I was born Feb. 12, 1809, in Hardin County, Kentucky. My parents were
both born in Virginia of undistinguished families - second families, perhaps
I should say. My mother, who died in my tenth year, was of a family of
the name of Hanks, some of whom now reside in Adams, and others in Macon
counties, Illinois. My paternal grandfather, Abraham Lincoln, emigrated
from Rockingham County, Virginia, to Kentucky, about 1781 or 2, where,
a year or two later, he was killed by Indians, not in battle, but by stealth
when he was laboring to open a farm in the forest. His ancestors, who were
Quakers, went to Virginia from Berks County, Pennsylvania. An effort to
identify them with the New England family of the same name ended in nothing
more definite than a similarity of Christian names in both families, such
as Enoch, Levi, Mordecai, Solomon, Abraham and the like.
My father, at the death of his father, was but six years of age; and
he grew up, literally without education. He removed from Kentucky to what
is now Spencer county, Indiana, in my eighth year. We reached our new home
about the same time the state came into the Union. It was a wild region
with many bears and other wild animals still in the woods. There I grew
up. There were some school so called; but no qualification was ever required
of a teacher beyond "readin, writin and cipherin," to the Rule
of Three. If a straggler supposed to understand Latin happened to sojourn
in the neighborhood, he was looked upon as a wizard. There was absolutely
nothing to excite ambition for education. Of course when I came of age
I did not know much. Still somehow, I could read, write and cipher to the
Rule of Three; but that was all. I have not been to school since. The little
advance I now have upon this store of education I have picked up from time
to time under the pressure of necessity.
I was raised to farm work, which I continued till I was twenty-two.
At twenty-one I came to Illinois, and passed the first year in Illinois-Macon
county. Then I got to New Salem (at that time in Sangamon, now in Menard
county) where I remained a year as a sort of clerk in a store. Then came
the Black Hawk War; and I was elected a Captain of Volunteers - a success
which gave me more pleasure than any I have had since. I went the campaign,
was elated, ran for the Legislature the same year (1832) and was beaten
- the only time I have been beaten by the people. The next, and three succeeding
biennial elections, I was elected to the Legislature. I was not a candidate
afterwards. During this Legislative period I had studied law, and removed
to Springfield to practice it. In 1846 I was once elected to the lower
House of Congress. Was not a candidate for re-election. From 1849 to 1854,
both inclusive, practiced law more assiduously than ever before. Always
a Whig in politics, and generally on the Whig electoral tickets, making
active canvasses. I was losing interest in politics, when the repeal of
the Missouri Compromise aroused me again. What I have done since then is
pretty well known.
If any personal description of me is thought desirable, it may be said,
I am, in height, six feet, four inches, nearly; lean in flesh, weighing,
on an average, one hundred and eighty pounds; dark complexion, with coarse
black hair, and gray eyes-no other marks or brands recollected.
December 20, 1859