The Baca / Douglas Genealogy and Family History Blog

12 January 2006

Obituary - Amanda Hanks, 95 years old

From an undated clipping from an unknown newspaper.

Oldest Resident of Hindsboro Dies

Mrs. Amanda Hanks, 95, oldest resident of the Hindsboro communities, died at 7:30 P.M. last Wednesday in Jarman Hospital, Tuscola, where she had been a patient about 10 days.

Funeral services were conducted at 2 P.M. Saturday in the Hindsboro Methodist Church, with the Rev. Maurice Reed of Antioch Church officiating.

Burial was in Van Voorhis Cemetary north of Hindsboro, Taber Funeral Home, Hindsboro, in charge.

Mrs. Hanks was the widow of John William Hanks, a relative of Nancy Hanks, Abraham Lincoln's mother. Her health was fairly good for a person of her age until recently, and she continued to do house work and care for a garden and chickens until she was past 90.

She leaves about 115 decendants.

A daughter of William and Mary Craven, natives of England, Mrs. Hanks was born November 5, 1863, at Barnesville, Ohio. There were 11 children in the family. Mrs. Hanks was the last survivor.

On July 7, 1880, she was married to Mr. Hanks at Nashville, Indiana. His parents had lived in the same settlement in Kentucky where Lincoln spent his early years. Mr. Hanks' relationship to Nancy Hanks was traced through his uncle, Abner Hanks, who was a cousin of Lincoln's mother.

William Hanks, Route 1, Urbana, a son of John and Amanda Hanks, recalls that his father's facial features resembled Lincoln's.

The John Hankses came to Illinois the same year they were married and settled on a farm several miles south of Arcola. They later moved to a farm east of Hindsboro.

They celebrated their 50th (wedding anniversary in 1930.) Mr. Hanks died March 3, 1933, at the age of 77. many relatives and friends called on Mrs. Hanks when she observed her 95th birthday November 5.

She had lived in Hindsboro for about 15 years. She leaves six daughters, Mrs. Cecelia Myers, Mrs. Emma Tuttle and Mrs. Ethel Douglas, all of Hindsboro; Mrs. Nellie Barnett, Murdock; Mrs. Katie Haas and Mrs. Maude Curry, Indianopolis, and three sons, Paul, Indianapolis; Silva (Silvester), Hindsboro, and William.
A grandson, Ferrel Thompson, was reared in the Hanks home.
Mrs. Hanks also leaves 36 grandchildren, and 20 great-great grandchildren.
According to other records Mrs. Hanks died on November 19, 1958, exactly two weeks after her 95th birthday. Mrs. Hanks was my wife's great-grandmother. - Robert

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