With a certain temerity then, we present our pictorial history of the environment in which Lincoln spent the most formative years of his life. It was from this frontier atmosphere and these frontier people that Lincoln acquired his uncanny understanding of how common folk think and the wisdom that enabled him to hold in his hands the ties that bound a people and made a nation. _A Brief Chronology of Abraham Lincoln_ Feb. 12, 1809 Born on Sinking Spring Farm near Hodgenville, Kentucky. 1811 to 1816 The family, which included Abe’s sister, Sarah, lived on Knob Creek near Hodgenville, Kentucky. Nov. 1816 The family moved to Pigeon Creek in Indiana. Oct. 5, 1818 Abe’s mother died of “milk sickness.” Dec. 2, 1819 Thomas Lincoln married Sarah Bush Johnston, a widow with three children, from Elizabethtown, Kentucky. Jan. 20, 1828 Sister Sarah died. Mar. 1830 The Lincoln family moved from Indiana to Illinois. Apr. 19, 1831 Offut’s flatboat piloted by Lincoln got stuck on the dam at New Salem, Illinois. Mar. 9, 1832 Announced candidacy for the Illinois Legislature. May 8, 1832 Mustered into U.S. Army for service in Black Hawk War. July 16, 1832 Mustered out of military service. Aug. 6, 1832 Defeated for the Legislature. May 7, 1833 Appointed postmaster at New Salem, Illinois. Aug. 4, 1834 Elected to the Legislature. Mar. 24, 1836 Sworn in as a lawyer of the Circuit Court of Sangamon County. Aug. 1, 1836 Reelected to the Legislature for a second term. Sept. 9, 1836 Licensed to practice law. Mar. 1, 1837 Admitted to the bar in Illinois. Mar. 15, 1837 Moved from New Salem to Springfield, Illinois. Aug. 1, 1838 Reelected to the Legislature for a third term. Dec. 3, 1839 Admitted to practice law in the Circuit Court of the United States. Aug. 1, 1840 Reelected to the Legislature for a fourth term. Nov. 4, 1842 Married Mary Todd of Lexington, Kentucky. Aug. 1, 1843 First child, Robert Todd Lincoln, was born. Jan. 7, 1844 Bought home in Springfield. Mar. 10, 1846 Second child, Edward Baker Lincoln, was born. Aug. 3, 1846 Elected to Congress. Dec. 6, 1847 Took seat in Congress. Mar. 7, 1849 Admitted to practice law before United States Supreme Court. Feb. 1, 1850 Second child, Edward Baker Lincoln, died. Dec. 21, 1850 Third child, William Wallace Lincoln, was born. Jan. 17, 1851 Lincoln’s father, Thomas, died. Apr. 4, 1853 Fourth child, Thomas “Tad” Lincoln, was born. June 16, 1858 Delivered “house divided” speech at Springfield. Aug. 21, 1858 First debate, with Stephen A. Douglas at Ottawa, Illinois. Aug. 27, 1858 Second debate, at Freeport, Illinois. Sept.