Wednesday, morning, July 21, 1925, The State Journal (Frankfort, KY)

RELATIVE OF LINCOLN LIVED IN THIS COUNTY

It is not generally known to the people of this county, but for many years one of the closest relatives President Lincoln
had was a resident of the Bridgeport community.  His name was John Sparrow, which the neighbors had corrupted into
Spier, and a few knew him by any other name. He was a first cousin of the martyred President, was much like his
distinguished kinsman in boyhood and remembers him well.  Mr. Sparrow was small in statue, but in facial expression
resembled Mr. Lincoln closely, wearing the same full chin whiskers and was a modest retiring farmer, who delighted in
fishing and hunting.  His home was near the waters of South Benson in the deep holes of which he cast a frequent line.

Mr. Sparrow was an expert bee hunter and excelled in locating the home of the wild bee and robbing it of its store of
honey.  He made his home in the later years of his life with his daughter, Mrs. Sam Shingleton and there he died
some six or eight years ago and sleeps in the quiet of a country grave yard.  On the eight of November 1911, the
statue of Mr. Lincoln presented to the State by Mr. James B. Speed, of Louisville, was unveiled at the new Capitol with
appropriate ceremonies and the school at Bridgeport was dismissed in order to give the scholars and opportunity of
being present.

The school boys, however, became so noisy as to prevent the address of Hon. Henry Waterson from being heard and
had to be put out of the building.  A son of Mrs. Shingleton was in the party and in excluding him from the house the
only relative of Mr. Lincoln present was prevented from witnessing the honors heaped upon the memory of his
distinguished relative.