Smyrna times., 1865-12-27
mr.. LinColn's Early Life.
Correspondence Of the Chicago Republican

Correspondence Oi the chicago Itepublcan.I
HAVANA, Mason Co., ILL.,, Dec. ii, ISG5.-
Happening to be in the eastern portion of the
county a few days ago, | called to see a Mrs.
Wilcox, formerly Mrs Armstrong. Years ago,
when this goodly State Of ours was compara-
lively new, there came to the little village of
Salem, Mcnard county, a tall, plain and rather
awkward young man to help in the mill, tend
store, and make himself generally useful. Af
ter serving in this capacity for some time and
making friends OF all who came in contact with
him, at nall or grocery, he was appointed
County Surveyor, and went to live with far
mer named Armstrong, residing In the neig gh-
borhood This Mrs Wilcox whom | went to
see was the wife OF this Armstrong, and the
slender, raw boned shop-tcnder and surveyor
was Abraham Lincoln.
The first time | ever saw him, said Mrs.
W., Il went trading. | told Armstrong as
soon as ] got home there was a new clerk at
the store. and | liked him first rate, he was so
pleasant and kind. A few days afterward
Armstrong went to MILL and when he came
home he told Inc he had seen the new clerk
Dragged about SO much, and he liked him too.
They had got to lifting in the mill, a parcel Of
them, and the clerk Outltted every man there"
Well, he lived with yOu did he not after
wardY'
Yes; as soon as he got to surveying he
came to our house and made it his home |
made two pairs of deer-skin breecheS for him
shirts too. Armstrong used to carry chain
for him. They were great crones. Wherever
Armstrong went Lincoln would go too. He
was poor and had no horse; We had several,
and he always rode one Of our creatures.
Sometimes they would be gone a week at a
time to Jacksonville, Springfield, or somewhere
else They lied about him when he was NOM
mated for President, and said he used to drink
but he never did. | never saw nor heard of
his drinking. The young folks thought him
kind of queer. When there was trolic, or
any doings among them, he would always go,
but never danced and cut up. He amused
himself by playing with the children, or telling
some funny story to the old folks. Yes, he
staid with us till we moved to Missouri, and [
never saw him angry the whole time. He used
to say he would never marry until he could
support wife comfortably; and he didn t.
We lived in Missouri five years, and when we
came back he had gone to Springfield went
down there trading pretty soon, and was stand
ing in store door looking at the folks, when |
saw him coming down the street. y lady was
with him, his wife, and everybody was bowling
and shaking hands with him. | stood up
straight in the door, a little back like, thinking
maybe he would not want to see me, with his
wife and all those people around; never could
put on any airs, and he knew it. He saw me,
though, before he got to me; and came up
laughing and shaking hands, real glad to see
me asking after Armstrong and all the rest,
just as if he was one of the family | tell you,
Mr.. f., he was kind, good hearted man, and
a true gentleman. He defended my son, (her
son was tried for homicide, and acquitted, and
after the trial, when told him had no mo-
ney to pay him, he laughed at me, and told me
whenever | was i'll any trouble to come to him.
Everybody told me | was foolish to write to
him about my son, who was sick in the army;
that he had enough else to attend to now, be-
sides looking after me and my family. But
when telegraphic dispatch discharging my
son, and a letter to me too came, they found
out that he had not forgotten his old home
down in Menard