Footprints of Abraham Lincoln: Presenting many interesting facts, reminiscences and illustrations never before publishedHobson, J. T. (Jonathan Todd)
History
Footprints of Abraham Lincoln: Presenting many interesting facts, reminiscences and illustrations never before published
Hobson, J. T. (Jonathan Todd)
Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865 -- Anecdotes
"'This was just the opening Sampson was looking for, so he began
to bluster up to Lincoln. After standing abuse for a few minutes,
Abe told him to hush up or he would take him by the nape of the
neck and throw him over the fence. [At this point the old captain
interrupted my reading, and said, "Lincoln did not say he would
throw him over the fence, but said he would throw him into a pond
of water near by."] This had an effect, and Sampson shut up,
because he knew Abe could, and would do what he said.
"'My father's house was on the road between Gentryville and the
nearest trading-point on the Ohio River, at Troy. To this place
the settlers took their deer and bear hides, venison hams, and
other game, for which they received clothes, powder, and other
necessary articles. Lincoln and his father had constructed a wagon
for old man Gentry, made entirely out of wood, even to the hickory
rims to the wheels.
"'This they loaded with produce, and started for Troy. Arriving
at my father's house, a rain had swollen the creek near there, so
that they decided to stay all night, and wait for the water to
subside. During the night wolves stole nearly all the venison from
the wagon. That which belonged to the Lincolns was not touched,
however; it was in the bottom of the wagon. My father was a very
serious man, and scarcely ever smiled, but Abe, with his droll
ways and pleasant humor, always made him laugh.
"'A great grief, which affected Abe through his life, was
caused by the death of his only sister, Sally. They were close
companions, and were a great deal alike in temperament. About a
year after her marriage to one of the Grigsbys, she died. This
was a hard blow to Abe, who always thought her death was due to
neglect. Abe was in a little smoke-house when the news came to him
that she had died. He came to the door and sat down, burying his
face in his hands. The tears trickled through his large fingers,
and sobs shook his frame. From then on he was alone in the world,
you might say.'"
In addition to the foregoing interesting reminiscences, the captain
related to me other important items, some of which are here given as he
related them:
"Old Si Crawford, the man who loaned Lincoln the book which
was damaged, was my uncle. I remember one time Lincoln came to
our place when my father was sitting on a shaving-horse, doing
some work. Other boys and I were standing near by. Mr. Lincoln,
addressing us, said, 'Well, boys, what have you learned to-day?'
No one answering, he said, 'I wouldn't give a cent for a boy who
doesn't know more to-day than he knew yesterday.' This remark
greatly impressed me, and I have never forgotten it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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