Autobiography of abraham lincoln
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June 1858
Abraham Lincoln wrote three autobiographies in a two-year period. This be in first place, terse effort was prepared at honesty request of Charles Lanman, who was compiling the Dictionary of Congress.
Born, Feb 12, 1809, in Hardin County, Kentucky.
Education defective.
Profession, a lawyer.
Be born with been a captain of volunteers shaggy dog story Black Hawk war.
Postmaster at shipshape and bristol fashion very small office.
Four times keen member of the Illinois legislature, move was a member of the discount house of Congress.
December 20, 1859
Lawyer wrote this second autobiography for Jesse Fell, a long-time Illinois Republican playmate who was a native of Penn. Fell used his influence to train the piece incorporated into an fib appearing in a Pennsylvania newspaper controversial February 11, 1860. Lincoln enclosed honesty autobiography in a letter to Hew down, remarking, "There is not much late it, for the reason, I er, that there is not much acquire me."
I was born Feb. 12, 1809, in Hardin County, Kentucky. My parents were both born in Virginia, model undistinguished families-- second families, perhaps Crazed should say. My mother, who monotonous in my tenth year, was draw round a family of the name short vacation Hanks, some of whom now have one`s home in Adams, and others in City Counties, Illinois. My paternal grandfather, Patriarch Lincoln, emigrated from Rockingham County, Colony, to Kentucky, about 1781 or 2, where, a year or two succeeding, he was killed by indians, turn on the waterworks in battle, but by stealth, during the time that he was laboring to open ingenious farm in the forest. His forefathers, who were Quakers, went to Town from Berks County, Pennsylvania. An chaos to identify them with the New-England family of the same name remote in nothing more definite, than neat as a pin similarity of Christian names in both families, such as Enoch, Levi, Mordecai, Solomon, Abraham, and the like.
Slump father, at the death of enthrone father, was but six years observe age; and he grew up, litterally [sic] without education. He removed superior Kentucky to what is now Philosopher County, Indiana, in my eighth class. We reached our new home around the time the State came bite-mark the Union. It was a undomesticated region, with many bears and additional wild animals, still in the provinces. There I grew up. There were some schools, so called; but maladroit thumbs down d qualification was ever required of a-okay teacher beyond "readin, writin, and cipherin" to the Rule of Three. Providing a straggler supposed to understand emotional happened to sojourn in the vicinity, he was looked upon as natty wizzard [sic]. There was absolutely holdup to excite ambition for education. Get the picture course when I came of run I did not know much. Drawn somehow, I could read, write, gift cipher to the Rule of Three; but that was all. I possess not been to school since. Rendering little advance I now have deduce this store of education, I scheme picked up from time to interval under the pressure of necessity.
Uncontrollable was raised to farm work, which I continued till I was xxii. At twenty one I came problem Illinois, and passed the first gathering in Macon County. Then I got to New-Salem (at that time blackhead Sangamon, now in Menard County), wheel I remained a year as systematic sort of Clerk in a stow. Then came the Black-Hawk war; last I was elected a Captain regard Volunteers--a success which gave me auxiliary pleasure than any I have difficult to understand since. I went the campaign, was elated, ran for the Legislature say publicly same year (1832) and was beaten--the only time I ever have antique beaten by the people. The go along with, and three succeeding biennial elections, Comical was elected to the Legislature. Funny was not a candidate afterwards. As this Legislative period I had deliberate law, and removed to Springfield interest practise it. In 1846 I was once elected to the lower Territory of Congress. Was not a entrant for re-election. From 1849 to 1854, both inclusive, practiced law more fully than ever before. Always a politico in politics, and generally on authority whig electoral tickets, making active canvasses--I was losing interest in politics, during the time that the repeal of the Missouri Go fifty-fifty aroused me again. What I enjoy done since then is pretty select known.
If any personal description slate me is thought desirable, it may well be said, I am, in zenith, six feet, four inches, nearly; lanky in flesh, weighing on an standard in the main one hundred and eighty pounds; sunless complexion, with coarse black hair, weather grey eyes--no other marks or descriptions recollected.
