COUNTIAN, FRIEND OF LINCOLN, IS DEAD

Mrs. Gaines Mother Was Once a Dressmaker for Mrs. Lincoln in Ill.

A well known resident of Washington county since 1888, and at one time a personal friend of Mrs. Abraham Lincoln, Mrs. Thomas Gaines died Saturday morning at her home at Kennard where she had lived for the past 43 years. She had been an invalid for practically three years, but an attack of pneumonia was the immediate cause of her death.

A native of Springfield, Illinois, where the Lincoln family lived prior to the election of the great emancipator to the presidency, Mrs. Gaines, from girlhood, knew both the president and his wife. Mrs. Gaines’ mother was a seamstress who was often employed by Mrs. Lincoln.

As a girl, Mrs. Gaines often recalled in later years she watched her mother sewing for Mrs. Lincoln and among her treasured possessions were parts of several dresses that she had helped make for the president’s wife. She recalled distinctly that the two most elaborate creations they made were the dress in which Mrs. Lincoln was married and the dress she wore when she went to Washington for the first time. She had pieces of the material of both of these gowns.

About three years ago, when she was visiting her son, Perry C. Gaines, at the latter’s home in Omaha, she suffered a fall and never recovered fully. Had she lived until February 24, she would have celebrated her fifty fifth wedding anniversary. Mrs. Gaines was 77 years old.

Surviving her are the husband and two sons, Perry, who now makes his home at Kennard and A. C. Gaines, a resident of San Francisco.

By an odd coincidence, Mrs. Gaines, a lifelong admirer of Lincoln, was buried on Tuesday, February 12, the birthday of the Emancipator. Interment was made in the Kennard cemetery.

#2-Death Saturday took Mrs. Thomas R. Gaines, aged 78, resident of Washington County since 1882, at the family home in Kennard. She had lived in that community for over 40 years. As Mary Miller, Mrs. Gaines was born July 21, 1856, near Springfield, Illinois.

Knew President's Wife

As a small girl she was acquainted with the wife of President Abraham Lincoln, and frequently visited at their home. Mrs. Gaines' mother was a seamstress, and made the wedding gown Mrs. Lincoln wore when she was married to the "Great Emancipator". Later, when President and Mrs. Lincoln first went to the White House in Washington, D. C., Mrs. Gaines' mother made the dress for the occasion. At the time of her death, Mrs. Gaines still possessed parts of the two dresses her mother made for the President's wife.

Mr. and Mrs. Gaines were married February 24, 1880. Had she have lived two weeks longer, she and her husband would have celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary.

Funeral services were held on Lincoln's birthday, Tuesday. The rites were conducted at the Kennard Methodist Church, starting at 2 o'clock Tuesday afternoon. Rev. E. P. Booher officiated. Interment was in the Kennard Cemetery.

Those furnishing music at the last rites were Frank Byers, Lester Kronberg, Mrs. Al Karnett and Mrs. Harland French.

Surviving Mrs. Gaines in addition to her husband, are two sons, A. C. of San Francisco, and Perry C. of Kennard; a brother, William Miller, of Salisbury, Illinois; a sister, Mrs. Harriett Bennett of Springfield, Illinois; a grandson and a granddaughter.

Note: Mary is buried in Block 5 Lot 41 Space 1 in the Kennard Cemetery. Taken from Kennard Cemetery records.