 |
Home | Search | Browse | About IPO | Staff | Links |
|
Home | Search | Browse | About IPO | Staff | Links |
|
Lincoln at New Salem
Curt Moeckel In his first weeks at his new home, Abraham Lincoln once said, "I am a piece of floating driftwood, and accidentally landed at New Salem." Lincoln might have accidentally landed in this small town, but there he had a great life. In the six years that Lincoln lived in New Salem, Illinois, he became a well-rounded and mentally mature person because of his jobs and personal and social life. Lincoln arrived at New Salem, Illinois, in 1831 after many fortunate occurrences. First, when Lincoln's family moved to Illinois from Indiana at the end of 1831, he helped his family get started and build a house. At this time Lincoln met a man by the name of Offutt who liked Lincoln's style. Offutt asked him to take a flatboat full of goods to New Orleans, and on his return to become a clerk in Offutt's New Salem store. Lincoln set off in March 1831, and made it back to New Salem in July 1831, where he started a new life. When Lincoln arrived at New Salem in July, no one knew him, and he had to try to become known by the local people. During a slow day at a voting place where Abe helped count the ballots, he stood up and told some Indiana stories that made everyone laugh. In addition, Offutt also helped Lincoln become better known by bragging about how strong he was. He challenged anyone in the world to match Lincoln's strength. Offutt bet ten dollars with Bill Clary that a man from Clary's Grove by the name of Jack Armstrong could not beat Lincoln in a wrestling match. At last when Lincoln finally met the 6-foot-4-inch, 214-pound man in the match, he beat him by picking him up and shaking him. All of these things made Lincoln an immediate friend of everyone, even Jack Armstrong. Lincoln, a man hired to do many odd jobs in his first few months in New Salem, kept himself busy. Of course, Lincoln was Offutt's clerk, as initially agreed, but he was also hired by another local, Dr. Nelson, to pilot a flatboat to Beardstown. Finally, Offutt hired Lincoln to become head of the Rutledge
and Cameron Mill, and Offutt hired William G. Greene to assist Lincoln. Working together, William and Abe started a lifelong friendship because they were constantly together. Thus, Lincoln had many odd jobs in his first months at New Salem. Lincoln immediately enlisted in the Army when the Blackhawk War began, and when he returned, the election for the General Assembly was only ten days away. Lincoln's campaign was difficult because he ran as a Whig in a district with many Democrats. Lincoln crammed in as many speeches as he could, and during one walked down from the podium to defend a friend. In his speeches, Lincoln did not say anything about national politics, but did say he wanted to improve the navigability of the Sangamon River. He lost the election, but the people in the New Salem district voted 277 to 3 in favor of him. Lincoln lost that year, but he won in 1834 when he ran again. Lincoln's ambition to be more than a laborer showed again when he became a postmaster. On May 7, 1833, Lincoln placed a $500 bond to become postmaster. Although the postmaster job did not pay much, he split rails, was an assistant surveyor, and helped at the mill. In addition to this work, Lincoln had a huge mail route. For short distance letters it cost six cents for the first page and for longer letters twelve and a half cents per page. To understand how fair Lincoln was, he helped out people who could not pay the bill and said that he sent the letter because he could have free postage. However, he paid a fine of ten dollars when a friend turned him in for giving him a free letter. Lincoln resigned as postmaster on May 30, 1836. Lincoln also advanced his education at New Salem. He borrowed books from customers at the store where he worked and read the one newspaper he received free each day. After his hours as postmaster, Lincoln studied law with Mentor Graham, a school teacher in the Onstot cooper shop. In addition, a friend gave him access to a large collection of newspapers and books. Above all, from his learning, Lincoln applied for his law license on September 9, 1836, and received it on March 1, 1837. With his new knowledge, he then left New Salem on April 15, 1837, to practice law in Springfield. Abraham Lincoln thus gained great experience and wisdom from his years in New Salem. They were an important phase in his later accomplishments.— [From Paul M. Angle, ed., The Lincoln Reader; William E. Baringer, Lincoln's Vandalia; N. Hapgood, Abraham Lincoln; A. M. Robinson, Abraham Lincoln As A Man of Letters.]
|
|
|