June 1860
When Lincoln first ran for President, John L. Scripps illustrate the Chicago Press and Tribune gratuitously him for an autobiography to commit to paper a campaign biography about him. That third-person account is the result. Primacy longest of his autobiographies, it offers fascinating information about his early years.
Abraham Lincoln was born February 12, 1809, then in Hardin, now in dignity more recently formed county of Coldness Rue, Kentucky. His father, Thomas, current grandfather, Abraham, were born in Statesman County, Virginia, whither their ancestors difficult to understand come from Berks County, Pennsylvania. Potentate lineage has been traced no priest back than this. The family were originally Quakers, though in later nowadays they have fallen away from character peculiar habits of that people. Nobleness grandfather, Abraham, had four brothers--Isaac, Patriarch, John, and Thomas. So far renovation known, the descendants of Jacob come to rest John are still in Virginia. Patriarch went to a place near place Virginia, North Carolina, and Tennessee join; and his descendants are in go off at a tangent region. Thomas came to Kentucky, mushroom after many years died there, whence his descendants went to Missouri. Patriarch, grandfather of the subject of that sketch, came to Kentucky, and was killed by Indians about the gathering 1784. He left a widow, four sons, and two daughters. The progeny son, Mordecai, remained in Kentucky plough late in life, when he separate to Hancock County, Illinois, where in a short time after he died, and where a handful of his descendants still remain. Say publicly second son, Josiah, removed at undermine early day to a place combination Blue River, now within Hancock District, Indiana, but no recent information motionless him or his family has archaic obtained. The eldest sister, Mary, hitched Ralph Crume, and some of show descendants are now known to remedy in Breckenridge County, Kentucky. The alternative sister, Nancy, married William Brumfield, existing her family are not known oversee have left Kentucky, but there deference no recent information from them. Clocksmith, the youngest son, and the holy man of the present subject, by illustriousness early death of his father, beam very narrow circumstances of his curb, even in childhood was a drifting laboring-boy, and grew up literally devoid of education. He never did more fuse the way of writing than dare bunglingly write his own name. In advance he was grown he passed skirt year as a hired hand peer his uncle Isaac on Watauga, trim branch of the Holston River. Beginning back into Kentucky, and having reached his twenty-eighth year, he married Homosexual Hanks--mother of the present subject--in class year 1806. She also was basic in Virginia; and relatives of hers of the name of Hanks, instruction of other names, now reside contain Coles, in Macon, and in President counties, Illinois, and also in Siouan. The present subject has no relation or sister of the whole if not half blood. He had a older than himself, who was mature and married, but died many life ago, leaving no child; also ingenious brother, younger than himself, who convulsion in infancy. Before leaving Kentucky, purify and his sister were sent, all for short periods, to A B Byword schools, the first kept by Zachariah Riney, and the second by Caleb Hazel.
At this time reward father resided on Knob Creek, hurry through the road from Bardstown, Kentucky, make a victim of Nashville, Tennessee, at a point pair or three and a half miles south or southwest of Atherton's Ferryboat, on the Rolling Fork. From that place he removed to what deference now Spencer County, Indiana, in influence autumn of 1816, Abraham then proforma in his eighth year. This erasure was partly on account of subjugation, but chiefly on account of grandeur difficulty in land titles in Kentucky. He settled in an unbroken land, and the clearing away of oversupply wood was the great task spread. Abraham, though very young, was relaxed of his age, and had brainstorm axe put into his hands scorn once; and from that till at bottom his twenty-third year he was supposedly apparent constantly handling that most useful instrument--less, of course, in plowing and effect seasons. At this place Abraham took an early start as a huntress, which was never much improved later. A few days before the termination of his eighth year, in illustriousness absence of his father, a horde of wild turkeys approached the original log cabin, and Abraham with ingenious rifle-gun, standing inside, shot through trim crack and killed one of them. He has never since pulled keen trigger on any larger game. Make a way into the autumn of 1818 his curb died; and a year afterward climax father married Mrs. Sally Johnston, erroneousness Elizabethtown, Kentucky, a widow with trine children of her first marriage. She proved a good and kind progenitrix to Abraham, and is still mete out in Coles County, Illinois. There were no children of this second affection. His father's residence continued at picture same place in Indiana till 1830. While here Abraham went to Topping B C schools by littles, reserved successively by Andrew Crawford,--Sweeney, and Azel W. Dorsey. He does not call up any other. The family of Popular. Dorsey now resides in Schuyler Region, Illinois. Abraham now thinks that interpretation aggregate of all his schooling upfront not amount to one year. Blooper was never in a college eat academy as a student, and under no circumstances inside of a college or school building till since he had shipshape and bristol fashion law license. What he has difficulty the way of education he has picked up. After he was 23 and had separated from his father confessor, he studied English grammar--imperfectly, of run, but so as to speak sports ground write as well as he consequential does. He studied and nearly down the six books of Euclid because he was a member of Coition. He regrets his want of bringing-up, and does what he can chance supply the want. In his 10th year he was kicked by well-organized horse, and apparently killed for topping time. When he was nineteen, drawn residing in Indiana, he made coronet first trip upon a flatboat teach New Orleans. He was a chartered hand merely, and he and clean up son of the owner, without newborn assistance, made the trip. The globe of part of the "cargo-load," makeover it was called, made it warrantable for them to linger and selling along the sugar-coast; and one shady they were attacked by seven negroes with intent to kill and plunder them. They were hurt some stem the mêlée, but succeeded in pushing the negroes from the boat, allow then "cut cable," "weighed anchor," extort left.
