Category: Biographies

The Life of Abraham Lincoln, from His Birth to His Inauguration as President

Birth.--His father and mother.--History of Thomas Lincoln and his family a necessary part of Abraham Lincoln's biography.--Thomas Lincoln's ancestors.--Members of the family remaining in Virginia.--Birth of Thomas Lincoln.--Removal to Kentucky.--Life in the Wilderness.--Lincol...

Chapters

31. CHAPTER XI

UNDER the Act of Assembly, due in great part to Mr. Lincoln's exertions, the removal of the archives and other public property of the State from Vandalia to Springfield began on...

22. CHAPTER II.

THOMAS LINCOLN was something of a waterman. In the frequent changes of occupation, which had hitherto made his life so barren of good results, he could not resist the temptation...

32. CHAPTER XII

IN 1844 Mr. Lincoln was again a candidate for elector on the Whig ticket. Mr. Clay, as he has said himself, was his "_beau-ideal_ of a statesman," and he labored earnestly and a...

39. CHAPTER XIX.

IT was now but a few weeks until Mr. Lincoln was to become the constitutional ruler of one of the great nations of the earth, and to begin to expend appropriations, to wield arm...

30. CHAPTER X

THE majority of Mr. Lincoln's biographers--and they are many and credulous--tell us that he _walked_ from New Salem to Vandalia, a distance of one hundred miles, to take his sea...

40. CHAPTER XX

ON the 11th of February, 1861, the arrangements for Mr. Lincoln's departure from Springfield were completed. It was intended to occupy the time remaining between that date and t...

36. CHAPTER XVI

ALTHOUGH primarily responsible for all that had taken place in Kansas, Mr. Douglas appeared to be suddenly animated by a new and burning zeal in behalf of the Free-State party i...

34. CHAPTER XIV

WE have seen already, from one of his letters to Mr. Herndon, that Mr. Lincoln was personally quite willing to be a candidate for Congress the second time. But his "honor" forba...

37. CHAPTER XVII

IN the winter of 1858-9, Mr. Lincoln, having no political business on hand, appeared before the public in the character of lecturer, having prepared himself with much care. His...

27. CHAPTER VII

THE results of the canvass for the Legislature were precisely such as had been predicted, both by Mr. Lincoln and Mr. Rutledge: he had been defeated, as he expected himself; and...

33. CHAPTER XIII

LIKE most other public men in America, Mr. Lincoln made his bread by the practice of his profession, and the better part of his fame by the achievements of the politician. He wa...

25. CHAPTER V.

IN the spring of 1832, Mr. Offutt's business had gone to ruin: the store was sold out, the mill was handed over to its owners, Mr. Offutt himself departed for parts unknown, and...

35. CHAPTER XV

MR. LINCOLN predicted a bloody conflict in Kansas as the immediate effect of the repeal of the Missouri restriction. He had not long to wait for the fulfilment of his prophecy:...

38. CHAPTER XVIII

IT was not until May 9 and 10 that the Republican State Convention of Illinois met at Decatur. Mr. Lincoln was present, and is said to have been there as a mere "spectator." He...

21. CHAPTER I.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN was born on the twelfth day of February, 1809. His father's name was Thomas Lincoln, and his mother's maiden name was Nancy Hanks. At the time of his birth, they...

29. CHAPTER IX

FOLLOWING strictly the chronological order hitherto observed in the course of this narrative, we should be compelled to break off the story of Mr. Lincoln's love-affairs at New...

26. CHAPTER VI

THE volunteers from Sangamon returned to their homes shortly before the State election, at which, among other officers, assembly-men were to be chosen. Lincoln's popularity had...

24. CHAPTER IV.

ON the west bank of the Sangamon River, twenty miles north-west of Springfield, a traveller on his way to Havana will ascend a bluff one hundred feet higher than the low-water m...

23. CHAPTER III.

ABE and Gentry returned from New Orleans some time in June, 1828, having been gone not quite three months. How much longer he remained in the service of Gentry, or whether he re...

28. CHAPTER VIII.

THE reader is already familiar with the name of James Rutledge, the founder of New Salem, and the owner in part of the famous mill on the Sangamon. He was born in South Carolina...

