Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-10-22
L,ncoln,s first Home in illinois.

COFTe9DON0ef2c6 lNU10NUpOftS Times.
Shortly after he had attained his ma
| iority, Lincoln came tramping through
from Macon county, and stopped on
beautiful day at New Salem. The place
then consisted of mill at the foot of the
hill. with two or three stores, and
tavern on the bluff. l visited the spot a
few weeks ago. An Old-fashioned water
power mill-nOt the original one, how
ever, still grinds the passing farmers
grist, but the town itself has long since
disappeared. In its stead, and two miles
up the river, has grown the charming
little town OfPetersburg. The postmaster
of the place, Mr.. A. y. Curry, kindly
drove me down to the now historic site of
New Salem. Every building has been
torn down and moved away, and the entire
place turned into COW pasture. The
only yestige of the old town that remains
Is the cellar over which stood LincOln's
store. Out of the excavation have grown
three trees-a thorn, an elm, and a syca-
more. An old man who lived in New
Salem when Lincoln came says he was
dressed in a suit of gray jeans. His pam
falcons were too short, and his coat was
cut in the swallOW-tail fashion. He wore
on his head what the old man described to
me as "a regular old Kaintucky plug hat.
one of these ere narrow-brim kind and
the main part straight up and down." He
applied at the tavern for lodging, and for
some time was employed there to do
chores. He made himself agreeable to
all, and was soon a well known character.
Llncoln's greatness dates from the time
he ''cleaned OUT the bully of the neigh
borhoOd. A crowd of young fellows from
Clary's Grove, about five miles distant
were in the habit of terrOrizing everybody
in their section of the country. When
ever they came to Salem they did much
as they pleased. On one of their visits
they happened to antagonize the stranger.
and ne administered such a sound trash
ing to their leader that thenceforward
Abe Lincoln was the most noted and re-
spected man in the community. Lincoln
made friends easily, and they readily
took stock in him. AT one time when he
was Deputy Surveyor of SangamOn cOun-
ty his property and outfit, consisting of a
pony valued at SIS and a set of surveying
instruments, were sold at public auction
by constable for debt; Lincoln was dis
heartened; the future seemed dark, but a
friend, one Short, now living in Menard
county, i believe, bought the property in
and turned it over to the young surveyor.
Lincoln afterward got on his feet and re-
imbursed his friend Short, paying him
every cent he had advanced with good in
terest. BY the time the Black Hawk war
arose Lincoln had advanced in popular
esteem and was elected Captain Of a COM
must have been gay company indeed.
They had no uniforms; some had rifles,
some had shOtguns, some no weapons
at all. They never drilled an hour in
their lives, but Lincoln remarked as they
left that the Indians would certainly have
''nO show at all if they ever met Captain
Lincoln's men," The evening they
reached home on the return from their
campaign they encamped on the side of
the river opposite to New Salem. Their
wives were waiting to welcome the sol
diers home, but the latter concluded to
spend this last night together where they
were and meet their families on the NOR
row. The Captain detailed two men to
cross the river and purchase some 'cOm-
missary," and the returning soldiers
''made night of it." Exactly how the
gallant Captain conducted himself on the
occasion no one knows. The next morn
ing, however, in assisting the landlady to
make hOe-cake he put soda in it instead
of salt. Every one who knows Lincoln
remembers some pleasing story. One old
man, who still lives III the "brush," re-
marked that so many persons came to
New Salem inquiring about Lincoln that
she believed people thought Abe was a
great man." while another mans only
title to eminence rests in the fact that he
gave Lincoln the measles.