Louis C. Lincoln, born May 10, 1850, in Memphis, Tennessee, was a prominent attorney and real estate dealer in Faulkner County, Arkansas. A third cousin of President Abraham Lincoln, Louis moved to Conway in January 1874. He served as a drummer boy in the Confederate army and later as a courier for Gen. Wheeler during the Civil War. After the war, he pursued education, eventually graduating from Cumberland University’s law school in 1872. Lincoln practiced law in Conway, organized a military company, and served as county and probate judge. He was married to Effie Martin in 1881, with whom he had two children. Active in politics and various fraternal organizations, Lincoln significantly contributed to the development of Faulkner County.
Louis C. Lincoln, not without justice conceded to be among the leading attorneys and well-known real estate dealers of Faulkner County, first came to the city of Conway when it was nothing but a small hamlet, in January 1874. He was born in Memphis, Tenn., on May 10, 1850, and was the youngest of three children born to John and Jane (Usery) Lincoln, of Virginia and Tennessee, respectively. The father was a prominent merchant of Memphis, Tenn., and a man whose words were an authority in commercial circles. He was also a Mason of high standing. The paternal grandfather, Mordecai Lincoln, was a native of Virginia, and immigrated to Kentucky with his father, Abraham, who was subsequently killed by an Indian, who in his turn was killed by Mordecai. This same Mordecai Lincoln was an uncle of the late President Lincoln, thus making the subject of this sketch, Louis C., a third cousin to the late President Lincoln.
Louis was reared in Alexandria, Tenn., and received his education in the schools of that city. During the Civil War, he was a drummer boy in the Confederate army and enlisted in Company A of the Seventh Tennessee Infantry when only twelve years old, serving for fifteen months. In 1863, he was discharged under what was known as the non-conscription act, and in the winter of the same year, he enlisted in Ellison’s squadron and was appointed courier and orderly to Gen. Wheeler. While acting in this capacity, he was captured as he was carrying a verbal dispatch from Dalton to Rome, Ga., and was taken to Camp Morton, Ind., where he was confined for eleven months. In February 1864, he was discharged and started to return home, but was without funds for that purpose. A kind-hearted stranger, however, provided him with the necessary means of transportation, and before very long he was back again to home and friends.
On his return home, he found that the war had nearly ruined his parents financially. Though nothing but a boy, by going to school and teaching alternately, he acquired not only a thorough English education but to a great extent a classical one. In fact, he was within five months of graduating when his stepfather died, and his duties called him home to look after the interests of his mother. He again commenced teaching school and soon accumulated enough money to enter a law school. In 1871, he entered the law college at Cumberland University, Lebanon, Tenn., and graduated the following year. He did not commence practicing law, however, until the following year, when he moved to Conway, and has been active in his profession ever since.
In connection with his practice, he deals in real estate considerably and also carries on a fire and life insurance business. He acts as agent of the Little Rock & Fort Smith Railroad lands, besides handling a large amount of private property. In the spring of 1874, Mr. Lincoln organized a military company in Faulkner County, and warmly espoused the cause of Gov. Baxter in the Brooks-Baxter War. His splendid service during that event promoted him to the rank of colonel, and to still further recognize his merits, he was elected county and probate judge in 1881. He was also city recorder of Conway for four terms and mayor for one term.
In politics, Mr. Lincoln has always been active in working for the interests of the Democratic party, and his influence in that section has done much toward their success in Faulkner County. In secret societies, he is a member of Center Link Lodge No. 75, I.O.O.F., and has passed all the chains. He has been a member of the Grand Lodge since 1876, and is now Deputy Grand Master, and will in the line of promotion next year be Grand Master. Mr. Lincoln also belongs to Faulkner Lodge No. 1624, K. of H., and is Grand Trustee of the Grand Lodge of that fraternity. He is a director in the Ex-Confederate Association of Arkansas, which body has seven officials in that capacity.
In 1881, he edited one of the leading papers in Faulkner County, called the Faulkner County Ledger, but retired in 1883. He is now correspondent for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and the Arkansas Gazette. Mr. Lincoln was married in Conway in 1881 to Miss Effie Martin, a daughter of Hon. J. E. and Esther Martin, who were among the earliest settlers of Faulkner County, where their daughter was born. Two children were given to this marriage: Jessie and Robbie.
Mr. Lincoln is one of the representative citizens of his county, and probably no other man in that section has done more to promote the development of Faulkner County than he has. He is a popular man in both social and professional circles, and his enterprise and good management have given impetus to the growth of that community.