Friends of Lincoln State Park

Lincoln State Park’s Interpretive Naturalist, Michael Crews wants to reintroduce you to the Col. William Jones Home. As events to celebrate the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial quickly approach, Crews looks to enhance our local Lincoln community and share our Lincoln story with the rest of the world. One important aspect of the story is the Col. William Jones Home located just west of US 231 near Gentryville.

Col. Jones was a tremendous influence in Abraham Lincoln’s life. Jones introduced Abraham Lincoln to the world by providing him with early employment and exposing him to Whig politics. William Jones was the son of Peter Jones from Vincennes, a personal secretary for the territorial governor and future U.S. President, William Henry Harrison. William was a farmer, merchant, politician, banker, real estate agent, commodities trader, and just about anything else you can think of, not to mention a hero of the Civil War. If Indiana helped mold and shape the mind of Abraham Lincoln, Col. Jones played a pivotal role.

Because of Jones’ influence on Lincoln, Crews says he hopes to open the Jones Home for more hours, provide demonstrations in living history, invite school groups, and generally make the Jones Home a special place to visit. The goal will be to let visitors experience frontier Indiana in many different ways. In order to accomplish the goal, however, will require volunteers. Crews is seeking volunteers to split wood, prepare wool into yarn, make butter, build furniture, build outbuildings, gather eggs, cook over a hearth, play frontier games, investigate frontier weapons, and any other aspect of early 19th century pioneer life you can think of.

On Saturday, March 15th there will be a special Jones Home Reintroduction Day from 1 to 4 PM at the Col. Jones Home. Park staff will be giving house tours and scheduling programs for the summer. Attending will not obligate anyone to volunteer at the Jones Home, but will give interested persons a chance to meet and discuss history. Refreshments will be provided as well as some hands on activities. If you wish to attend or cannot but want to volunteer please contact Michael Crews by calling one of the following numbers:

Col. Jones Home   937-2802
Nature Center   937-1979
Park Office   937-4710

The Annual meeting of the Friends of Lincoln State Park was held on Tuesday, February 5th. Bonnie Hohl, Shirley Begle, and Linda Wilkinson were re-elected to the board of directors for two-year terms. The board of directors then elected officers for 2008. Officers are president- Dan Wilkinson, vice-president- Bonnie Hohl, secretary- Shirley Begle, and treasurer- Linda Wilkinson. Vera Emmons is the fifth board member serving as the member-at-large.

The presidential election cycle has been going on for nearly a year with almost eight more months to go. There will be many lengthy speeches most of which will be forgotten except by those who make a career of studying such things. Over 150 years later as we prepare to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Lincoln’s birth, we still have many memorable quotes and speeches made by the sixteenth President. Lincoln’s speeches were often brief and in stark contrast to the lengthy oratory expected of most politicians of the day. On March 4, 1865 Abraham Lincoln gave his Second Inaugural Address in Washington, D.C. Most will find the closing sentence to be a familiar one. Only weeks before the end of the Civil War and Lincoln’s assassination at Ford’s Theater, he spoke these brief words:

At this second appearing to take the oath of the Presidential office, there is less occasion for an extended address than there was at the first. Then a statement somewhat in detail of a course to be pursued seemed very fitting and proper. Now, at the expiration of four years, during which public declarations have been constantly set forth on every point and phase of the great contest which still absorbs the attention and engrosses the energies of the nation, little that is new could be presented.

The progress of our arms, upon which all else chiefly depends, is as well known to the public as to myself and it is, I trust, reasonably satisfactory and encouraging to all. With high hope for the future, no predictions in regard to it is ventured.

On the occasion corresponding to this four years ago, all thoughts were anxiously directed to an impending civil war. All dreaded it, all sought to avoid it. While the inaugural address was being delivered from this place, devoted altogether to saving the Union without war, insurgent agents were in the city, seeking to destroy it with war—seeking to dissolve the Union and divide the effects by negotiation. Both parties deprecated war, but one of them would make war rather then let the nation survive, and the other would accept war rather than let it perish, and the war came. One-eighth of the whole population were colored slaves, not distributed generally over the Union, but localized in the Southern of it. These slaves constituted a peculiar and powerful interest. All knew that this interest was somehow the cause of the war. To strengthen, perpetuate, and extend this interest was the object for which the insurgents would rend the Union by war, while the Government claimed no right to do more than to restrict the territorial enlargement of it.

Neither party expected from the war the magnitude or the duration which it has already attained. Neither anticipated that the cause of the conflict might cease, or even before the conflict itself should cease. Each looked for an easier triumph, and a result less fundamental and astounding.

