Sarah Bush Lincoln, lived until 1869.  She was born in 1788.  She described her relationship with her step-son, Abraham Lincoln, as a very close one..  The young Abraham would rarely disagree with her, and would do all he could to help her in daily chores.  She even described them as nearly one in the way they would think about things. Sarah would encourage Abraham to learn.  This would be very important, as Abraham had little chance for formal education.  His cousin, Dennis Friend Hanks would be his first tutor.
    When Abraham's birth mother died, Thomas Lincoln was at a loss as to how to do all the work of a farmer and carpenter, and raise young children properly.  He would go to Kentucky to marry Sarah Bush Johnston, and she would take over the role of mother to a ten-year old Abraham.  Abraham would gain a step sister, Elizabeth Sarah, and the family would grow together in Indiana and then in Illinois.
Abraham never lived with Thomas and Sarah Bush in Coles County.  He was at New Salem when the family moved to Goosenest Farm (Lincoln Log Cabin Farm, as it is known now).
    He would visit Charleston often and no doubt had contact with his family there and all the nieces and nephews of the Hanks family.  His last visit to Charleston and to Farmington, when Sarah Bush was 72 years old, was very important for him.  Many youngsters, were present at the winter visit at Farmington, to see the President-elect off.  Many of these would continue to tell the story of shaking the hand of the President.  The last one of these youngsters died in 1946, at the age of 90.
    The Matilda Moore home was home to Sarah Bush Lincoln in 1861, when Abraham, the President-elect would visit.  She really hadn't lived in the Thomas Lincoln cabin since his death (some 18 years).  It was in disrepair with a faulty chimney.  She had a large family and would live with her son and two daughters and even some of their children.
    The beautiful murals in Charleston colorfully depict the goodbye of son to step-mother and the lonely scene of the President-Elect of our United States in 1861 getting ready to board the train to Springfield.  Such great things happened in January of 1861, it is difficult for us to comprehend today.