WILL of Joseph Hanks.

This Joseph Hanks is most likely the ancestor of Nancy, Dennis and John "the Rail-Splitter" Hanks we think. He named Dennis' mother and John's father in his will, but not Lucy, mother of Nancy Hanks. If Nancy Hanks, mother of Abraham Lincoln is descended from the Gwynedd Meeting Hanks line, this is the man that would have to be traced back to Berks County, Pennsylvania. At present, it appears more likely he was born in Richmond County, Virginia. Joseph Hanks's wife was named Nancy (a nick-name for Ann) and her maiden name was probably Lee. Among his children were: Thomas, who married Elizabeth Ryan and did not migrate from Virginia to Kentucky and later migrated to Logan Co., OH; William, who married Elizabeth Hall and was the father of John the Rail-Splitter; Charles who migrated to Louisiana and married Christine Hargraves;  Elizabeth who married Thomas Sparrow, both of whom died in Spencer Co., IN of milk sickness with Nancy Hanks Lincoln in 1818 -- they had no children but were raising Dennis and Sophie Hanks; Mary Hanks who married Jesse Friend; Nancy Hanks who had Dennis Hanks out of wedlock (1799 when she was 15), then later married Levi Hall; Joseph Hanks who married Mary Young and inherited his father's 150 acres in Nelson County; probably Lucy Hanks (not in the will) who had 2 children out of wedlock in Mercer County (Nancy, mother of the President in 1784 and Sarah about 1789 -- Sarah later the mother of Sophie) and later married Henry Sparrow. Note there are lots of theories about the parents of Nancy Hanks Lincoln, but that this one is the one supported by what is known now.

WILL BOOK A, p. 102, Nelson County, Kentucky

In the name of God Amen.

I, Joseph Hanks of Nelson County, State of Kentucky, being of sound mind and memory, but weak in body and calling to mind the frailty of all human nature, do make and demise this my last will and testament in the manner and form following, to wit :

Item. I give and bequeath unto my son Thomas one sorrel horse called Major.

Item. I give and bequeath unto my son Joshua one gray mare Bonny.

Item. I give and bequeath unto my son William one gray horse called Gilbert. Item. I give and bequeath unto my son Charles one roan horse called Tobe.

Item. I give and bequeath unto my son Joseph one horse called Bald. Also the land whereon I now live, containing one hundred and fifty acres.

Item. I give and bequeath unto my daughter Elizabeth one heifer yearling called Gentle.

Item. I give and bequeath unto my daughter Polly one heifer yearling called Lady.

Item. I give and bequeath unto my daughter Nancy one heifer yearling called Peidy.

Item. I give and bequeath unto my wife Nanny all and singular my whole estate during her life, afterward to be equally divided between all my children. It is also my wish and desire that the whole of the property first above bequeathed should be the property of my wife during her life. And lastly, I constitute, ordain, and appoint my wife Nanny and my son William as my executrix and executor to this my last will and Testament.

Signed, sealed and delivered in the presence of us this eighth day of January, One thousand seven hundred and ninety three.

Wit. Isaac Lansdale, John Davis, Peter Atherton

Joseph Hanks (X his mark with a seal)

At a court begun and held for Nelson County on Tuesday the fourteenth day of May, 1793, this last will and testament of Joseph Hanks dec'd was produced in court and sworn to by William Hanks, one of the executors therein named and was proved by the oaths of Isaac Lansdale and John Davis, subscribing witnesses thereto, and ordered to be recorded.

Attest. Ben Grayson, Clerk

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note: this page was transcribed from the appendix of "The Paternity of Abraham Lincoln" by William Eleazar Barton, 1920.