New Britain herald., 1930-02-12
LINCOLN ADVISED
 BY NEGRO BARBER
Influence Of Billy Rex Disclosed
 by Study Of Files

go to the White House, his homo town Of his held just two men who could claim to be his confidants.
 One was his law partner, the td- nous William A. Hcrndon.
 The other was a colorcd barb r. William de Flcurvillc. known lo the Springfield Of that day 2. Billy the Barber" or Billy Rex.
 A search of the relieved old fio. Of the Illinois State Journal md series of talks with Spring 'old antiquar3ns esta blishcd Billy he Barber's position as an unsuus lut picturesque chara in ti? Lincoln drama.
 Met in the Wood,
 Born in Haiti and raised in q baltimore orphanase, Billy came 70 Illinois in the early .'3h.:. 1Iamping through inc woods ol q hunting trip enc day he ran into Lincoln, engaged in T similar ar- rand. Lincoln took him back 70 he Tavern at New Salem, where Lincoln then lived, gave him "inncr and then. learning that .)Ily was a barber. put him 10 york cutting the hair Of all the nearby males.
 With the money thus gained lIlly moved 70 Springfield at Lin roIn's suggestion, and opened 3 barber shop there - the first. t IS said, in the state Of Illinois Later, when Lincoln moved 10 Spring- .cld, Billy became his barber end his confidant
 The ancient files Of the Illinois state Journal contain BilIys ads. They were breezy and refreshing, ike the following:
 "BillY the Barber most respect fully begs leave 10 inform 1na public that ne has recommend ,,i nc old trade of rcaping chins and dipping fore-lops,'
 And this:
 Tn addition 10 his business ;,s barber, Billy Flcurvlle carries or ilat of securing coats and panta- Icons, which he docs in tho best Gtanncr."
 He also referred 10 himself as Lilly Rex" spoke Of his shop aS IS Kingdom and referred to nc Mayberry, his negro assi5tau, a= his "chanccllor."
 Jacob C. Thompson, assistant ate superintendent of pubic Instruction, IS one of the states f,rcmost Lincoln authorities. Here what he says about Billy the Barber:
 There ~crc just two men n Springfield "ho really knew Lin coln in those old days, and Billy Vd3 one of them. Know Lincoln Say, when q man goes to the same arbcr, week m and week out, for ,. or 20 years, that barber gets 10 lnow him doesn't he? Billy hncw Lincoln.
 For instah"c: Billy always in sisted that Lincoln had no cspc- c'al love for the colorcd man. He slid Lincoln often told him he Vas ncL an aboltionist. In the presidential campaign and wGr >oars Lincoln was called q blaeh Republican, fanatic but Billy always knew hcttcr."
 Mrs. Phoebe Duncan is Billy tho Barbers granddaughter, He: father, as d boy of 0 or such q natter, used 10 help in the barber shop.
 My father used to tell us how he and grandfather were rcspons;- bIo for Lincoln's beard" she says. "Llncoln asked grandfathcr's ad- Vice about trimming it, when he first raised it; so they put Lincoln iH the chair, and my father got up on box and blocked the beard out. He and grandfather fixed 1t so that it would make Lincoln's face look less thin"
 Billy the Barber was good Niolinist; and Mrs. Duncan re- members hearing her father tell how Lincoln would come to the :lop in the evening, to sprawl out in chair and listen to the color4d barber play.
 There is another barber in the Lincoln story Spencer Donnegan, also a colored man, cut Lincoln's hair at times; and his nephew, George Donnegan, can tell yoI about him. George Donnegan was small boy in Lincoln's day; but he can remember seeing Lincoln in the chair of Donncgan's shop.
 f remember, in August of 1860. Lincoln made a big speech [ ere ono day" he says. After Nard he came in to get shave], "nd while he was in the chair nlN lnclc said Say, Mir. Lincoln l vas surprised at that speech to- day. And Lincoln asked him what 1t was that surprised him, and my uncle told him, Why, yol aid if you were president and Co., p~cas passed a law declaring tho black man the equal Of the WhitA. lcu'd be the last man on earth to aiEn it.
 well sir, Lincoln just thrc v lack his head and laughed, and he said, Spence you're as big a fool as the Democrats arc Anl ;frcnce asked him why and Lin coin said; Suppose a law like taat is passed. First the House posses it. and then the Senate. and then the cabinet deliberat"a over it. and last of all it goes 10 the president Well, if were president, I'd be the last man to %gn it wouldn't I" And he laughed and laughed and laughed"
 Those old Illinois State Journal files make interesting reading. Yon ind in them mention of Lincoln as young man: his first announce 1uent of candidacy for the legisla- H ACNETJ0 0'S II