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Browsing named entities in a specific section of William H. Herndon, Jesse William Weik, Herndon's Lincoln: The True Story of a Great Life, Etiam in minimis major, The History and Personal Recollections of Abraham Lincoln by William H. Herndon, for twenty years his friend and Jesse William Weik. Search the whole document.

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Josiah Crawford (search for this): chapter 4
n interesting old lady whom I met in Indiana in 1865. She was the wife of Josiah Crawford In one of her conversations with me Mrs. Crawford told me of the exhibiMrs. Crawford told me of the exhibitions with which at school they often entertained the few persons who attended the closing day. Sometimes, in warm weather, the scholars made a platform of clean boabtained principally from a book called The Kentucky Preceptor, which volume Mrs. Crawford gave me as a souvenir of my visit. Lincoln had often used it himself, she ious, and sensible sister of a humorous and equally sensible brother. From Mrs. Crawford I obtained the few specimens of Abe's early literary efforts and much of thof painful rhymes. I reproduce it here from the manuscript furnished me by Mrs. Crawford. The author and composer called it Adam and eve's wedding song. When Aimproved the rare opportunity which presented itself of caricaturing Blue Nose Crawford, who had exacted of him such an extreme penalty for the damage done to his Wee
played an important role before the curtain was rung down. Taylor's father was the second for Johnston, and William Whitten officiated in a similar capacity for Grigsby. They had a terrible fight, relates Taylor, and it soon became apparent that Grigsby was too much for Lincoln's man, Johnston. After they had fought a long time without interference, it having been agreed not to break the ring, Abe burst through, caught Grigsby, threw him off and some feet away. There he stood, proud as Lucifer, and swinging a bottle of liquor over his head swore he was the big buck of the lick. If any one doubts it, he shouted, he has only to come on and whet his horns. A general engagement followed this challenge, but at the end of hostilities the field was cleared and the wounded retired amid the exultant shouts of their victors. Much of the latter end of Abe's boyhood would have been lost in the midst of tradition but for the store of information and recollections I was fortunate enough
Aaron Grigsby (search for this): chapter 4
Chapter3. Abe reads his first law-book. the fight between John Johnston and William Grigsby. recollections of Elizabeth Crawford. marriage of Sarah Lincoln and Aaron Grigsby. the wedding song. the Chronicles of Reuben. more poetry. Abe attends court at Booneville. the accident at Gordon's mill. borrowing law-books of Judge Pitcher. compositions on Temperance and Government. the journey with Allen Gentry to New Orleans. return to Indiana. Customs and superstition of the pioneers. reappearance of the milk sick. removal to Illinois. Abe and his pet dog. The first law book Lincoln ever read was The statutes of Indiana. He obtained the volume from his friend David Turnham, who testifies that he fairly devoured the book in his eager efforts to abstract the store of knowledge that lay between the lids. No doubt, as Turnham insists, the study of the statutes at this early day led Abe to think of the law as his calling in maturer years. At any rate he now
by Mrs. Crawford, but the first lines, Oh, sinners, poor sinners, take warning by me, The fruits of transgression behold now and see, will suffice to indicate how mournful the rest of it was. The centre of wit and wisdom in the village of Gentryville was at the store. This place was in charge of one Jones, who soon after embarking in business seemed to take quite a fancy to Abe. He took the only newspaper sent from Louisviilleand at his place of business gathered Abe, Dennis Hanks, Baldwin, the blacksmith, and other kindred spirits to discuss such topics as are the exclusive property of the store lounger. Abe's original and ridiculous stories not only amused the crowd, but the display of his unique faculties made him many friends. One who saw him at this time says: Lincoln would frequently make political speeches to the boys; he was always calm, logical, and clear. His jokes and stories were so odd, original, and witty all the people in town would gather around him
the light of the moon, and it must only be stirred in one way and by one person. They had the horror of Friday which with many exists to this day. Nothing was to be begun on that unlucky day, for if the rule were violated an endless train of disasters was sure to follow. Surrounded by people who believed in these things, Lincoln grew to manhood. With them he walked, talked, and labored, and from them he also absorbed whatever of superstition showed itself in him thereafter. His early Baptist training made him a fatalist up to the day of his death, and, listening in boyish wonder to the legends of some toothless old dame led him to believe in the significance of dreams and visions. His surroundings helped to create that unique character which in the eyes of a great portion of the American people was only less curious and amusing than it was august and noble. The winter of 1829 was marked by another visitation of that dreaded disease, the milk-sick. It was making the usual
