Epsy Smith born a slave became the nurse to Robert T. Lincoln

I have been trying to research a story about Mrs. Epsy Smith, or Epsy Arnsby Smith. She was brought from Kentucky to Illinois and given to Ninian Edwards who at the time was Governor of Illinois. Epsy was born a slave on a plantation near Shelbyville, Kentucky.

Later, she would became a housekeeping for the Lincoln family in Springfield, Illinois. She died in Chicago on May 9, 1892. There is no obituary or death notice and a trip to the Clerk’s office did not produce a death certificate.

I probably need to make a trip to the Lincoln Library in Springfield for more research. If everything goes as planned, I will be in Springfield on November 1 and 2, so perhaps I will have some free time.

Epsy Smith lived an eventful life and hardly anyone noticed when she died. At this point, I do not know her place of burial.