Randolph County journal. [volume] (Winchester, Randolph County, Ind.) 1855-1862, 1860-05-31
"HONEST OLD ABE
The Peoples Candidate for Presi-
dent.
Biographical Sketch of AbE'a.
haI.l Lincoln.

haIn Lincoln.
From the Chicago Press and Tribune.
Abraham Lincoln is native of
Har,lin County, Ky. He was born on
the 18th day o! February, 1908. His
parents were both from Virginia, and
were certainly not of the first families
His paternal grandfather, Abraham
Lincoln, emigratcd from Rockingham
County. Virginia, to Kentucky. abont
1871 or 2, where year or two later
he was killed by Indians, not in bat
tie, but by stealth, while he was labor
ing to open a farm in the forest. His
ancestors. who were respectable mem
bers of the Society of Friends, went to
Virginia from Berks County. Penn.
Descendants of the same stock still re-
side in the Eastern part of that State.
Mr.. Lincoln's father, at the death OF
Ais father, was but six years of age,
and he grew up literally without edu-
cation. He removed from kentucky
to what is now called Spencer County,
Indiana, in 1916. The family reached
their new home about the time the
State was admitted into the Union
The region in which they settled was
rude and wild, and they endured, for
some years, the hard experience of a
frontier life, in which the struggle with
nature for existence and security is to
be maintained only 10y constant vigil
ance. Bears, wolves and other wild
animals still infested the woods, and
yonng Lincoln acquired more skill in
the use of the rifle than knowledge oi
books. There were institutions here
and there, known by the hattering de.
nomination of Schools" but no quail
ifcation was required of teacher be-
yond 'readin," "writin" and "cipher.
in," as the vernacular phrase ran, a
far as the rule of three If stragler
supposed to understand Latin, hap
pcned to sojourn in the ncighborhood,
he was looked upon as wizard, and
regarded with an awe suited to sc
mysterious character.
Hard work and plenty of it was tho
order of the day. varied, indeed. by ar
occasional bear hunt, not unfrequenI
deer chase. or other wild sport. o.
course when young Lincoln came o
age he was not a scholar He coul(
read and write, and had some knowl
edge of arithmetic, but that was abou
all; and as yet, he had but little am.
bition to know more Of what was to bt
found in books. His attainment
otherwise were not to be dcspiscd-
He had grown to be six feet four inch
es in stature, was active and athletic
could WELD the axe, direct the plow
or use the rifle, as we'll as the best o
his compeers. and was fully up to al
the mysteries of prairie farming. an'
: fully Injured to hardship and toll
Since he arrived at age he has no
been to school. Whatever his ac
quiremcnts arc, they have been pickle,
up from time to time ms opportunit,
occurred, or as the pressure of som
exigencv demanded.
At twenty-onc he removed to Hi
nois, and passed the first year in Ma
con County, in active labor on farm
where he anil fellow laborer, (name
Hanks SPLIT THREE THOU
SAND RAILS. in the year 1880.
will be interesting to the millions be
fore whom he is now placed as can
; didate for the highest office in the gi
Of free people. to know that he ono
} managed .fotJoat on the Ohio rive
! ! The anecdotes which he sometimes r,
lates to his friends of his maratin
experiences before the introduction
steam on the Western rivers, are il
describably iaughablc. From Maco
County he went to New Salem,
l. what is now Menard County, whe
n he remained about year Then can
c the Black Hawk war a company
d volunteers was raised in New Sale
d and young Lincoln was elected capita
is "a success which, he has since sal
r, gave him more pleasure than he h.
IS ever since enjoyed. He served Wi
n credit during the campaign. and b
came popular. Reforming to Sang
2, mon County, he learned the art
IS surveying. and prosecuted that rr
y fession until the financial crash of Is;
J. destroyed the value of real estate al
lie ruined the business-the result
rs which was that young Lincoln's ST.
a veying apparatus was sold on exec
10 tion by the Sheriff. Nothing daunt
III by this turn of i'll luck, nc direct
cs his attention to the law, and borro'
ID ing few books of a neighbor. whi'
y. he took from the office in the evenil
or and returned in the morning.
ne learned the rudiments of the proft
ne sion in which he has since become
$, distinguished. BY the light Of a fl
ne place.
er About this time the Wings of b
l. County conferred upon him a nomin
he tion for the Legislature. He was 81
j. cessful in this and three succeed
elections, by triumphant majorities.
of While member of the Legislature
4, first gave indications of his super
he powers as debater, and ne increase
e by frequent practice. his natural fl