— could sink an axe deeper into wood than any man I ever saw, is the testimony of another witness. After he had passed his nineteenth year and was nearing his majority he began to chafe and grow restless under the restraints of home rule. Seeing no prospect of betterment in his condition, so long as his fortune was interwoven with that of his father, he at last endeavored to strike out into the broad world for himself. Having great faith in the judgment and influence of his fast friend Wood, he solicited from him a recommendation to the officers of some one of the boats plying up and down the river, hoping thereby to obtain employment more congenial than the dull, fatiguing work of the farm. To this project the judicious Wood was much opposed, and therefore suggested to the would be boatman the moral duty that rested on him to remain with his father till the law released him from that obligation. With deep regret he retraced his steps to the paternal mansion, seriously determi
May Jackson (search for this): chapter 4
Of another ballad we have this couplet: Hail Columbia, happy land, If you aint drunk I will be damned. We can imagine the merry Dennis, hilarious with the exhilaration of deep potations at the village grocery, singing this field song as he and Abe wended their way homeward. A stanza from a campaign song which Abe was in the habit of rendering, according to Mrs. Crawford, attests his earliest political predilections: Let auld acquaintance be forgot And never brought to mind, May Jackson be our president, And Adams left behind. A mournful and distressing ballad, John Anderson's Lamentation, as rendered by Abe, was written out for me by Mrs. Crawford, but the first lines, Oh, sinners, poor sinners, take warning by me, The fruits of transgression behold now and see, will suffice to indicate how mournful the rest of it was. The centre of wit and wisdom in the village of Gentryville was at the store. This place was in charge of one Jones, who soon after embarking
Dennis Hanks (search for this): chapter 4
can only remember one couplet: There was a Romish lady She was brought up in Popery. Dennis Hanks insists that Abe used to try his hand and voice at Poor old Ned, but never with any degree ofe. He took the only newspaper sent from Louisviilleand at his place of business gathered Abe, Dennis Hanks, Baldwin, the blacksmith, and other kindred spirits to discuss such topics as are the exclusigh. We can imagine the gleeful and more hilarious swaggering home at daybreak to the tune of Dennis Hanks' festive lines: Hail Columbia, happy land, If you ain't drunk I will be damned. Althotims were falling before it every day, and it caused the usual stampede in southern Indiana. Dennis Hanks, discouraged by the prospect and grieving over the loss of his stock, proposed a move furthern March, 1830, started for Illinois. The two daughters of Mrs. Lincoln had meanwhile married Dennis Hanks and Levi Hall, and with these additions the party numbered thirteen in all. Abe had just pass
Old Thomas Lincoln (search for this): chapter 4
d up the bleeding, senseless boy, whom he took for dead, and at once sent for his father. Old Thomas Lincoln camecame as soon as embodied listlessness could moveloaded the lifeless boy in a wagon anold hussy, or the latter half of the sentence interrupted by the mare's heel at the mill. Mr. Lincoln considered this one of the remarkable incidents of his life. He often referred to it, and we Pitcher, ninety-three years old, is still living in Mount Vernon, Indiana. He says that young Lincoln often called at his office and borrowed books to read at home during leisure hours. On one occof his payment to Crawford of the damage done to the latter's book-Weems' Life of Washington. Lincoln said, You see, I am tall and long-armed, and I went to work in earnest. At the end of the two s train of disasters was sure to follow. Surrounded by people who believed in these things, Lincoln grew to manhood. With them he walked, talked, and labored, and from them he also absorbed what
y. If we expect to know Lincoln thoroughly we must be prepared to take him as he really was. In 1826 Abe's sister Sarah was married to Aaron Gigsby, and at the wedding the Lincoln family sang a song composed in honor of the event by Abe himself. It is a tiresome doggerel and full of painful rhymes. I reproduce it here from the manuscript furnished me by Mrs. Crawford. The author and composer called it Adam and eve's wedding song. When Adam was created He dwelt in Eden's shade, As Moses has recorded, And soon a bride was made. Ten thousand times ten thousand Of creatures swarmed around Before a bride was formed, And yet no mate was found. The Lord then was not willing That man should be alone, But caused a sleep upon him, And from him took a bone. And closed the flesh instead thereof, And then he took the same And of it made a woman, And brought her to the man. Then Adam he rejoiced To see his loving bride A part of his own body, The product of his side. The woman was n
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