The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1860-06-01
From the Chicago Press and Tribune.
Honest Old Abe"
The Peoples Candidate for
President.
rails AND FLAT-BOATs."
Biographical Sketch OF Abraham Lincoln.


President. ~
TRAILS AND FLAT-BOATs."
Biographical Sketch Of Abraham Lincoln.
Abraham Lincoln is native OF Hardin
County, Kentucky. He was born on the
18th day Of February. 1909. His parents
we're both from Virginia, and were Ger.
tainly not Of the first families. His pa
ternal grandfather, Abraham Lincoln,
emigrated from Rockingham County, Vir-
ginia, TO Kentucky, about 1871 or e,
where year or two later he was killed
by Indians, not in battle, but by stealth,
while he was laboring 10 open farm in
the forest. His ancestors, who were re-
spectacle members Of the Society oil
Friends, went TO Virginia from Berks
County, Pennsylvania. Descendants ol
the same stock still reside in the eastern
part Of that State. ...... ......
MIR. Lincoln'A father, at the death OF
his father, was but six years Of age, and
he grew up literally without education.
He removed from Kentucky 10 what is
now Spencer County, Indiana. in 1876
The family resched 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 BY constant vigilance. e.
Bears, wolves and other wild animals still
infested the woods, and young Lincoln ac-
quired more skill 10 the use OF rifle than
knowledge Of books. There were insti-
tu;ions here and there known by the fiat.
tering denomination Of schools" but no
qualification was required to teach. be-
yond "readin," "writin," and "cypher-
in," as ,he vernacular phrase ran. as
far as the "ruIe OF three II a straglei
supposed TO understand Latin happened
to sojourn in the neighborhood, he was
looked upon as wizard. and regarded
with an awe suited to so mysterious 6
character.
Hard work and plenty Of il was thu
order Of the day, varied, indeed. by AT
occasional bear hunt, not unfrequen
deer chase,or other wild sport. ofcours,
when young Lincoln came of age he wa.
not scholar. He could read and write
and had some knowledge of arithmetic
but that was abou. all |; and, as yet, h,
had but little ambition to know more o
what was 10 be found in books. His at
tainments Otherwise were not to be de
spised. He had grown to be six feet foul
inches in stature, was active and athletic
could WELD the axe, direct the plow, o.
use the rife. as we'll as the bes, OF hii
compeers, and was fully up to all tn,
mysteries Of prairie farming, and fully in
ured to hardship and toll. Since he ar
rived st age he has not been to school. -
Whatever his requirements are, they hav
been picked up from time TO time as op
portunity occurred, or as the pressure Q
some exigency demanded.
| At twenty.one he removed TO Illinois
and passed the first year in Macon County
in active labor on farm, where he and
fellow laborer, (named Hanks, SPILL
THREE THOUSAND RAILS. in th
year 1880. II will be interesting to tn
millions before whom he is now placed q
a candidate for the highest Office in tn
gift OF free people, to know that be one
managed a .fat6oat on the Ohio River
The anecdotes which he sometimes relate
to his friends OF his maratime experience
before the introduction of steam on tb
western rivers. are indescribably laugh
able. From Macon county he went
New Salem in what is now Mensre County
: where he remained about year. The
came the Black Hawk war. A compap
of volunteers was raised in New Salem an
the surrounding country, and young Lii
coin was elected captain--a success whicl
) he has since said ,gave him more pleasu,
than lie has ever since enjoyed. II
served with credit during the campaigl
: and became popular. Returning to Sal
: CANON County, he learned the art Of su
veying, and prosecuted that professc
I, until the financial crash Of 1887 desiroye
the value OF real estate and ruined Il
> business----the result OF which was tn
young Lincoln's surveying apparatus WI
u sold on an execution of the sheriff.
y Nothing daunted by this turn Of i'll luc
v he directed his attention to the law, ar
borrowing a few books from neighbo
u which he took from the effice in the eve
% ing and returned in the morning.
d learned the rudimants OF the profession
J. whish he has since become so disli
70 guished. Jylhs light ofo fireplace!
About this time the Wings Of his coun
:, conferred upon him the nomination
!. y the Legislature. He was successful
p ' this and three succeeding elections, by /
u umphant msjorities. While memhar
- the Legislature he first gave Indicate
u Of bis superior powers as debater. a
h he increased, by frequent practice,
= natural faculty for public speaking.
improved industriously the opportunit
that were offered for self-caltivation.
= From the position Of subaltern in
y ranks Of the Wing party. position II
y, was appropriately assigned him by
!. unaffected modesty and humble pret'
10 tions. he soon became recognized and
knowledged as q champion and lead
4. and bis unvarying courtesy, good matt
~ ~ and genial manners, united with an ut
" disinterestedness and abnegation Of 81
made him universal fayorite.
Id During his legislative period he e'
III tinued his law studies. and removing
ed Springfield, he opened an Office and /,
at gagged actively in practice. Busin
- aomad Ia unnn him and he raaa pan