This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/5519/lg.2ADE/1204.1.1.1.1 Message Board Post: Jessie Hanks' great grandfather was William Hanks born April 30, 1807. William Married Polly O'Hair born July 25, 1809. Edgar county History, Prairie Progress 1880 - 1975: William was a ( first ) cousin of Abraham Lincoln _________ History of Edgar county, Illinois 1879: William Hanks, now deceased ( 1879 ), Paris, who was one of the early settlers of Edgar county; he was born April 30, 1807; was a native of Montgomery county, Kentucky, He was married September 7, 1827, to Miss Mary O'Hair of Wolfe county, Kentucky; in 1828, they came to Edgar county., and settled on the farm where Mrs. Hanks now lives; they came with scarcely any property , but, as time went on, they accumulated property quite rapidly for those early times. Subjected to the hardships of pioneer life, deprived of churches and many social pleasures, he still worked on, and at the time of his death, which occurred November 6, 1875, he left a fine property of nearly 800 acres of good land. He was a pioneer that, during his life, was always ready to give liberally to any enterprise that he deemed for the public good; was a friend to the schools, the churches and the poor; was a member of the Christian church twenty five years previous to his death. He was mourned by a large circle of old friends and pioneers. Mrs. Hanks now 69 years old, is still active and smart. They had a family of 14 children, 13 of which are still living. ________ William fought in the Black Hawk War side by side with Abe Lincoln,as Abraham Lincolns first cousin. Hope this helps, Marsha