Lincoln's Niece - Mrs. See

LINCOLN, SEE, HANKS

Posted By: Pat Ryan White (email)
Date: 1/30/2024 at 13:08:16

WAS A NIECE OF LINCOLN.

Last week the Journal mentioned the death of Mrs. Michael See, of Mediapolis, Des Moines county. A writer in the New London Sun says Mrs. See was a niece of Abraham Lincoln, her maiden name being Hanks. Mrs. See was always very modest in admitting her relationship to our greatest president, but on several occasions during the later years of her life, she had spoken of the fact, and gave some interesting reminiscences of the Lincoln family as she knew them in Illinois. She knew Abe Lincoln before he ever became a lawyer, and when he was merely a peddler of patent medicines. On one occasion, Abraham was making his rounds, and came to the home of his niece’s folks. Here he was taken down with the ague, and Mrs. Lee, then Miss Hanks, nursed him during that time, and declared that Lincoln was as cross as a bear. Ague and gout are two mortal enemies of good temper, and even good-natured Abe Lincoln was unable to wear a smile on that occasion.

(The Evening Journal, Mount Pleasant, Saturday, December 17, 1898, page 4)