2. CHAPTER II.

Thomas Lincoln builds a boat.--Floats down to the Ohio.--Boat capsizes.--Lands in Perry County, Indiana.--Selects a location.--Walks back to Knob Creek for wife and children.--M...

14. CHAPTER XIV.

Mr. Lincoln not a candidate for re-election.--Judge Logan's defeat.--Mr. Lincoln an applicant for Commissioner of the Land Office.--Offered the Governorship of Oregon.--Views co...

10. CHAPTER X.

Mr. Lincoln takes his seat in the Legislature.--Schemes of internal improvement.--Mr. Lincoln a silent member.--Meets Stephen A. Douglas.--Log-rolling.--Mr. Lincoln a candidate...

11. CHAPTER XI.

Capital removed to Springfield.--Mr. Lincoln settles there to practise law.--First case.--Members of the bar.--Mr. Lincoln's partnership with John T. Stuart.--Population and con...

15. CHAPTER XV.

The struggle in Kansas.--The South begins the struggle.--The North meets it.--The Missourians and other proslavery forces.--Andrew H. Reeder appointed governor.--Election frauds...

1. CHAPTER I.

Birth.--His father and mother.--History of Thomas Lincoln and his family a necessary part of Abraham Lincoln's biography.--Thomas Lincoln's ancestors.--Members of the family rem...

7. CHAPTER VII.

Results of the canvass.--An opening in business.--The firm of Lincoln & Berry.--How they sold liquor.--What Mr. Douglas said.--The store a failure.--Berry's bad habits.--The cre...

5. CHAPTER V.

Offutt's business gone to ruin.--The Black Hawk War.--Black Hawk crosses the Mississippi.--Deceived by his allies.--The governor's call for troops.--Abe enlists--Elected captain...

16. CHAPTER XVI.

Mr. Douglas opposes the Administration.--His course in Congress.--Squatter sovereignty in full operation.--Mr. Lincoln's definition of popular sovereignty and squatter sovereign...

13. CHAPTER XIII.

Mr. Lincoln in his character of country lawyer.--Public feeling at the time of his death.--Judge Davis's address at a bar-meeting.--Judge Drummond's address.--Mr. Lincoln's part...

18. CHAPTER XVIII.

Meeting of the Republican State Convention.--Mr. Lincoln present.--John Hanks and the rails.--Mr. Lincoln's speech.--Meeting of the Republican National Convention at Chicago.--T...

17. CHAPTER XVII.

Mr. Lincoln writes and delivers a lecture.--The Presidency.--Mr. Lincoln's "running qualities."--He thinks himself unfit.--Nominated by "Illinois Gazette."--Letter to Dr. Canisi...

3. CHAPTER III.

Abe's return from New Orleans.--Sawing planks for a new house.--The milk-sickness.--Removal to Illinois.--Settles near Decatur.--Abe leaves home.--Subsequent removals and death...

12. CHAPTER XII.

Mr. Lincoln a candidate for elector in 1844.--Debates with Calhoun.--Speaks in Illinois and Indiana.--At Gentryville.--Lincoln, Baker, Logan, Hardin, aspirants for Congress.--Su...

19. CHAPTER XIX.

Difficulties and peculiarities of Mr. Lincoln's position.--A general review of his character.--His personal appearance and habits.--His house and other property.--His domestic r...

6. CHAPTER VI.

The volunteers from Sangamon return shortly before the State election.--Abe a candidate for the Legislature.--Mode of bringing forward candidates.--Parties and party names.--Sta...

20. CHAPTER XX.

Departure of the Presidential party from Springfield.--Affecting address by Mr. Lincoln to his friends and neighbors.--His opinions concerning the approaching civil war.--Discov...

8. CHAPTER VIII.

James Rutledge.--His family.--Ann Rutledge.--John McNeil.--Is engaged to Ann.--His strange story.--The loveliness of Ann's person and character.--Mr. Lincoln courts her.--They a...

4. CHAPTER IV.

The site of New Salem.--The village as it existed.--The first store.--Number of inhabitants.--Their houses.--Springfield.--Petersburg.--Mr. Lincoln appears a second time at New...

9. CHAPTER IX.

Bennett Able and family.--Mary Owens.--Mr. Lincoln falls in love with her.--What she thought of him.--A misunderstanding.--Letters from Miss Owens.--Mr. Lincoln's letters to her...