The pioneer boy, and how he became president

Front matter

THAYER

(see Lincoln Notes for varients)

LINCOLN NATIONAL LIFE FOUNDATION

I

THE SCENE. — ABRAHAM LEARNING TO READ. — CONVERSATION OF HIS PARENTS ABOUT SLAVERY. — HIS FATHER'S EARLY LIFE. — VALUE OF PENMANSHIP. — WHERE THE SCENE OCCURRED. — THE "LINCOLN FAMILY. — A REMARKABLE MOTHER. — A COMMON-SENSE FATHER. — ABRAHAM SEVEN YEARS OLD. — HAZEL HIS TEACHER. — DILWORTH'S SPELLING-BOOK, AND THE BIBLE. — ABRAHAM'S GRANDFATHER KILLED BY THE INDIANS. — HOW IT HAPPENED. — THE SAD CONDITION OF THE FAMILY AFTER HIS DEATH. — DANIEL BOONE'S EXPERIENCE WITH THE INDIANS. — THREE LITTLE GIRLS CAPTURED BY THE INDIANS. — ADVICE ABOUT READING.

II

THE ERRAND. — THE CURSE OF SLAVERY TO THE POOR WHITES. — SELBY, A DEGRADED WHITE. — HIS VIEWS OF KNOWLEDGE. — LIN- COLN'S RESOLVE TO REMOVE TO FREE INDIANA. — SELBY'S INFIDEL- ITY.— MRS. LINCOLN'S REGARD FOR THE EIBLE. — THREE THINGS THAT SELBY'S CHARACTER TAUGHT ABRAHAM: NOT TO SWEAR, EVIL OF IGNORANCE, AND THE MISERY OF INTEMPERANCE. — HOW POOR WHITES SOMETIMES INTERFERE WITH SLAVES. — AN INCIDENT. — MR. LINCOLN'S VIEWS OF THE EVILS OF SLAVERY CORRECT.

VI . CONTENTS.

III

how abraham succeeds at school. — the report of hazel. — Abraham's sudden entrance. — Colby's arrival. — talk about selling the place. — time for another interview. — both of them poor. — price of the farm. — conclusions of mr. and mrs. lincoln. — abraham continues at school. — call of parson elkins. — their conversation. — abraham a pioneer boy. — slavery again. — mrs. lincoln's sabbath instructions.

IV

SABBATH MORNING. — THE BIBLE A SUNDAY TEXT-BOOK. — STORY OF MOSES, AND COMMENTS THEREON. — STORY OF JOSEPH, AND RE- MARKS. — THE STORY OF THE CROSS. — QUESTIONS OF THE CHILDREN. — THE THIRD COMMANDMENT. — THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT. — THE FIFTH COMMANDMENT. — THE NINTH COMMANDMENT. — COMMENTS THEREON. — THAT FAMILY BIBLE, ITS INFLUENCE. — PRAYER, AND ABRAHAM TAUGHT TO PRAY. — HIS PRECOCIOUS INQUIRIES. — THE LINCOLN CABIN A LIGHT IN THAT REGION. — GREAT MEN HAVE GOOD MOTHERS. — MOTHER OF RANDOLPH. — MOTHER OF JOHN QUINCY ADAMS. — MOTHER OF WASHINGTON. — THE MOTHER OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN.

V

THE FALL OF 1816. — THE PURCHASER COMES. — PRICE OF THE PLACE. — PROPOSES TO PAY FOR IT WITH WHISKEY. — A DISCUSSION ABOUT IT. — HOW TO CARRY IT AND WHERE TO TURN IT INTO MONEY. — LINCOLN CONSULTS HIS WIFE. — CONCLUDES TO TAKE IT. — THE PRICE PER GALLON. — THE QUANTITY. — THE BARGAIN CLOSED. — THE AF-

CONTENTS. Vll

FAIR REVIEWED. — TEMPERANCE PRINCIPLES THEN. — TEMPERANCE PRINCIPLES NOW. — PURPOSES TO MOVE ON A ELAT-BOAT. — ABRAHAM MUST HELP. — LIVE ONE MILE FROM THE ROLLING FORK.