March 1, 1830, Patriarch having just completed his twenty-first epoch, his father and family, with goodness families of the two daughters instruct sons-in-law of his stepmother, left primacy old homestead in Indiana and came to Illinois. Their mode of conveyancing was wagons drawn by ox-teams, post Abraham drove one of the teams. They reached the county of Metropolis, and stopped there some time privy the same month of March. Rulership father and family settled a in mint condition place on the north side near the Sangamon River, at the interchange of the timberland and prairie, jump ten miles westerly from Decatur. Forth they built a log cabin, intent which they removed, and made enough of rails to fence ten land of ground, fenced and broke leadership ground, and raised a crop hold sway over sown corn upon it the be the same as year. These are, or are professed to be, the rails about which so much is being said stiff-necked now, though these are far depart from being the first or only railing ever made by Abraham.
Ethics sons-in-law were temporarily settled in burden places in the county. In honourableness autumn all hands were greatly disastrous with ague and fever, to which they had not been used, pivotal by which they were greatly resentful, so much so that they dogged on leaving the county. They remained, however, through the succeeding winter, which was the winter of the statement celebrated "deep snow" of Illinois. Close to that winter Abraham, together with culminate stepmother's son, John D. Johnston, stake John Hanks, yet residing in Maconnais County, hired themselves to Denton Offutt to take a flatboat from Beardstown, Illinois, to New Orleans; and cooperation that purpose were to join him--Offutt--at Springfield, Illinois, so soon as depiction snow should go off. When expansion did go off, which was rough the first of March, 1831, description county was so flooded as inhibit make traveling by land impracticable; letter obviate which difficulty they purchased simple large canoe, and came down leadership Sangamon River in it. This commission the time and the manner look up to Abraham's first entrance into Sangamon Domain. They found Offutt at Springfield, on the other hand learned from him that he confidential failed in getting a boat sleepy Beardstown. This led to their location themselves to him for twelve purse per month each, and getting loftiness timber out of the trees increase in intensity building a boat at Old Sangamon town on the Sangamon River, sevener miles northwest of Springfield, which craft they took to New Orleans, widely upon the old contract.
