New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-03-01
LTNCOLN'S EARLY LIFE.

| HE WAS A FLATBoAT MAN AND kAl--'i 1t NV
| To the Editor OF The Tribune.
Cir. have lust read with no little Indignation
General Egbert L. Vieles Letter OF FEBRUARY -
DENYING that Mr. Lincoln was hatooa' man. 90
was stated by Mr.. Bancroft In his fuherai ora
| ton before both houses OF Congress, anu s',
by Air Depew In address lately delivered os
him I'm Vermont General Viele's description Oh
| "e,,boat' and It's general uses Is wrong Out
will let that pass II has no real bearing o" '"e
| case I'm question His statement about Mr. LIN
| coins rail splitting merely to snow MS k'ea'
| strength IL likewise entirely fictitious.
| was personally acquainted with MI. Lincoln
| s,,c. is,s and have often heard him relate MS
! cxnorences as n rail-splitter and as fatooat man.
and have n portion OF one or the biack walnut
: rails he and John Hanks split In Macon county !"
! Illinois In 1890 In place OF being ashamed OF MS
early work. Mr.. Lincoln took great PRIDE IN II anu
| I'm relating his connection herewith FROM MS
eorues, youth he was fond OF being on the water
and when only seventeen years old assisted James
| Tavlo- In managing fatboat that was USED as
ferry to cross the ohio River at the mouth OF An
| derson's Creek. In Indiana. For this service ne
received 81 cents per day. When nineteen years
old h.. determined TO become a iatboat man. put
v,s persuaded out OF the notion then by his friend
| Wood.
| In March 1928 James Gentry Indiana neigh
Dor ntted out a fatboat with stock o. gram ana
| mea, for a trading expedition to New orleans and
did and was paid S per month and board for his
labor on the boat he was Rowland" and that
position entaed the most laborious duty connected
! with the voyage. In 1880 Mr.. Lincoln came 70
| Illinois and settled five miles northwest OF the
| then small village OF Decatur now charming.
| large and prosperous city,. In Macon county.
Here he and John Hanks broke up fifteen acres
| of sod and as John Hanks told me. ABE and
myself split walnut rails enough TO fence the
| place In" ,- ....
| saw John Hanks bring pile OF these rails into
| n State Convention In Illinois where Mr.. Lincoln
was candidate for some office. and distinctly re-
member the excitement that was caused thereby.
When living AT Goose Nest Prairie. In Coles County.
ILL., Mr. Lincoln said he worked ut odd Jobs
I'm the neighborhooi.' and OF these jobs rasplit-
ting was not unusual work. As late as lS5i he
spt 5000 rails for Major Warwick. and W. sed
daily three miles to his work. Td the same dis-
lance I'm returning from It.
In 1881 ne met Denton Offut. general trader ana
Spectator and who often sent natboats loaded
with grain and provisions to NewOrleans LIN
coin was introduced to Offut by John Hanks. and
they two and a cousin OF Lincon's named Johnson
hired themselves to Onut TO work tiatboat men
on n boat he was then getting ready FOR a trip TO
Newt Orleans For this service he paid 30
cents per day. and was to have "A small share OF
the profits Of the trip For some reason unknown
TO me Onut failed TO start the boat originally
Intended bu, determined TO build another. and
Hanks and Lincoln and Johnson employed
about four weeks In building the boat. and during
that time Lincoln acted as cook for the building
party. BY April 10 the boat had been built and
loaded and had reached New Salem. in Sangamon
County ILL., From New-Salem they foated
down the Sangamon River TO the Illinois, and
down that the Mississippi. and thence to New
orleans. where they arrived In May. He returned
to New salem In August. 1881. and after that on
at least two occasions acted as pilot on steamers
the Sangamon River
These facts | from Mr.. Lincoln personally.
and they are substantially related by fhl LaInoD.
Ierndon Nicolay and Hay and were known to
be true by hundreds OF persons OF my acquaintance
In Central Illinois.
think nothing further is required to refute the
romancing of General Nielc. also think the truth
OF history demands that The Tribune should give
these facts to It's readers. who may have been mis-
led bv t;eneral Niele's fictions j. A. l..
Chicago Feb o. 1898.