VI

ARRANGEMENTS TO MOVE. — VISIT OF PARSON ELKINS. — ON THE RIVER. — ABRAHAM'S AXE. — HOW LONG TO BE GONE. — PUSHES INTO THE STREAM. — AN ACCIDENT. — UPSETS IN THE RIVER. — MEN COME TO HIS RESCUE. — EFFORTS TO RIGHT THE BOAT AND SAVE THE CARGO.

— LOSES MOST OF THE WHISKEY. — LEARNS WAY TO GO. — LANDS AT THOMPSON'S FERRY. — POSEY MOVES HIS GOODS. — CUTTING A ROAD THROUGH THE WOODS. — THEY COME TO A CABIN. — REACH DESTINA- TION.— LEFT HIS GOODS AND RETURNED FOR HIS FAMILY. — TAKES THEM ON HORSES. — A SEVEN DAYS' JOURNEY. — FEMALES NOT TIMID THEN. — MRS. DA VIES AND THE INDIANS. — MRS. MERRILL'S COURAGE.

— MRS. LINCOLN BRAVE.

VII

CALLED BY HIS FATHER. — HIS FIRST WORK. — HIS FATHER SHOOTS A TURKEY. — PROMISE THAT ABRAHAM SHALL FIRE. — GAME PLENTY.

— CUTTING LOGS FOR HOUSE, AND MR. NEALE AIDS. — DESCRIPTION OF THE LOG-HOUSE. — HOW THEY MADE A BEDSTEAD. — MAKING A TABLE AND STOOLS. — HOW IT WAS DONE. — RAPID WORK. — THE LOFT ABOVE, ABRAHAM'S PARLOR CHAMBER. — THIS VIEW OF HIS HOME.

VIII. The Grist-MiU 95

NEEDED MILLS TO GRIND. — HOW ABRAHAM AND HIS FATHER MADE A MILL. — CUTTING THE LOG. — BURNING HOLE IN IT. — A SPRING-POLE

Vlll CONTENTS.

AND PESTLE. — EIGHTEEN MILES TO MILL. — THE VALUE OF THE MILL. — ABRAHAM STILL LEARNING. — GOOD LESSONS AND THE BIBLE. — HE LONGS FOR OTHER BOOKS. — READ BY THE LIGHT OF THE FIRE, AS TOO POOR TO HAVE CANDLES. — PROSPECTS NOT VERT BRIGHT.

IX

SPRING COMES. — SOWING SEED. — THE WHISKEY AGAIN. — WAS IT BEST TO LOSE IT ? DISCUSSION ABOUT IT. — I 'LL TRY, AND WHAT IT HAS DONE. — ABRAHAM FIRES AT A TURKEY AND KTLLS IT. — ACCOUNT OF GOOD MARKSMEN. — DRIVING NAILS BY FIRING. — SNUFFING A CANDLE. — SHOOTING NOT A PASTIME. — HIS PHYSICAL CULTURE AND COURAGE. — CONCLUSION.

his mother sick. — abraham awaked. — mrs. bruner sent for. — Abraham's love and anxiety. — remedies applied. — word sent to mrs. granger. — her willingness to die. — her words to abraham. — her death. — preparations for the funeral. — spot for grave chosen. — no minister to officiate. — testimony of her worth. — sympathy for abraham. — her grave a

TEACHER.

XI

THE CHANGE. — PILGRIM'S PROGRESS BORROWED. — ABRAHAM'S DELIGHT. — A PRESENT OF ^ESOP'S FABLES. — BOTH RE-READ. — COM- MITS THE FABLES TO MEMORY. — DENNIS HANKS. — LEARNING TO

CONTENTS. ix

WEITE. — HIS PROGRESS. — HIS ENTHUSIASM. — WRITING ON SLABS, STOOLS, AND THE GROUND. — STUDY INTERFERES WITH WORK. — HI8 FATHER'S CENSURE. — READS WEEK'S LIFE OF WASHINGTON. — WRITES HIS NAME ON THE GROUND. — LIKE PASCAL. — LIKE DAVID WILKIE. — HOW BOYS GO UP HIGHER.

XII

ABRAHAM'S FIRST LETTER. — WHAT WAS IN IT. — HIS FATHER'S JOY OVER IT. — WILL PARSON ELKINS COME ? — TALK ABOUT THE LETTER. — OTHERS COME TO GET HIM TO WRITE LETTERS FOR THEM. — THE NEXT THREE MONTHS. — ABRAHAM SEES PARSON ELKINS COMING.

