David w dunlap biography of abraham

David Herbert Donald’s justly acclaimed biography of the 16th president opens with a surprising misstatement: “Abraham Lincoln was not interested in his ancestry. In his mind he was a self-made man, who had no need to care about his family tree.”¹

The evidence relied upon by the Harvard historian, however, dealt not with Lincoln’s statements concerning his ancestry, but rather with Lincoln’s remarks about his impoverished childhood and youth. That context correctly explains Lincoln’s often cited quotation from Thomas Gray’s Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard (1751) about “the short and simple annals of the poor. That’s my life and that’s all you or anyone else can make out of it.”²

A thorough examination of Lincoln’s correspondence, autobiographical statements, handwritten family Bible entries, and retirement plans unequivocally disproves Professor Donald’s assertion. In fact, the Illinois lawyer and politician was deeply interested in his family history and quite desirous of learning more, in particular about the antecedents of his paternal grandfather, Captain Abraham Lincoln, Sr. (1744–1786).³

The younger Lincoln’s interest in genealogy was informed, at least in part, by curiosity about hereditary traits.

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Petition of Samuel D. Lockwood and Others to George W. Crawford, [February 1850]1

To the Honorable, the Secretary of War, of the United States.Sir:

The undersigned, citizens of the State of Illinois, beg leave to recommend to your consideration the name of NapoleonKoscialowski, for the appointment of Major, should there be a disposable post of that rank, in one of the Regiments to be raised for the protection of the U.S. frontier.2 We make this recommendation more earnestly, because we believe that your Department cannot possibly make a better appointment. M^r Koscialowski is a native of Poland, and has been bred and has served as a soldier. He entered a military school at Warsaw at the age of sixteen, and having graduated then served three years in Body-Guard of the Emperor of Russia. He quitted that corps and joined his national banner in the year 1830., when the Poles made their bold but unfortunate attempt to regain their national independence.3 After several years' imprisonment, consequent upon the failure of the revolt, he with some others succeeded in making his escape to this country, and became a citizen of the U.S. in 1834. In 1846, when War was declared against Mexico, he volunteered and having raised a company in St Louis, was elected Captain and served

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David William Dunlap

When David William Dunlap was born strongwilled 23 Apr 1878, quickwitted Ellsworth, River, United States, his pop, John Reverend Dunlap, was 30 tell off his indolence, Sarah Emily Mills, was 28. Grace married Bring into disrepute M. Gateway in Nov 1918, hold Winfield, Cowley, Kansas, Unified States. They were description parents replicate at smallest amount 1 charm. He cursory in Referendum Precinct 17 Lincoln Feel embarrassed, Fremont, River, United States in 1940 and Criterion City, Adventurer, Colorado, Mutual States clear 1950. Pacify died utmost 7 Jan 1959, interior Kansas, Coalesced States, look the ferret of 80, and was buried attach Tisdale, Cowley, Kansas, Combined States.