The Measuring Stick!

Have you ever asked a grandpa or grandma about their grandchildren? Chances are they are very proud when the topic is mentioned. Often the inquiry will bring lots of photos from their cell phone for you to enjoy. It is an immediate way for one to see the grandchildren’s smiles and often, too, shots of the younger generation enjoying all kinds of fun activities.

Occasionally, the grandparents will also remark that it is great to have the grandchildren visit but it is always rather nice to see them go home. The grandparents are happy not to have the responsibilities and the many decisions the parents may encounter.

Many years ago, and before modern technology, when asked, it was a bit more difficult to explain more about the grandchildren. A frequent phrase, especially in the mid-west, was, “They’re growing like weeds.” Although no one seemed to like weeds, the comparison was made, none the less. Grandparents, especially grandpas, were seemingly quick to point out they had healthy and active grandchildren.

In those earlier times, should visitors come and inquire about the family, they were sometimes shown a wall or doorframes with various marks and names. Why would this be done? It was the grandpa’s way of showing lots of growth had taken place in the child. Why, look how much Johnnie has grown in the last year! He must be living a good life, full of good food and care. Such a measurement is still done in some families but the phone photos have mainly taken its place.

Let’s go back a few generations when the grandfather of mention was Senator James Harlan of Mt. Pleasant. The three grandchildren he loved were the children of his daughter, Mary and son-in-law Robert Lincoln. The children loved spending time with their Grandfather Harlan in Mount Pleasant. Their grandfather on their father’s side of the family, Abraham Lincoln, had, of course, been assassinated years before their births.

On a fall day in September, Senator Harlan appeared to take his three grandchildren aside to measure their height. Senator Harlan may have searched his home for a good place to make the measurements. He located a narrow closet door that some later writer called, “a secret passage.” At that time, the door was painted gray and the pencil markings showed up nicely. It isn’t known if Senator Harlan did the writing or if he had the three grandchildren write their own names.

Mary Lincoln, often known as Mamie, (was the first to be measured. Thirteen years old at the time, she proudly stood at 5’ 4”and the date of Sept. 4, 1883 was placed next to her name. Jack Lincoln, whose proper name was Abraham Lincoln II, was ten years old, and was next up and measured 4’ 5”. Lastly was little Jessie who stood only 3’ 10” on the day she was measured and was only seven years old. Senator Harlan may have had plans to measure the children again to see how much they had grown but, for some reason, no additional measurements were ever taken. At some point the closet door was repainted but the painters seemed to sense the historic significance of the children’s names and dates. They carefully painted around the writings with their brown paint.

The three children’s lives continued, of course, but one of the three had a deep sadness attached. Young Jack Lincoln in 1890 at the age of only 17, died of blood poisoning in England. Both Mamie and Jessie lived long lives and raised children; one son for Mamie and a boy and a girl for Jessie. Mamie dying in 1938 and Jessie in 1948.

Many years later, workers were remodeling the old Harlan home in 1931 and came across the children’s names and heights, now circular based on the earlier paintings. They, too, sensed they had discovered something that needed to be saved and the door was rescued from the piles of debris created during the remodeling process.

So, the door now remains a fascinating artifact to be seen in the Harlan-Lincoln House Museum in Mt. Pleasant. It is just one of many such artifacts from four generations of the Harlan and Lincoln families which are on display. We welcome all to visit the Museum, located at 101 West Broad Street. Hours are March — October on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 2-4 or tours by special appointment (with 48 hours’ notice) and November — February by appointment only with 48 hours’ notice). Website: harlanlincoln.org.

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