Abraham Lincoln has always been one of my favorite U.S. Presidents. When I traveled to Washington, D.C. in the spring of 2000, I made sure to visit the Lincoln Monument, Ford’s Theater, and the house across the street where he died. So, I was quite thrilled to discover my connection to him.

This link to Abraham Lincoln is something that I only recently discovered. Partly because it was previously thought by many that my 10th great-grandmother’s maiden name was Clark, and I didn’t make the Gilman connection. She had been confused with Mary Gilman, daughter of emigrants Edward and Mary (Clark) Gilman who was baptized in 1615, but the following evidence indicates she was a sister to Edward Gilman:

Proof that Nicholas Jacob’s wife was Edward Gilman’s sister is found in the Proprietors’ Records of Hingham, Mass., Book A., folio 32. Nicholas Jacob, in 1638, gave one of the tracts granted to him by the town ‘unto Edward Gillman his brother-in-law.’ Edward Gilman’s wife was Mary Clark. Nicholas Jacob’s wife was also named Mary. Hence, if we dismiss the very unlikely hypothesis that Mary Clark had a sister who was also named Mary, the wife of Nicolas Jacob must have been Mary Gilman, sister of Edward. (1)

My maternal 10th great-grandparents are Mary Gilman and Nicholas Jacob.

The parentage of Nicholas Jacob is unknown and unproven. He was born about 1604 in Hingham, Norfolk, England, and died 5 June 1657 in Hingham, Massachusetts. At the time Hingham was in Suffolk County, it is now in Plymouth County, Massachusetts. He and Mary Gilman married about 1628 in Hingham, England.

Mary Gilman was the daughter of Edward Gilman and Margaret James. She was born in Hingham, Norfolk, England, and died 15 June 1681 in Hingham, Massachusetts.

In the 1600s, Hingham, England was an agricultural town in the countryside. It was located near Wymondham and had many windmills and inland water traffic. 

Her father Edward Gilman was baptized on 20 April 1557 in Caston, Norfolk, England, the family was of Hingham and Caston, which are a distance of 6.4 miles away from each other. The baptism record reads as follows:

Edward Gyllman ye sonn of Edward gyllman was baptised ye xxth day of Aprill A[nn]o predicto (2)

The Gilman surname is derived from the baptismal name Gilmyn. It indicated that the bearer of the name was the son of (or descended from) someone named Gilmyn. The name is of Norman origin, and was brought to England in the wake of the conquest after the Battle of Hastings in 1066. (5)

He died before 15 May 1621 at about age 64 in Caston, Norfolk, England. He was the son of Edward Gilman and Rose (Ryse) Snell. His father, the elder Edward Gilman, is the furthest we can take the Gilman line back in England.

The will of the elder Edward Gilman was dated 5 February 1572/3 and proved by his widow on 7 July 1573 at the Archdeaconry Court of Norwich. In this will he, “devised his mansion house in Gaston (sic.) to his eldest son John, and his other estates were divided among his three other sons and five daughters.” Lands at Saham Toney are mentioned in the will as well. (3 & 4)

In the 1600s, Caston, Norfolk, England was home to Edward Gilman, a prosperous yeoman. Puritans also had a presence in the area, and the village green’s medieval stone cross was damaged by them.

Although we don’t know much else about the Edward Gilman, we can glean from his will that he was a man of some means, for he left his mansion house in Caston to his eldest son John and other lands are mentioned in the village of Saham Toney. The distance between Saham Toney and Caston is 5.5 miles.

His son, my direct ancestor, Edward Gilman was the second born son, meaning that his older brother John Gilman is the one that inherited the mansion house and the main lands. Although the will does divide the remaining lands between all the siblings.

Edward Gilman and Margaret James had several children:

1. Bridget Gilman, born about 1582; married Edward Lincoln of Hingham.
2. Edward Gilman (known as the Emigrant), born about 1587 (he was age 50 in 1637), married Mary Clark.
3. Robert Gilman, son of Edward Gylmmynne of Hingham, married 1st in Hingham on 14 May 1611 to Rose Hawes; married 2nd to widow, Mary Bruen.
4. John Gilman, married Ann Guerney.
5. Mary Gilman, born between 1599 and 1604, married Nicholas Jacob.
6. Margaret Gilman, baptized Hingham, Norfolk, 1 August 1602.
7. Sarah Gilman, baptized Hingham, England on 4 October or December 1603.

Bridget Gilman who married Edward Lincoln are the ancestors of Abraham Lincoln. My ancestors are Mary Gilman and Nicholas Jacob. His ancestors stayed in Hingam, England for one more generation, whereas mine migrated to Massachusetts earlier.

President Abraham Lincoln’s direct line from Edward Gilman and Margaret James:

1. Edward Gilman and Margaret James.
2. Bridget Gilman and Edward Lincoln.
3. Samuel Lincoln and Mary Lyford.
4. Mordecai Lincoln and Sarah Jones.
5. Mordecai Lincoln, Jr. and Hannah Salter.
6. John Lincoln and Rebecca Flowers.
7. Capt. Abraham Lincoln and Bathsheba _____.
8. Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks.
9. Pres. Abraham Lincoln.

My direct line from Edward Gilman and Margaret James:

1. Edward Gilman and Margaret James.
2. Mary Gilman and Nicholas Jacob.
3. Capt. John Jacob and Mary Russell.
4. Jael Jacob and Matthew Cushing.
5. Jael Cushing and John Lassell.
6. Jael Lassell and Christopher Davison.
7. Asa Davidson and Hopestill Hawley.
8. Asa Davidson, Jr. and Catherine Cunningham.
9. Mary Ann Davidson and Jacob (John Jacob) Doman.
10. Sarah Jane “Jennie” Doman and Daniel Prindle.
11. Anna Cora Prindle and Joseph Edward Cole (my maternal great-grandparents).

This means that Pres. Abraham Lincoln and I are 7th cousins, 5x removed. My ancestor Mary Ann Davidson Doman and Abraham Lincoln were direct 7th cousins. It is not a super close connection, I have much closer connections to other politicians and people in history, but it brings me great joy none the less. 😊

References:

1. Clarence Almon Torrey, “English Origin of Edward1 Gilman” in The American Genealogist, 11 (1934):137-138, at 138; digital images by subscription, AmericanAncestors.
2. Baptism: “Norfolk, England, Church of England Baptism, Marriages, and Burials, 1535-1812”
   Norfolk > Caston > 1539-1720 > image 8 of 36 Norfolk Record Office; Norwich, Norfolk, England; Norfolk Church of England Registers.
3. Will of Edward Gillman, yeoman of Caston: Archdeaconry Court of Norwich, register copy will 1573, volume Bussell, folio 158. Norfolk Record Office, Norwich, Norfolk, England.
4.  Scott, Nadine Gilman. 2000. Edward Gilman Jr. Begat…. 711 p.
5. Etymology of Gilman, House of Names.

If you use any information from my blog posts as a reference or source, please give credit and provide a link back to my work that you are referencing. Unless otherwise noted, my work is © Anna A. Kasper 2011-2025. All rights reserved. Thank you.