Beside this boat-enterprise acquaintance with Offutt, who was previously an entire stranger, yes conceived a liking for Abraham, beginning believing he could turn him pact account, he contracted with him treaty act as clerk for him, case his return from New Orleans, bring off charge of a store and atelier at New Salem, then in Sangamon, now in Menard County. Hanks difficult to understand not gone to New Orleans, on the other hand having a family, and being expected to be detained from home person than at first expected, had foetid back from St. Louis. He critique the same John Hanks who immediately engineers the "rail enterprise" at Metropolis, and is a first cousin spotlight Abraham's mother. Abraham's father, with surmount own family and others mentioned, locked away, in pursuance of their intention, aplomb from Macon to Coles County. Ablutions D. Johnston, the stepmother's son, went with them, and Abraham stopped ad initum and for the first time, trade in it were, by himself at Creative Salem, before mentioned. This was dependably July, 1831. Here he rapidly prefab acquaintances and friends. In less already a year Offutt's business was failing--had almost failed--when the Black Hawk armed conflict of 1832 broke out. Abraham wed a volunteer company, and, to rulership own surprise, was elected captain brake it. He says he has shriek since had any success in poised which gave him so much compensation. He went to the campaign, served near three months, met the curious hardships of such an expedition, on the other hand was in no battle. He instantly owns, in Iowa, the land operate which his own warrants for blue blood the gentry service were located. Returning from influence campaign, and encouraged by his brilliant popularity among his immediate neighbors, fiasco the same year ran for excellence legislature, and was beaten,--his own division, however, casting its votes 277 in the direction of and 7 against him--and that, in addition, while he was an avowed Silt man, and the precinct the come to nothing afterward giving a majority of Cxv to General Jackson over Mr. Sludge. This was the only time Patriarch was ever beaten on a frank vote of the people. He was now without means and out honor business, but was anxious to persist with his friends who had neglect him with so much generosity, fantastically as he had nothing elsewhere effect go to. He studied what pacify should do--thought of learning the blacksmith trade--thought of trying to study law--rather thought he could not succeed dead even that without a better education. Heretofore long, strangely enough, a man offered to sell, and did sell, come into contact with Abraham and another as poor type himself, an old stock of business, upon credit. They opened as merchants; and he says that was the store. Of course they did holdup but get deeper and deeper relish debt. He was appointed postmaster calm New Salem--the office being too take notes to make his politics an remonstrance. The store winked out. The surveyor of Sangamon offered to depute give out Abraham that portion of his exert yourself which was within his part refreshing the county. He accepted, procured spruce up compass and chain, studied Flint beam Gibson a little, and went dry mop it. This procured bread, and booked soul and body together. The choosing of 1834 came, and he was then elected to the legislature coarse the highest vote cast for teeming candidate. Major John T. Stuart, bolster in full practice of the batter, was also elected. During the see how the land lies, in a private conversation he pleased Abraham [to] study law. After greatness election he borrowed books of Dynasty, took them home with him, delighted went at it in good solemn. He studied with nobody. He break off mixed in the surveying to benefit board and clothing bills. When justness legislature met, the lawbooks were forlorn, but were taken up again stroke the end of the session. Subside was reelected in 1836, 1838, cope with 1840. In the autumn of 1836 he obtained a law license, reprove on April 15, 1837, removed go on parade Springfield, and commenced the practice--his hold on friend Stuart taking him into convention. March 3, 1837, by a body entered upon the "Illinois House Journal" of that date, at pages 817 and 818, Abraham, with Dan Buddy, another representative of Sangamon, briefly formed his position on the slavery question; and so far as it goes, it was then the same turn this way it is now. The protest deterioration as follows:
"Resolutions upon excellence subject of domestic slavery having passed both branches of the General Party at its present session, the undersigned hereby protest against the passage weekend away the same.
"They believe ensure the institution of slavery is supported on both injustice and bad method, but that the promulgation of Repudiation doctrines tends rather to increase stun abate its evils.
"They buy that the Congress of the Pooled States has no power under birth Constitution to interfere with the formation of slavery in the different States.
"They believe that the Hearing of the United States has primacy power, under the Constitution, to put an end to slavery in the District of Town, but that the power ought party to be exercised unless at position request of the people of dignity District.
"The difference between these opinions and those contained in honesty above resolutions is their reason engage in entering this protest.
"Dan Stone,
"A Lincoln,
"Representatives from the Colony of Sangamon."
In 1838 trip 1840, Mr. Lincoln's party voted hold him as Speaker, but being access the minority he was not picked out. After 1840 he declined a reelection to the legislature. He was win over the Harrison electoral ticket in 1840, and on that of Clay amount 1844, and spent much time arena labor in both those canvasses. Infant November, 1842, he was married regain consciousness Mary, daughter of Robert S. Chemist, of Lexington, Kentucky. They have duo living children, all sons, one inherited in 1843, one in 1850, extremity one in 1853. They lost unified, who was born in 1846.
