Lincoln district lies in the southern end of the county. The surface of Lincoln is perhaps more broken than that of any of the other five districts.
It is said that the greatest wealth of Lincoln district still lies in its undeveloped coal wealth. This great wealth will probably remain dormant until railroads are built to the coal deposits in Lincoln.
The first cabin in this district was built by a man named Nevins in 1799. Later he was joined by the following pioneers who built homes: John Wilson, Jacob Noe, John Prinston, Richard Wilson, Hezekiah Wiley, Job Spence, Lazarus Damron, Daniel Cox, John jarrell and Henry Hampton.
Hezekiah Wiley, mentioned in the preceding paragraph, was a son of the celebrated Jenny Wiley, whose captivity by the Cherokee Indians is a story that has been many times told in this section.
William Ratcliff was the first child born in this district. He was born at the Mouth of Lost Creek, May 19, 1802, below the Falls of Tug River.
On a beech tree near the Mouth of Billy's Branch, cut in large rough letters, was cut the name of Daniel Boone, the founder of Kentucky. Whether or not Boone ever visited this part of Wayne county is not proved, but some of the older citizens of Lincoln district recall having read the letters in their boyhood before the beech tree was destroyed.
The first school in Lincoln was taught on Mill Creek by Henry Hampton. Among the pioneer preachers the following names are remembered: Reuben Giddings, Gorwin Lycan, John Jarrell, Stephen and Joseph Workman.
Lincoln, which has one of the largest areas of any district in the county, is peopled by a good class of citizenship. The coming of better schools, progressive farming and hard roads will give Lincoln the opportunity to develop the resources which have been handicapped in past years due to lack of these facilities.
The following named men from Wayne County were issued a Victory Button during the month of November, which shows that they served their Country in the World War: Archie Bellomy, Frank Cox, Wayne Copley, Oscar Ray, Dean A. Ramsdell, Clarence Smith.
Aunt Mary Ann was the widow of the late Andrew Sansom. She came to Wayne from Chesterfield County, Virginia. Because of her advanced years she had been in feeble health for some time.
It has been the annual custom of the relatives to give a birthday party to Aunt Mary Ann each year, the last one being given in August. She was a consistent Christian woman, loved and respected by her neighbors.
Funeral services were held at the Wayne Methodist church Tuesday afternoon and burial made in the family cemetery on the S. P. Booton farm. The surviving relatives are four children, R. S. Sansom of Wayne, Hugh Sansom of Millers Fork, Lee Sansom of Huntington, and Mrs. Harrison Bloss of Wilson's Creek; two sisters, "Aunt" Amanda Osburn of Wayne, Mrs. Sarah Walker of Kansas; two brothers Albert Smith of Wayne and John Smith of Oklahoma.
Transcription by June White