Checking the Johnson-Lincoln connection

Arlo A Johnson: I have been studying the book, "Our Lincoln Heritage" written by Cecile (Lincoln) Johnson, and assisted by Annie (Lincoln) Gompf. Annie is in her early 90's and is becoming increasingly "computer literate." Congratulations Annie! I need your help with this simplification of the Johnson-Lincoln connection, but before I include it in the continuing story of my life and ministry, I want to check it's accuracy. So here goes ... waiting to hear from any of you, including Annie Gompf, who may know the information and the proper way of expressing this information!

As I read the information in the book, "Our Lincoln Heritage," Mordecai Lincoln (1686-1736) had nine children, and including two boys named John and Thomas. John (1716-1788), ultimately became the Great Grandfather of Abraham Lincoln, and his brother, Thomas (1732-1775), ultimately became the Great, Great, Great Grandfather of my Grandpa (Oscar John) Lincoln (1881-1967).

So what is the proper way to express my relationship to Abraham Lincoln? I have always been aware of the fact that I am not a direct descendant of Abraham Lincoln, but I am a descendant of a brother of Abraham Lincoln, and I think that this is a very significant matter! Furthermore, I am very appreciative to my Mother and her first cousin, Annie Gompf for the work that they have done in the gathering of the many details of my connection to the Lincoln family line! Of course, I want to simplify the means of expressing this Lincoln connection to my succeeding generations.

So here is the basic information of this family connection, and a simplified expression of that information: By birth connection to my mother, Cecile Carolyn (Lincoln) Johnson, I am a direct descendant of Thomas Lincoln (1732- 1775), a brother of John Lincoln (1755-1835). John's son, Abraham (1744-1786), Grandfather of President Abraham Lincoln, had a first cousin, Hananiah (1756-1816). Abraham (1744-1786), had a son, Thomas (1778-1851), who had a second cousin, Thomas (1776-1844). Thomas Lincoln (1778-1851) and wife Nancy (Hanks) birthed Abraham (1809-1865) who would become the most outstanding president of the USA. Abraham had a third cousin, Jefferson (1816-1852). From Jefferson's family line of descendants we have Charles Lincoln (1844-1920), Oscar Lincoln (1881-1967), Cecile (Lincoln) Johnson, of whom I was born. So what is my relationship to Abraham Lincoln? PRESIDENT ABRAHAM LINCOLN IS MY THIRD COUSIN, 4 TIMES REMOVED! Now if you would like to check the validity of such an expression, simply go to Wikipedia and type in cousin, and this is what you will read: "For example, a person with whom you share a grandparent (but not a parent) is a first cousin; someone with whom you share a great-grandparent (but not a grandparent) is a second cousin; and someone with whom you share a great-great-grandparent (but not a great-grandparent) is a third cousin; and so on. The child of your first cousin is your first cousin once removed because the one generation separating you and the child (the cousin) represents one remove. You and the child are still considered first cousins, as your own grandparent (this child's great-grandparent), as the most recent common ancestor, represents one degree."

Now why am I checking all this out at this time? Well on June 20-21, 2009 Glenna and I, joined by many of her relatives will be attending the Christianson Family Reunion in Monticello, Minnesota. Now by the time we travel that far, we are only about 12 hours traveling time from Knob Hill, Kentucky. Abraham Lincoln was born in Knob Hill, Kentucky in 1809, and since this is the year 2009, there is a year long celebration of Abraham Lincoln's 200th birthday! Now if it should work out for us to go to Kentucky in late June, I want to be fully conversant about my relationship to Abraham Lincoln! Doesn't that make good sense? So if you want to help me understand and express this correctly, write me at glennarlo@telus.net. Have a good day!