A descendant of the Tennessee Lincolns, writing under date of May 1915, furnishes the following: "1 am sending you copies of the wills of Isaac and Mary Lincoln of Tennessee. My great-grandmother was Louise Carrigers (nee Ward) whose sister Mary Ward married Isaac Lincoln, great uncle of President Lincoln. Thomas Lincoln, father of Abraham, worked as a farm hand for his uncle, Isaac.
"My grandmother's sister, Mary Lincoln Carriger was named for her aunt, Mary. In her will Mary Ward Lincoln gave ten negro slaves to my great-grandfather Christian Cairiger, who was well to do, and did not need them. She gave all her remaining roperty to her nephew, William Stover (son of her sister, Phoebe Ward) and Daniel Stover, when poor "Abe" was so very poor and needy. Would it not have changed the history of these United States if Abraham Lincoln had only received what was bequeathed to William Stover. Perhaps Abraham Lincoln was predestined to be poor as was his father before him. Had he been made the heir of Aunt Mary Lincoln, perhaps the illustrious Abraham would not have struggled in proverty, and would never have amounted to 'a row of pins,' Had Thomas Lincoln remained in the employ of his uncle Isaac how different his life would have been."