— INTERVIEW WITH ABRAHAM AND HIS FATHER. — THE FUNERAL SER- MON AT THE GRAVE. — THE ASSEMBLY. — IMPRESSION ON ABRAHAM. — HIS TROUBLE ABOUT THE RESURRECTION. — HIS DESIRE TO KNOW THE WHY AND WHEREFORE. — HIS PRECOCITY AND CRITICISM OF SERMONS.

— MORE ABOUT PIONEER PREACHERS. — THE ONE WHO REFUSED A TITLE-DEED. — HENRY BtDLEMAN BASCOM. — ACCOUNT OF HIS MINIS- TERS. — PULPIT INFLUENCE.

XIII

A YEAR MORE. — HIS FATHER MARRIED AGAIN. — WARM GREETING FOR HIS STEP-MOTHER. — TALK ABOUT SCHOOL. — BUCKSKIN SUIT OF CLOTHES. — GOES TO MR. CRAWFORD TO SCHOOL. — GETS ON A STUMP AND REPEATS A SERMON. — HIS HABIT OF CLOSE ATTENTION. — MR. CRAWFORD SAW IT. — DR. CHALMERS. — THE ENGLISH STATESMAN. — MR. CRAWFORD'S OPINION OF THE BOY. — TALK WITH MR. LINCOLN. — CONFESSING HIS ERRORS. — LIKE WASHINGTON CUTTING THE CHERRY- TREE. — SEE MATERNAL INFLUENCE. — WRITING A LETTER FOR A NEIGHBOR. — WORDS OF ANOTHER ABOUT HIM.

X CONTENTS.

XIV

KEEPING ALONG HIS ARITHMETIC. — EEEAND FOE HIS MOTHER, AND FOREGOES PLEASURES TO PERFORM IT. — OVERTAKES DAVID. — HIS PUNCTUALITY. — PROTESTS AGAINST CRUELTY TO ANIMALS. — HIS TEN- DER FEELINGS. — THE RULE OF THREE, AND HOW HE GOT ALONG WITH IT. — A DIFFICULTY BETWEEN JOHN AND DANIEL. — ITS PROGRESS. — ABRAHAM A "PEACEMAKER." — SETTLING DIFFICULTIES. — END OF SCHOOL-DAYS. — LIFE OF HENRY CLAY, AND ITS INFLUENCE ON HIM. — REMARKS.

XV

ABRAHAM'S VIEW OF WASHINGTON. — RAMSAY'S LIFE OF WASHING- TON. — WAY TO BORROW IT. — SUCCEEDS IN GETTING IT. — THE IN- TERVIEW.— MANLY CONSIDERATION ABOUT PRESERVING IT. — THE STORM, AND THE BORROWED BOOK WET. — NOT ASHAMED TO DO RIGHT. — RETURNS THE BOOK AND PROFFERS PAY. — AGREES TO CUT CORN TO PAY FOR IT. — MR. CRAWFORD'S OPINION OF THE BOY. — WORKS THREE DAYS TO PAY FOR THE BOOK. — CARRIES IT HOME. — HIS HONORABLE AND HONEST CONDUCT AN EXAMPLE FOR BOYS.

XVI. EigUeen Years Old 188

WHAT HE IS AT EIGHTEEN. — HIS LIBRARY, TO WHICH IS ADDED LIFE OF FRANKLIN AND PLUTARCH'S LIVES. — HIS FAIR REPUTATION. — A HOUSE-RAISING. — ABRAHAM GOES. — HIS FATHER GOES TO MARKET. — A "TRUCK-WAGON." — MARKET WHERE? — COMING HOME FROM HOUSE-RAISING. — OLD MYE-RS IN THE DITCH DRUNK. — THEY CAREY

CONTENTS. XI

HIM TO DALE'S. — ABRAHAM STATS ALL NIGHT WITH HIM. — AN IL- LUSTRATION OF HIS KINDNESS OF HEART. — DEATH OF HIS SISTER. — ONE MORE EVENT.

