Lincoln Before Politics
Courtesy of the Library of Congress
Introduction
President Abraham Lincoln is the most written about American President in History. There have been numerous books written about his life, family, presidency, and even his death. This guide will take a deeper look at his early life, before he entered the world of politics, and provide a selection of images and documents that you can use in the classroom.
Early Childhood
(LP1063, ALPLM Audio-Visual Collection, Digitized thanks to an NEH Grant)
(LP021, ALPLM Audio-Visual Collection, Digitized thanks to an NEH Grant)
Courtesy of the Papers of Abraham Lincoln
Complete document can be found here - Ciphering Book
President Abraham Lincoln was born in Hardin County, Kentucky on February 12, 1809, to parents Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks. He moved to Indiana in 1816 when he was eight years old, and it is here that he would spend most of his youth. Lincoln recalls his childhood home as being, “a wild region, with many bears and other wild animals still in the woods” (Selby, 14-15). Two years after moving to Indiana, Lincoln’s mother, Nancy Hanks Lincoln died due to contracting milk sickness. In 1819 Thomas would marry Sarah Bush Johnston. Sarah was very fond of Abraham and encouraged his love of reading. In an interview conducted by William Herndon, Sarah is quoted saying, “Abe was a good boy: he didn’t like physical labor – was diligent for Knowledge. He read all the books he could lay his hands on…” (Wilson, 106-07). While Abraham did not have a full formal education he was motivated to learn and took it upon himself to take in as much knowledge as he could from books and others he would interact with. Lincoln was known at a young age for his wit and ability to capture an audience. There is a wonderful example of his humor in his ciphering book where he writes,
Abraham Lincoln is my ^nam[e]^
And with my pen I wrote the same
I wrote in both hast and speed
and left it here for fools to read
In March of 1830 Abraham and his family set out for Illinois. While he was 20 years old and able to set out on his own, “his sense of duty overruled the desire of his heart, and he postponed his self-emancipation in order to help his family as they settled into a new home” (Burlingame, 49). Lincoln would eventually emancipate himself from his father and in 1831 move to New Salem, just outside of present-day Petersburg, Illinois.
New Salem
(LP1118, ALPLM Audio-Visual Collection, Digitized thanks to an NEH Grant)
(LP1119, ALPLM Audio-Visual Collection, Digitized thanks to an NEH Grant)
New Salem is where Abraham Lincoln truly began his journey to becoming the 16th president. It was here where he came into his own as a surveyor, a storekeeper, and began delving into his studies of law and politics. Life in New Salem was not easy, and it was a “rough and primitive town where violence was commonplace and even religion reflected the crudeness of the frontier” (Burlingame, 57).
One of the most popular stories about Lincoln and his time in New Salem has to do with a wrestling match between him and Jack Armstrong. The “Clary’s Grove Boys” chose Armstrong as their champion when they challenged Lincoln to a wrestling match. “The bout was entered upon, but Armstrong soon discovered that he had met with more than his match.” Seeing that Armstrong was going to lose the match the “regulators”, as they perceived themselves to be, “gathered around Lincoln, struck and disabled him, and then Armstrong, by ‘legging’ him, got him down.” They had all anticipated making Lincoln angry through this action but Lincoln simply rose in good humor and “fell to laughing over his discomfiture, and joking about it.” Impressed by his demeanor surrounding the incident the men offered Lincoln a place in their group (McClure, 49).
In September 1831, Lincoln began his work as a store clerk in Denton Offutt’s store. He quickly became a favorite among the residents of New Salem and was known to maintain a strict policy on behavior within the store itself. There was an incident with a gentleman by the name of Charlie Reavis who was known for being very vocal in the store, especially when in front of women. Lincoln, after having discussed the issue with this gentleman several times, “grabbed Reavis by the arm, hustled him out of the store, threw him to the ground, and rubbed smartweed in his face” (Burlingame, 60). This was not the only occasion Lincoln was known to have gotten short with rowdy and disrespectful customers. His sense of honor and duty came through as well during his time as a store clerk. During a transaction with a young lady, Lincoln rung up a purchase resulting in overcharging the patron. Later that evening after closing the store, “he started out on foot, a distance of two or three miles, for the house of his defrauded customer, and, delivering over to her the sum whose possession had so much troubled him, went home satisfied” (McClure, 22). These are just a few examples of several interactions that have been recorded about Lincoln’s time at New Salem.
Black Hawk War
(LP681, ALPLM Audio-Visual Collection, Digitized thanks to an NEH Grant)
(LPh729, ALPLM Audio-Visual Collection, Digitized thanks to an NEH Grant)
(LP1747, ALPLM Audio-Visual Collection, Digitized thanks to an NEH Grant)
On April 21, 1832, Lincoln responded to the call for troops in response to Chief Black Hawk marching across the Mississippi river to reclaim lands in northern Illinois. Some sixty-seven men that left New Salem joined together behind Lincoln showing their support of Lincoln as the Captain of their unit. “Lincoln’s toughness, fairness, and native ingenuity made him an effective officer” (Burlingame, 67). Lincoln was not well versed in military regulations and that proved to be a challenge for him as he commanded his troops. Lincoln only served for a brief time, from April to July, never seeing any combat during what we now know as the Black Hawk War. In his autobiography Lincoln noted his time serving in the Black Hawk War as, “a success which gave me more pleasure than any I have had since.” He reflected on this time of his life and in a humorous speech during his time in Congress he stated, “It is quite certain I did not break my sword, for I had none to break; but I bent my musket pretty badly on one occasion” (McClure, 40).
While the Black Hawk War occurred in a brief period during Lincoln’s life, it created a lasting impact on him and his future in politics.
Conclusion
There are several occasions that show the sheer breadth of skills that Abraham Lincoln acquired over his lifetime. He endured several hardships but always strove to overcome them. Numerous incidents throughout his life display that he was always driven to learn and grow. One great example of this is the fact that Lincoln is the only president in U.S. history to hold a patent. In March of 1849, Lincoln applied for a patent for a device for “buoying vessels over shoals.” This invention was the result of his years of experience encountering challenges while transporting goods up and down the river.
Courtesy of the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History
From a young age Lincoln was hungry for knowledge and held himself with honor and discipline in everything that he did. This guide gives a brief look at the vast array of anecdotes and reflections on President Lincoln’s life before he entered the political world. There were several incidents in his life that influenced him and that would later impact his policies as president.
References
Abraham Lincoln’s patent, May 22, 1849, page 3. (Gilder Lehrman Collection)
Burlingame, Michael. Abraham Lincoln A Life: Volume One. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 2008.
Ciphering Book. [1819-12-01 - 1826-12-31]. /documents/D200001. The Papers of Abraham Lincoln Digital Library.
Lincoln, Abraham. The autobiography of Abraham Lincoln. Edward T. Kelly Company, Chicago, Illinois, n. d. Manuscript/Mixed Material. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/scsm000674/>.
McClure, J.B. Anecdotes & Stories of Abraham Lincoln. Mechanicsburg: Stockpole Books, 2006.
Selby, Paul. Stories and Speeches of Abraham Lincoln. Chicago: Thompson & Thomas, 1900.
Wilson, Douglas L., and Rodney O. Davis. Herndon’s Informants: Letters, Interviews, and Statements about Abraham Lincoln. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1998.
Additional Resources
Lincoln Boyhood Home: https://www.nps.gov/libo/index.htm
Abraham Lincoln Birthplace: https://www.nps.gov/abli/index.htm
Lincoln’s New Salem https://www.lincolnsnewsalem.com/
Lincoln the Inventor https://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-resources/spotlight-primary-source/abraham-lincoln-inventor-1849