Joseph Hanks

Joseph Hanks (1725–1793) was the great-grandfather of United States President Abraham Lincoln. It is generally accepted that Joseph was the father of Lucy Hanks, the mother of Nancy Hanks Lincoln. There is also a theory that Joseph and his wife, Ann ("Nannie"), had a son named James who married Lucy Shipley, sired Nancy Hanks, but died before Lucy and Nancy came to Kentucky.

Joseph Hanks' children and grandchildren figure prominently in Abraham Lincoln's youth.

Joseph Hanks was born the second son of Catherine Hanks (died 1779) and Mr. Hanks (d. 1740) on December 20, 1725 in North Farnham Parish, Richmond County, Virginia. He was a tenant farmer and oversaw a plantation. Joseph and his family lived in Richmond County until 1782 when they moved to what was then Hampshire County, Virginia.

One theory about the Hanks family's westward movement (first to land that is now West Virginia) was that Joseph Hanks was concerned about his daughters access to returning Revolutionary War soldiers in the "lax environment" following the war. There are also records that show that Joseph Hanks' mother, Catherine died in 1779. Joseph, executor of the will, inherited monies from her estate and it was after this in 1781 that the Hanks moved from Northern Neck, Virginia to a place between the forks of Mike's Run off of Patterson's Creek in Hampshire County, Virginia (now Mineral County, West Virginia). The land there had just become available with "cheap prices", proper surveys and clear titles.

Joseph married Ann, also known as Nancy and Nannie. She was born about 1742 and died about 1794.

Joseph and Ann Hank's children are:

Joseph Hanks lived on 108 acres (44 ha) on a fork of Mike's Run, alongside Patterson Creek, Hampshire County, VA (now Mineral County, West Virginia). Joseph Hanks is on the 1782 census for Hampshire County, Virginia. The census showed that there were 11 white people living in the household. This would have included Joseph, Ann and his 9 children, including Lucy Hanks.

Joseph Hank's home, now in Mineral County, West Virginia, is considered Nancy Hanks's birthplace and contains a memorial to her from the state of West Virginia.

In March 1784 Joseph Hanks sold his property via a mortgage and moved with his wife, eight children, and granddaughter Nancy to Kentucky, having traveled on the Wilderness Road through Cumberland Gap. The family then lived on land purchased February, 1787 about 2 miles north of the mouth of Pottinger's Creek and Rolling Fork, in a settlement called Rolling Fork or Pottinger's Creek settlement in Nelson County, Kentucky until the death of patriarch Joseph Hanks in 1793.

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