Both read the same Bible and pray to the same God, and each invokes His aid against the other. It may seem strange that any men should dare to ask a just God’s assistance in wringing their bread from the sweat of other men’s faces, but let us judge not, that we be not judged. The prayer of both could not be answered. That of neither has been answered fully. The Almighty has His own purposes. Woe unto the world because of offenses, for it must needs be that offenses come, but woe to that man by whom the offense cometh. If we shall suppose that American slavery is one of these offense which, in the providence of God, must needs come, but which having continued through His appointed time, He now wills to remove, and that He gives to both North and South this terrible war as the woe due to those by whom the offense came, shall we discern there any departure from those Divine attributes which the believers in a living God always ascribe to him? Fondly do we hope, fervently do we pray, that this mighty scourge of war may speedily pass away. Yet if God wills that it continue until all the wealth piled by the bondsman’s two hundred and fifty years of unrequited toil shall be sunk, and until every drop of blood drawn with the lash shall be paid by another drawn with the sword, as was said three thousand years ago, so, still it must be said that the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.

With malice towards none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation’s wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow and his orphans, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace amongst ourselves and with all nations.

Apr 19   Lincoln Chainsaw Carving Dedication, 12:30 PM

Apr 19   Kite Day & Egg Hunt, 1-3 PM
Apr 26   Kite Day (alternate date in case of bad weather)
May 10   Bicentennial Boy Scout Jamoboree
May 11   Lincoln Bicentennial Mother's Day Event
May 24   Amphitheatre Concert:   Susie Boggus and Owensboro Symphony
May 25   Community Band Concert at Amphitheatre:   Spencer County, Owensboro, and Newburgh Old Dam Community Bands
Jun 14   Family Film Night, Dusk
Jul 19   Family Film Night, Dusk
Aug 9   Family Film Night, Dusk
Sep 27   "Keepin' Up with the Joneses" Activities and discussions at the Col. Jones Home relating to life in the 1830's designed to compliment Lincoln Bicentennial celebrations
Oct 18,25   Friends Fall Frolic and Haunted Trail:   Annual autumn events including games, crafts, hay rides, pumpkin painting, and the haunted trail

ACROSS
1   A. L.’s cousin on Nancy’s side, one of the family
4   First leg (wet) of Abe’s flatboat trip
7   Lincoln’s law partner, interviewed his Indiana neighbors
10   Abe’s sister
11   Second leg of Abe’s flatboat trip
14   Title of A. L.’s friend and employer Jones
16   Lincoln’s upcoming birthday bash
17   County seat where Lincoln made a speech
18   A. L. saw a printing press in this city
20   Last name of mill owner where Lincolns visited or a covered bridge


DOWN
1   Loaner of books to A.L., it’s elementary
2   A.L.’s step-mother
3   Lincoln ____________ National Memorial
5    Married A. L.’s sister
6    Title of 1987-2005 outdoor drama
8    store owner, nearby town’s namesake
9    Abe’s flatboat destination
12    Abe’s dad
13    Abraham’s mother, it’s elementary
15    Lincoln State Park’s lesser known body of water
19    Mill owner Gordon or builder of an ark

Crossword answers are located at the bottom of this page.

Are you a frequent visitor to Lincoln State Park or other Indiana DNR properties? Are you tired of paying gate fees? If so, then you should consider purchasing an Annual Entrance Permit. Permits cost just $36 for Indiana residents ($46 for non-residents) and allow you to have access to most DNR properties including Lincoln State Park without paying the gate fee. It only takes a few visits and the permit has paid for itself! What better reason do you need to explore Lincoln State Park and other DNR properties this season. If you’re an Indiana resident and at least 65 years old, it gets even better because you’re eligible for the Golden Hoosier Passport for only $18. Stop by any state park to get your pass today. Friends of Lincoln State Park members who contribute at the Pioneer level or higher receive a permit as a benefit of membership.

Did you also know that you can purchase DNR camping gift cards? Sounds like the perfect gift for the outdoorsman in your family. Go to www.indiana.reserveworld.com or call the toll free reservation line at 1-866-622-6746 for more information.

Don’t forget that the Friends of Lincoln State Park continue to offer for sale prints of the Jerry Baum painting of the historic Huffman Mill Bridge. More information is available on our website. Now, you can even order and pay for them online!

Renewal notices have been mailed for 2008 membership dues. So, don't forget to return the bottom portion of the renewal form along with your dues payment. Thank you to everyone who has already sent in their dues, we appreciate your continued support!