Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1880-11-25
The BoYhOod of Lincoln.

Abraham Lincoln was the best represen-
tative of American character who has yet
filled the office of president of this repub
lie. He was thoroughly and eminently
American and intensely republican in
character and sentiment. J his is why he
became so immensely popular when
brought prominently before the people by
the eXigencies of the political career Of
The country.
The people saw in his history, his
personality, and his views, a reflex of their
own history. personal and political creed,
so magnified and glorifed by talent, gen
ious andhenthusiasm that they said: "He
shall be our representative; he shall exc
cute our wish.n Even those who through
partisan prejudice or sectional jealousy
failed to understand or appreciate him at
first were gradually won to him until his
death was incurred aud his memory is
cherished well nigh universally in Ameri-
ca.
This unexceptionally distinguished man
was born of very poor, and very Ignorant.
| and very uncultivated parentage, in an
| humble log cabin, situated Ia lonely
bac woods portion of Hardin county,
Kentucky, on the 18th day of February
1909. His father was descended from an
| English family who is said to have immi
| grated to Pennsylvania in company with
other followers of William Penn.
OF course the stock is of the best bein e
English blood and Quake character.
The grandfather of Abraham Lincoln,
whose nrme was also Abraham, removed
family had settled about thirty years be.
fore-to Kentucky, where he was killed ir
an indian encounter, leaving widow an6
three sons of whom Thomas-the father
of Abraham Jr. was the eldest. Thomas
Lincoln, married Elizabeth Hanks ir
1876 and Abraham was the second child
and first son of this couple.
The family were among the poorest Of
the settlers of that rather sterile section o.
the state, and not only did the parents
find it necessary TO work hard and live
cheaply, but they were obliged to compe
their children to do the same. There were
no schools, and the parents Of Lincoln
were quite illiterate, hence his literary
opportunities were small. His mothe
could read and she took pleasure in teach
ing her children that wonderful art.
Abraham acquired it at the age of sever
and at once set about mastering the famil..
library, consisting of cheap edition Of
the bible, the methodist hymn-book, AM
comic almanac. In 1917 the family
removed to indiana and settled in Spence
county of that state. This move wa
doubtless made with the hope OF ultimate
benefit, the intention being to allow tn
children an opportunity to grow up will
the country. There surely could be M
immediate advantage derived from it. /
was almost a wilderness the population
being very sparce, and the clearings small
There was unlimited work to do bu
wages were low; money, food, and cloth
ing scarce, and schools and libraries wer
among the things that were hoped for
but not yet realized. Abraham dreame'
for these things and longed for them, bu
except a copy each of "Weems life Q
Washington, and of Marion, and a cop.
of Bunyan's Pilgrim Progress, belongin
to their more opulent and literary neigh
bors the boy could get no books throug
which to commune with the great mind
of the past:
"By whose living thought we climb,
The mount of wind, where sage OF Olden tlne
AndlHeaven-insp1redS seer hath meel<ly STOOD,
And sliced the immortal thought that roun
them spread
| With which to make rich repast OF mental 100
To feast our souls-the living from the dead.
His mother died when Abraham wa
eleven years of age, and he felt his los
deeply. His mother had been his favor
= tie companion. and principle teacher, an
her sympathy was necessary to the happ
E ness of this sensitive and somewha
melancholy boy. While his mother live
he cared little, he said, for other societ
than hers, but after her death he sough
more eagerly the companionship Of othe
: boys near his own age. He possessed tn
: qualities that give Leadership to boys
and naturally took that position among hi
rude comrades. Yet although leader h
+. was then as in after life the representa-