2-SC-26 Original
Subject: An original letter refuting the Lincoln-Rutledge Legend: "...a lie out of whole cloth..."

Description: The story of Abraham Lincoln and Ann Rutledge started when Lincoln arrived in New Salem in 1832, and boarded at the James Rutledge. There he met the owner's daughter, Ann.

Wayne C. Temple, PhD., F.R.S.A., Lincoln author, Lincoln historian and Chief Deputy Director, Illinois State Archives writes:

Abraham Lincoln's honor vindicated: Would Abraham Lincoln court a woman already engaged to a man in a small town where there were never 300 people in it? Certainly such actions would not be in keeping with the renown reputation of Honest Abe. Yet Billy Herndon would have us believe that

Mr. Lincoln became engaged to Miss Ann Rutledge (Jan. 7, 1813 - Aug. 25, 1835) at New Salem when she was already engaged to marry Mr. John McNamar, who called himself "McNeil."

Now, a personal letter from an old New Salem resident, Mr. R. J. Onstott, is the latest document to be discovered concerning this troublesome topic of Abraham Lincoln's love life. The son of Henry Onstott, the cooper at New Salem while Lincoln lived there, R. J. Onstott declared in a letter to Mr. Richard Yates Kincaid that the tale of Ann Rutledge being Lincoln's sweetheart "is a lie out of Whole Cloth."

R. J. Onstott certainly knew the facts from his own observations as a small child and the observations of his family members. He had no personal reason to refute the story so widely spread by Wm. H. Herndon's several publications. Nor did Onstott write his letter for publication or personal aggrandizement. No, he merely wrote a private letter expressing his own knowledge of the supposed love affair and asking for a first edition copy of Herndon's biography of Lincoln. He wished to check it to see if the first edition had also contained the anecdotes about Ann Rutledge and Abraham Lincoln which he knew to be false.

This original missive, owned by Phillip H. Wagner, is a very important new piece of Lincolnia. It corroborates the statements given by Daniel Green Burner, an adult at the time Lincoln lived with the Burners for a period of time at New Salem. Young Lincoln worked in their little stillhouse one winter, too. Burner wrote that 'as long as I knew him in New Salem I never saw him with a girl...Talking about girls, I want to say there is no truth in the story about Lincoln being engaged to Ann Rutledge.'

N. W. Brandon, another local resident, reported that Lincoln 'didn't go to see the girls much.' At this time of his life, Lincoln was quite shy when in the company of women.

R. B. Rutledge, in telling his tales of Lincoln's romance with his sister, changed his account several times while recounting the story to Herndon. It was prime chance for the Rutledge family to share in the limelight of Abraham Lincoln's immortal life story.

Many writers have ignored the reports of those who discredit the Ann Rutledge tale and have concentrated upon those few which support it. Now, historians will have to deal with this latest discovery and take it into account when writing of Lincoln's early life at New Salem."

signed: Wayne C. Temple

In an undated letter - most likely circa 1890 - R. J. Onstott corresponds regarding a first edition of Herndon's Lincoln, written in pencil on 3 pages of ruled paper with the rubber stamped inprint of "Onstott's Book Store, Mason City, Ill.", separation and weakness at usual folds, it is addressed to "Mr. R. J. Kincaid, Athens, Ill." R. J. Kincaid's father's farm was surveyed by Abraham Lincoln. The letter contents:

Dear Sir:

Through Mr. Kincaid, Mason City, I learn you have Life of Abraham Lincoln Written by William Herndon the first edition not his Revised, as I have that in two volumes. I mean the First Edition. If you have it I should like much to see it and read it. I suppose you know who I am. R. J. Onstott Born at New Salem Dec 1830 that was before Abraham Lincoln came down the Sangamon River with Offit on the flat boat on their trip to New Orleans. I know the Publisher destroy all of this first Edition if they can get a hold of it. I know there is not anything in the first Edition about the Story of Ann Rutledge being Lincoln's sweet heart. This could not be for My Father Henry Onstott bought the Tavern of Jas Rutledge in 1833 and Jas Rutledge Moved down to Concord 6 miles north of New Salem and the Rutledges did not live in New Salem after that. So all the Story is a lie out of Whole Cloth. It is to refute thees lies that I want to get this first Edition. I remember very well when Ann Rutledge died. My Father went to see her and the Family about two weeks before she died. I know that Lincoln did go to see her once at her request as others did but he did go to her funeral.

The Salem Chautaqa got me to Plat New Salem and Publish it to Preserve it and I will send you Copy of it and ask you to accept have it framed. I also send a...

I was not a Soldier on account of being Ruptured lifting on a Lincoln Pole at Havana Ills in 1860. Ran as Mail Agent from Pekin to Virginia every day till 1863. I am the only one now living of the 9 who originated and organized the Union League at Pekin Illinois in 1862. I have now in my Safe all of the Ritual and Working of League which I shall soon Publish.

Let me hear from you soon.

Very rushed,

R. J. Onstott, Snow busy

The letter was part of a collection of papers obtained from the Kincaid family of Illinois. Lincoln boarded with Onstott at the Rutledge Inn. It was in the Onstott's cooper shop that Isaac Onstott, R. J.'s brother, fed shavings to the fire which Lincoln read by when he studied surveying. It was from Henry Onstott that Lincoln borrowed the auger to bore the hole in the bottom of the flat boat that was hung up on the New Salem Dam.
  

This historic, unsolicited letter is valued at $4,000.00 SOLD