Nancy Rusher/Peter Brooner
In October of 1818, Nancy Hanks Lincoln (Abraham Lincoln's mother) died of what the pioneers called "milk sickness." This illness was probally caused by poison in the milk of cows that had eaten snakeroot. Thomas Lincoln buried his wife among the trees on a hill near the cabin. (World Book Encyclopedia ... Abraham Lincoln). During this period of illness, she was nursed by Nancy Rusher Brooner. Though not an infectious illness, she succumbed to the same sickness and passed away a couple of weeks after Nancy Lincoln . She isburied near her .* After Lincoln was killed in 1865, there arose much interest in his Indiana connections. The gravesites had but been almost forgotten and was in disarray. People were coming from all over to visit the gravesite of the mother of the beloved President. There was difficulty in locating the graves . Mr William Herndon (a friend and associate of the fallen President ) was told that Mr and Mrs. Sparrow lay on one side of her and that two Brooners lay on the other. The Brooner family assisted in locating the graves. A number of people donated funds to erect an ornamental iron fence and headstones which was placed around the grave of both Mrs. Lincoln and Mrs. Brooner.
* from the Rockport-SpencerSesquicentennialCounty issue , (1818-1968)
There has always been "hand me down" history relating the "fact" that the Rusher Family were "related" to the Lincolns ... Is there anybody "out there" that could tell me if this is so? .. I would appreciate and value any input regarding this point. Thank You .. Myron
More Replies:
-
Re: Nancy Rusher/Peter Brooner
8/07/01
-
Re: Nancy Rusher/Peter Brooner
6/27/01