XVII. Trip to Neio Orleans . . . .197

INTERVIEW WITH PETERS ABOUT TRIP TO NEW ORLEANS. — SEES HIS FATHER. — BARGAIN TO GO. — MR. PETERS' S ELDEST SON. — ABRAHAM'S DELIGHT. — ACCOUNT OF FLAT-BOATMEN. — CARGOES CARRIED ON FLAT-BOATS. — HOW MERCHANTS TRADED THEN. — THE TRIP EIGHTEEN HUNDRED MILES. — HIS FATHER'S FEELINGS. — COMMENCES THE VOYAGE. — CONVERSATIONS WITH HIS COMPANION ON THE WAY. — TIED UP BOAT AT NIGHT. — A THRILLING SCENE. — FIGHT WITH NEGROES WHO ATTEMPT TO MURDER THEM. — THE NEGROES DRIVEN OFF. — A SUCCESSFUL TRIP. — ASCRIBED TO ABRAHAM'S TACT, JUDGMENT, AND FIDELITY.

XVIII

NEWS FROM ILLINOIS. — HANKS SENT TO RECONNOITRE. — TWO YEARS BEFORE THEY DECIDE. — THREE FAMILIES AND TWELVE PER- SONS TO GO. — ABRAHAM FREE, BUT STILL A FAITHFUL SON. — HOW PEOPLE MOVED THEN, A DESCRIPTION. — TWO HUNDRED MILES TO GO.

— THEY START. — HOW THEY CROSS KASKASKIA RIVER. — ENERGY. — FIFTEEN DAYS ON THE JOURNEY. — WHERE THEY SETTLE. — BUILD A LOG-HOUSE. — PLANT TEN ACRES OF CORN. — ABRAHAM SPLITTING RAILS TO FENCE. — THESE ARE THE RAILS OF WHICH SO MUCH HAS BEEN SAID. — LOUIS PHILIPPE. — THE WINTER OF THE " GREAT SNOW.]'

— HOW ABRAHAM SAVED THE FAMILY FROM SUFFERING.

XIX

LEAVING HOME. — HIS FEELINGS. — HIS PARENTS' FEELINGS. — LABORS FOR ONE ARMSTRONG. — STUDIES HIS LEISURE MOMENTS. —

Xll CONTENTS.

WHAT ARMSTRONG THINKS OF HIM. — PROPOSITION TO GIVE HIM A HOME THERE. — ABRAHAM'S HONESTY AGAIN. — HOW IT WON THE PEOPLE NEAR PETERSBURG. — CHOSEN JUDGE BY BOTH CONTENDING PARTIES. — HOW HE CAME TO BE CALLED " HONEST ABE." — STUDYING IN ARMSTRONG CABIN IN WINTER. — BUYS SOME BOOKS. — STUDIES ARITHMETIC. — GOOD NEWS FOR ABRAHAM. — AGREES TO GO ON FLAT- BOAT TO NEW ORLEANS. — BIDS ARMSTRONG ADIEU. — HIS GRATITUDE.

— HIS SUCCESS. — HIRED TO TAKE CARE OF A STORE AND MILL IN NEW SALEM.

XX. A Merchants Cleric 231

HIS IMPORTANCE IN THE PLACE. — DREW A CIRCLE AROUND HIM. — INSTANCE OF HONEST DEALING. — DOES BUSINESS AS IF IT WAS HIS OWN. — HIS STORY-TELLING POWERS AND KNOWLEDGE OF HISTORY.

— CONFIDENCE IN HIM, AND THE REASON FOR IT. — WORDS FROM MER- CHANT'S MAGAZINE. — STUDYING GRAMMAR. — DISCUSSION WITH A COMPANION ABOUT IT. — MASTERS IT IN HIS LEISURE HOURS. — FUR- THER DISPUTE WITH HIS COMPANION. — RICHARD YATES. — NEIGHBORS TOOK FRIENDS TO VISIT HIM. — DINNER, AND THE BOWL OF MILK UP- SET.— Abraham's unwillingness to make trouble. — aided in

GRAMMAR BY W. GREENE. — LIKE ALEXANDER MURRAY. — REMARKS.

