear facts would come out. That was the wrong assumption. After looking through books in the Gaston County library and online I found that at least 16 different men have been attributed as Lincoln’s “real” father.

Some stories are more believable than others. Many of the books included Adam Springs but also named Abraham Enloe. Both books and articles claimed that while living with the Springs, Nancy Hanks worked for Enloe. They said the town rumor was that Miss Hanks did more than just washing and ironing for Mr. Enloe, and that he might be Lincoln’s father. One author claimed that Enloe had heard Tom Lincoln was treating Abraham Lincoln brutally. Enloe supposedly traveled to Kentucky where the Lincolns had moved and proceeded to get in a fight with Tom Lincoln. The fight ended when Enloe had his nose almost completely bitten off. Another author claimed that, in his old age, Abraham Lincoln himself confided in a friend that his real name should not have been Lincoln but Enloe.

Authors tried to prove their stories in a variety of ways. Many used old photographs. Pictures of both Abraham Enloe and Adam Springs’ sons have been compared to Abraham Lincoln because of their sharp features and extreme height. In a brittle book tucked away in the Gaston County Library. A Mr. J.C. Coggins tried to prove that not only was Lincoln born a North Carolinian but so was his mother Nancy Hanks. Coggins had many businessmen in Rutherford County, including doctors, attorneys and police officers, sign a document verifying that Hanks and her son Abraham Lincoln were born there. If you would like to search for yourself, Coggins claimed that there is a Lincoln hill in Rutherford County named after Abraham Lincoln because it was his birthplace.

I believe that the truth of Abraham Lincoln’s “real” father may have left this world with his mother’s passing. We can now only speculate and wonder: was Abraham Lincoln a North Carolinian? And who was the father of this beloved president?

Comments

- Posted by: Thurman at October 18, 2005 11:13 AM

- Posted by: Thea at November 12, 2005 07:13 PM

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