The Kenosha telegraph and tribune. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1859-1860, 1860-05-31
Biographical Sketch of Abraham Lin.
coin.

- Hardin county, Kentucky. He W.
u born on the 18th day of February, l so
His parents were both from Virgini:
and were certainly not of the first fam
Q lies, His paternal grandfather, Abr;
ham Lincoln, emigrated from Rocking
! ham county, Virginia, to Kentucky
about 1871 or 2, where yea
e or two later he was killed by Indians
not i'll battle but by stealth, while b
+ was laboring to open farm in the fol
Z, est. His ancestors, who were respec
I table farmersof the Society of Friends
: went to Virginia, from Berks county
pennsylvania Descendants of tn
same stock still reside in the Easter
, part of that State.
MIR. Lincoln's father, at the death .
haS father, was but sixty years of age
: and he grew up literally without edu
cation. He removed from Kentuck,
to what is now Spencer County, India
ma. 1916. The family reached theil
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 frontier life
IN which the struggle with nature fol
existence and security is to be main,
tanned only by constant vigilance
Bears, wolves, and other wild animals
still infested the woods, and youn O
Lincoln aquired more skill in the use
Of the rifle than knowledge of books.
There were institutions here and there
known by the fattering denomination
OF Schools but no qualification was
required Of a teacher beyond "reading.
writing, or cyphering," as the vernac,
ular phrase ran, as far as the rule ofthree
II straggler supposed to understand
Latin happened to sojourn in the neigh
borhood, he was looked upon as a wiz
ard, aud regardedwith awe suited to so
mysterious a character.
Hard work and plenty of it was the
order of the day, varied, indeed, by the
occasional bear hunt, not unfrequent
deer chase, or other wild animals. Of
course when young Lincoln came of
age he was not scholar. He could
read and write, and had some knowl-
edge of arithmetic, but that was about
all; and has yet, he had but little am
bltlon to know more of what was to be
found in books. His attainments 9th
erwise were not to be despised. He
grew to be six feet four inches in sta
ture,a he was active and athletic, could
WELD the axe direct the blow, or use
the rifle as the best of his compeers,
and was fully up to all the mysteries
of prairie farming and fully Injured to
hardship and toll. Since he arrived at
age he has not been to school-What-
ever his requirements are, they have
been picked up from time to time as
| opportunity occurred, or as the pres
sure Of some exigency demanded.
At twenty one he removed to Illinois
and passed the first year in Macon
county, in active labor on farm, were
he and a fellow laborer. (named
Hanks.) split THREE THOUSAND
RAILS, in the year 1880. 1t will be
interesting to the millions before whom
he is now placed as candidate for the
highest office in the gift Of free peo-
pie, to know that he once managed a
flat boat on the Ohio river. The anec-
dotes which he sometimes relates to his
friends Of his maritime experiences be-
fore the introdnction.of steam on the
western rivers, are indiscrlbably laugh
able. From Macon county he went to
New Salem, in what is now Menard
County, where he remained about
year. Then came the Black Hawk
war. A company of volunteers was
raised in New Salem and the surround
ing country, and young Lincoln was ell
ected captain-a success which he has
since said, gave him.more pleasure than
ne ever since enjoyed. Hessserved with
credit during the campaign, and be-
came POPULAR to Sangam-
on County, he learned the art of sur
veying, and prosecuted that profession
until the financial crash Of 1887 des-
troyed the value of rea estate, and ru-
ined the business-the result of which
was that young Lincoln's surveying
apparatus was sold on execution by the
sheriff. Nothing daunted by this turn
of i'll luck, he directed his attention to
the law, and borrowing a few books
from neighbor, which he took from
the office in the evening and returned
IN the morning, he learned the rudi-
ments Of the profession in which he has
since become SO distinguished, by the
light of a fire place!
About this time the Wings of his
country conferred upon him nomina-
ton for the Legislature, he was success
full in this and three succeeding cleo
tons, by triumphant majorities. While
a member of the Legislature he first
gave indications of his superior powers
as debater, and he increased, by fire.
quent practice his natural faculty for
public speaking. He improved iudus-
trlously the opportunities that were
here offered of self cultivation. From
the position of subaltern in the ranks
OF the Wing party, position that was
appropriately assigned him by his I'm.
affected modesty and humble preten-I
slons, he soon become recognized and
acknowledged as a. champion and al
leader, and his unvaryiRg courtesy,
good nature and genial manners united
with an utter disinterestednessss and alb
negation of self, made him universal
favorite.
During his Legislative period he CON
tinued his law studies, and removing TO
Springfield he opened an office and en-
gagged actively in practice. Business
flowed in upon him, and he rose rapid
ly to distinction in his profession. He
displayed remarkable ability as an adj
vocate ill jury trials, and many of his
law arguments were master pieces of
logical reasoning. There was no re-
tine artifciality in his forensic efforts.
They all bore the stamp Of masculine
.nInLAn1n 1890. al L. LII Il