XXI

THE BLACK-HAWK WAR BREAKS OUT. — ABRAHAM THE FIRST TO EN- LIST.— TALK WITH HIS COMPANION. — DESIRE TO RAISE A WHOLE COMPANY IN NEW SALEM". — THEY GET THE PRIVILEGE. — THE COM- PANY RAISED. — CHOICE OF OFFICERS. — SECRET PLAN TO MAKE ABRA- HAM CAPTAIN. — ITS SUCCESS. — HIS SURPRISE. — A SCENE. — ABRA- HAM LIFTS A BARREL OF WHISKEY. — WHY HE DOES IT. — HIS TEM- PERANCE PRINCIPLES. — THE EVENING AFTER, AND GREENE'S PROMISE TO ABRAHAM NOT TO BET AGAIN OR GAMBLE. — THE COMPANY OFF TO WAR. — TIME UP, AND ABRAHAM RE-ENLISTS TWICE. — HIS EFFICIENCY AND COURAGE IN THE ARMY.

CONTENTS. Xlll

XXII

HIS RETURN. — PROPOSAL TO SEND HIM TO THE LEGISLATURE. — IN- TERVIEW WITH A FRIEND ABOUT IT. — DISCUSSION WITH OLDER PER- SONS. — A " CLAY MAN." — NOT ELECTED, YET A TRIUMPH. — DECIDES TO SETTLE IN NEW SALEM. — BUYS STORE AND SELLS AGAIN. — CON- VERSATION ABOUT BECOMING A LAWYER, AND HIS OBJECTIONS. — STUDIES SURVEYING WITH CALHOUN. — BECOMES A GOOD SURVEYOR. — BUSINESS PLENTY. — WORKS AT IT STEADILY A YEAR.

XXIII

THE SUMMER OF 1834. — LINCOLN A CANDIDATE FOR REPRESENTA- TIVE. — HIS POPULARITY. — TALK ABOUT POLITICIANS. — HIS MOD- ESTY. — HIS ELECTION. — SCENE AFTERWARDS. — REFUSES TO TREAT HIS COMPANIONS WITH STRONG DRINK. — HIS DECISION. — GOING TO LEGISLATURE. — INTERVIEW WITH HON. J. T. STUART ABOUT STUDYING LAW. — HIS ADVICE AND OFFER OF BOOKS. — FACTS PRESENTED. — ■ HENRY CLAY'S EARLY LIFE. — THE RESULT.

XXIV

THE NEWS. — WHAT PEOPLE THOUGHT OF HIS STUDYING LAW. — HIS VIEWS OF ECONOMY OF TIME. — DECLINES GOING TO A PARTY. — WALKS TWENTY- TWO MILES FOR HIS LAW-BOOKS. — BLACKSTONE'S COMMENTARIES IN FOUR VOLUMES CARRIED TWENTY-TWO MILES. — EXAMINED IN FIRST VOLUME, STUDIED WHEN WALKING. — DEVO- TION TO STUDY. — HIS INTERVIEW WITH THE IGNORANT FARMER. — A PLACE FOR LAWYERS. — GIVES UP PARTIES AND PLEASURES. — ENJOYS STUDY BEST. — REASON OF IT. — ARCHIMEDES. — PROFESSOR HAYNES. — MADE RAPID PROGRESS, WORKED AND WON. — ONE MORE SCENE.

XIV CONTENTS.

XXV. The Tragedy ...... 288

A MAN KILLED. — EXCITEMENT. — DONE IN A DRUNKEN MELEE AT A CAMP-MEETING. — ARREST OF JOE ARMSTRONG. — TIDINGS TRAVEL TO HIS NATIVE PLACE. — HIS FORMER LIFE, AND GENERAL CENSURE.

— HIS MOTHER'S GRIEF. — KINDNESS OF MR. JONES. — EFFORT TO GET COUNSEL. — LETTER FROM ABRAHAM LINCOLN. — HOPE REVIVES. — LINCOLN'S EFFORT TO DELAY TRIAL TILL EXCITEMENT IS OVER. — UN- RAVELS A CONSPIRACY. — TIME OF THE TRIAL. — WITNESSES EXAM- INED.— A PERJURER. — HIS EXPOSURE. — LINCOLN'S ELOQUENT PLEA.

— CARRIES THE CROWD. — ARMSTRONG NOT GUILTY. — HIS MOTHER OVERCOME. — GRATITUDE TO LINCOLN. — CASE OF ALEXANDER H. STE- PHENS. — LINCOLN A PATRIOT.