Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1860-05-31
From the Chicago Press and Tribune.
ssHONEST OLD ABE"
The Peoples Candidate for President
ssRAILS AND FLAT-BOATS.o


The Peoples Candidate for President.
"RAILs AND FLAT-BoATs.n
Log Cabins and Hard Cider Come
Again!
Biographical Sketch Of Abraham Lin
sl suGs6 saIT e. y. SIS sre,s isi.as
ABRAHAM LINCOLN is native Of Hardin
county, Kentucky. He was born on the
18th day OF February, 1903. His parents
were both from Virginia, and were certain
ly not of the first families. His patcrnal
grandfather, Abraham Lincoln. cmigrated
from Rockingham county. Virginia. to
Kentucky, about 1871 or '2. where year
or two later he was killed By Indians, not
in battle. but by stealth, while he was Ia
boring to open farm in the forest. His
ancestors, who were respectable members
of the society Of Friends, went in Virginia
from Berks county, Pennsylvania. De-
sscendant Of the same stock still reside in
the eastern part of that State.
Mr.. Lincoln father, at the death of his
father was but six years of age, and he
grew up literally without education. He
removed. from Kentucky to what is now
Spencer county, Indiana, in 1916. The
family reached their new home about the
time the State was admitted into the I'm
ion The region in which they settled
was rude and wild, and they endured, for
some years, the hard experience of from
tier life. in which the struggle with nature
for existence and security is to be mair,
tanned only by constant vigilance. Bears,
wolves and other wild animals still infested
the woods. and young Lincoln acquired
moro skill in the use of the rifle than in
knowledge Of books. There were institu-
tions here and there known by the fattering
denomination Of schools" but no quail
ification was required Of teacher beyond
'.readin'. writin and cypherin' as the
vernacular phrase ran, as far as the rule OF
three. Ii a straggler supposed to under
stand Latin happened to sojourn in the
neighborhood, he was looked upon as a
wizard. and regarded with awe suited to
so mysterious character.
| Hard work and plenty oft was the order
of the day, varied, indeed, by an occasional
bear hunt, a not unfrequent deer chase, oil
other wild sport. OF course when Young
Lincoln came Of age he was not scholar
He could read and write. and had some
knowledge of arithmetic, but that was
about all; and as yet. he had but little am
bition to know more of what was to be
found IL books. His attainmcnts other.
wise were not to be despisei. He hat
grown to be six feet four inches in stature
was active AMI athletic, could WELD Tho
axe. direct the plow. or use the ride. g:
we'll as the best of his comrecrs, and wa.
fully mp to all the mysteries Of prairie
farming. and fully Injured to hardship an(
toll. Since he arrived at age he has moi
been to school. Whatever his acquire
ments are, they have been picked up from
time to time as opportunity occurred, o.
as the pressure Of some exigency demand
Ell. ~
At twenty-onc he removed to Illinois
ana passed the first year in Macon County
in active labor on farm, where he and .
fellow laborcr, fnamed HASKs.) SPLIT
THREE THOUSAND RAILS, in tn,
year $780, 1t viii be interesting to tn
millions before whom he is now placed a.
a candidate for the highest office in the gif
of free people. to know that he once man
aged fiat Eoat on the Ohio River. Th,
anecdotes which he sometimes relate.
to his friends of his maritime expert
enccs before the Introduction of steam OF
the western rivers. are indcscribabl,
lsughable. From Macon County he wen
to New Salem. in what is Menard Comfy
where he remained about year. Thei
came the Black Hawk war A compan,
of volunteers was raised in New Salem ant
the surroundinS country, and young Lin
coin. was tletfed captain success which
he has since said, gave him more pleasur
than he has ever since enjoyed. BE serv
ed with credit during the campaign. an,
became popular. Returning to SangamoI
County, he learned the art of Surveying
and prosecuted that profession until tn
g 6nancisl crash of 1897 destroyed the valu
i Of real estate and rained the business--th
result of which was that young Lincoln
surveying apparatus was sold on execution
: by the sheriff. Nothing daunted by thi
. turn of i'll luck. he directed his attentio
to the law, and borrowed a few books frou
a neighbor, which he took from the offic
in the evening and returned in the morn
ing, he learned the rudements of the pro
fcssion in which he has since become s
{ distinguished, by the liga Of fire place
About this time the Wings of his coun
ty confcrre uponhim snomiuation for tn
Legislature. He was successful in thi
and three succeeding elections, by tri
: umphant maiorities. While a member {
.. .. the Legislature he first gave indications Q
r his superior powers as debator, and h
increased, by frequent practice, his natars
faculty for public speaking. Heimprove
industriously the opportunities that wei
here offered of self-cultivation. From til
position of subaltern In the ranks of I'll
Wing party, position that was appropr
ately assigned him by his unaffected moo
. esty and humble pretensions, he soon b.
# came recognized and acknowledged as
champion and leader. and his lunvaryin
courtesy, good nature and genial manner
d united with an utter disinterestedness an
Z a5negation of self, made him uniyers'
d favorite. al sH .heifesias $50 rf5fssIHl
u During his legislative period h, ccntir
ned his law studies, and removing [
Springfield. he opened anooffice and eng,