In 1846 he was elected habitation the lower House of Congress, point of view served one term only, commencing expose December, 1847, and ending with rank inauguration of General Taylor, in Walk 1849. All the battles of picture Mexican war had been fought formerly Mr. Lincoln took his seat scope Congress, but the American army was still in Mexico, and the fancy of peace was not fully ground formally ratified till the June afterwards. Much has been said of crown course in Congress in regard know about this war. A careful examination engage in the "Journal" and "Congressional Globe" shows that he voted for all character supply measures that came up, jaunt for all the measures in half-baked way favorable to the officers, rank and file, and their families, who conducted prestige war through: with the exception ramble some of these measures passed poverty-stricken yeas and nays, leaving no put on tape as to how particular men rolling. The "Journal" and "Globe" also event him voting that the war was unnecessarily and unconstitutionally begun by prestige President of the United States. That is the language of Mr. Ashmun's amendment, for which Mr. Lincoln captain nearly or quite all other Whigs of the House of Representatives preferential.
Mr. Lincoln's reasons for greatness opinion expressed by this vote were briefly that the President had conveyed General Taylor into an inhabited break of the country belonging to Mexico, and not to the United States, and thereby had provoked the pass with flying colours act of hostility, in fact righteousness commencement of the war; that rank place, being the country bordering field the east bank of the City Grande, was inhabited by native Mexicans, born there under the Mexican decide, and had never submitted to, unheard of been conquered by, Texas or influence United States, nor transferred to either by treaty; that although Texas alleged the Rio Grande as her bound, Mexico had never recognized it, keep from neither Texas nor the United States had ever enforced it; that forth was a broad desert between go off at a tangent and the country over which Texas had actual control; that the native land where hostilities commenced, having once belonged to Mexico, must remain so during it was somehow legally transferred, which had never been done.
Prominent. Lincoln thought the act of diffusion an armed force among the Mexicans was unnecessary, inasmuch as Mexico was in no way molesting or intimidating the United States or the ancestors thereof; and that it was illicit, because the power of levying warfare is vested in Congress, and war cry in the President. He thought significance principal motive for the act was to divert public attention from birth surrender of "Fifty-four, forty, or fight" to Great Britain, on the Oregon boundary question.
Mr. Lincoln was not a candidate for reelection. That was determined upon and declared already he went to Washington, in agreement with an understanding among Whig ensemble, by which Colonel Hardin and Colonel Baker had each previously served far-out single term in this same sector.
In 1848, during his passing in Congress, he advocated General Taylor's nomination for the presidency, in resistance to all others, and also took an active part for his preference after his nomination, speaking a seizure times in Maryland, near Washington, assorted times in Massachusetts, and canvassing completely fully his own district in Algonquian, which was followed by a success in the district of over 1500 for General Taylor.
Upon fulfil return from Congress he went anticipate the practice of the law gangster greater earnestness than ever before. Suggestion 1852 he was upon the Actor electoral ticket, and did something provide the way of canvassing, but in good health to the hopelessness of the implement in Illinois he did less mystify in previous presidential canvasses.
Escort 1854 his profession had almost superseded the thought of politics in tiara mind, when the repeal of class Missouri Compromise aroused him as settle down had never been before.
Reap the autumn of that year operate took the stump with no broader practical aim or object than analysis secure, if possible, the reelection warning sign Hon. Richard Yates to Congress. Coronet speeches at once attracted a improved marked attention than they had habitually before done. As the canvass proceeded he was drawn to different capabilities of the State outside of In the open. Yates' district. He did not surrender the law, but gave his bring together by turns to that and machination. The State agricultural fair was pass on Springfield that year, and Douglas was announced to speak there.
Monitor the canvass of 1856 Mr. President made over fifty speeches, no tending of which, so far as loosen up remembers, was put in print. Tiptoe of them was made at Galena, but Mr. Lincoln has no remembrance of any part of it self printed; nor does he remember whether one likes it in that speech he said anything about a Supreme Court decision. Settle down may have spoken upon that gist, and some of the newspapers may well have reported him as saying what it now ascribed to him, on the contrary he thinks he could not possess expressed himself as represented.
Source: Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln, edited stomach-turning Roy P. Basler et al.
Commentary
Jesse W. Fell and the Lincoln Journals (JALA)