Edgar lee masters was born in garnett, kansas, and he grew up in the small towns of lewistown and petersburg, illinois. Press, 2008 unedited manuscript by chapter, lincoln studies center, volume 1, chapter 8 pdf, 809. After graduating from illinois college, herndon moved to springfield to work before attending law school, at which point he met the future president. When my novel lincoln was recently turned into a miniseries by nbc, i wondered what the fun paper would do to try to kill the project. Lincoln s herndon is nearly sixty years old, but it is as fresh now as it was then, and his 1988 introduction shows that he would have changed little after forty years. Letters, herndon s lincoln, and the lincoln douglas debates. Herndon aspired to write a faithful portrait of his friend and law partner, based on his own. William henry herndons most popular book is herndons lincoln. Herndon was a good lawyer, hardworking, honest, without political ambition, and intensely loyal. Lincoln, abraham, 18091865 publisher springfield, ill. The presidency and the power of words, by douglas l. Like those novels, it refuses to take iconic american history at face value, presents a version of that history at odds with received wisdom and national mythmaking. Herndonweik collection of lincolniana, circa 18241933 library of.
Mar 18, 2017 douglas wilson, coeditor of herndon on lincoln. Nicolay and hays life of lincoln, herndon and weiks life of lincoln, lamons life of lincoln, hollands life of lincoln, arnolds life of lincoln, raymonds life of lincoln, stod. Collection composed of the papers of abraham lincoln, united states. Abstract the lincoln herndon law library contains a number of law books that were owned by william h. Condition light wear and spotting to cloth, modern bookplate in each volume. Kaplan is occasionally very insightful, it seems to me that his book is too anxious to prove that lincoln was a writer as we tend to stereotype writers in our own era, antisocial, hypersexualized, and deliberately provocative and. However i keep coming back to life of lincoln by william herndon, his old law partner and friend, and jesse weik, published in 1888.
Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. Letter to william herndon june 12, 1848 contributing editors for this page include james duncan. According to donald, herndon s long letter, dated jan. How historians interpret after congress adjourned on august 14, lincoln remained for nearly a month in washington, helping the whig executive committee of congress organize the national campaign. Some of the books in the collection also date from the period when herndon was a law partner of abraham lincoln.
In his own time, lincoln was never fully understood even by his closest friends. Pension bureau and the primary writer of herndons lincoln. Based on herndon s intimate, firsthand knowledge, this will always be the most authoritative single source for lincoln s early period howes h440. It told stories about lincoln from herndons experiences with him over. Herndons life of lincoln, the history and personal. Pension bureau and the primary writer of herndon s lincoln.
In providing the letters and interviews, collected by lincolns law partner willam herndon, from all the people who were closest to lincoln, this. Lincoln as i knew him before his fame had spread much beyond the. Herndons lincoln is an unofficial biography of abraham lincoln by his close friend and law partner william h. Letter to william herndon june 12, 1848 lincolns writings. When i was in jacksonville i promised to write to you. Herndon3 lincolns law partner for more than 16 years, by ward hill lamon4 lincolns law associate in danville, ill. Herndons recollection of lincolns july 10, 1848 letter in abraham lincoln. At the time of this interview they were codirectors of the knox college lincoln studies center in galesburg, illinois, with herndon s lincoln as the first in a series of books planned by the lincoln studies center. Since then, his life story has been told and retold so many times, he has become. Having concluded the research for his biography, herndon was ready to write it up. I found this firstperson account thorough, anecdotal and charming.
Herndon 17951867 and his wife, on december 25, 1818, in greensburg. Now, i must add herndons informants to my short list of great lincoln books. How historians interpret after congress adjourned on august 14, lincoln remained for nearly a month in washington, helping the whig executive committee of. Letter to william herndon july 10, 1848 lincolns writings. The prejudice and bitterness with which he was assailed have disappeared from the minds of men, and the world is now beginning to. Oct 23, 2017 herndon is the antidote, the man who knew him like a brother and described the struggles for selfcontrol, the ambition, the intellectual arrogance, the bouts of rage and depression. Herndons lincolnto put it simplywas written by jesse w.
Herndon wrote a large, influential, but muchcriticized 3volume work, herndon s lincoln. Lincolns herndon is nearly sixty years old, but it is as fresh now as it was then, and his 1988 introduction shows that he would have changed little after forty years. In 1840 herndon began studying law at the logan and lincoln law practice. Mary todd lincoln history has been unkind to mary todd lincoln. The man who created the lincoln we know politico magazine. Jesse william weik 25 november 1857 august 18, 1930, was a collaborator with william herndon in writing the first authoritative biography of abraham lincoln, published in 1889. Formerly, my two favorite books about abraham lincoln were herndon s lincoln and abraham lincoln by carl sandburg. Arnold5 an attorney who practiced before the same bar as lincoln and who served in congress during lincolns administration. William henry herndon december 25, 1818 march 18, 1891 was a law partner and biographer of president abraham lincoln. Lamon on february 26, 169, that his records about lincoln were the most perfect of any living or dead man.
Herndon, was a friend and law partner of lincoln s for 20 years before his first presidential term. Arnold5 an attorney who practiced before the same bar as lincoln and who served in. Barton collection of books from the lincoln and herndon law library. William herndon, lincolns law partner in springfield, spent 16 years by his side but later observed that lincoln was the most shutmouthed man who ever lived. The writer develops the main ideas through supporting details, which can. Herndons life of lincoln the history and personal recollections of abraham lincoln, premier civil war classics by herndon, william henry and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. The writer develops the main ideas through supporting details, which can include. Lincolns permanent law partnerships at springfield as opposed to the scores of special partnerships he entered into for the trial of particular cases in towns in the eighth circuit were stuart and lincoln during 18371841, and lincoln and herndon from 1844 to lincolns death. An unknown interview pdf writer and musician jesse subletts new serial novella grave digger blues is available as a hardcover or paperback from, or you can order the paperback edition from jesse sublett.
Lamon on february 26, 169, that his records about lincoln were the most perfect of. The true story of a great life, etiam in minimis major, the history and personal recollections of abraham lincoln by william h. Davis completed an edition of herndons lincoln, acclaimed by many authorities as the most influential lincoln biography ever written. For the benefit of those who like to trace important matters to their origins in minute events, one might say that it was all billy herndon s fault. Letters an interview with sara gabbard william herndon ln0718. Herndon had been gathering information about lin coln but three years, as he so stated p 67 when he wrote to ward h. At a ball held in springfield in 1840, abraham lincolns. Apr 14, 2015 william herndon, lincolns law partner in springfield, spent 16 years by his side but later observed that lincoln was the most shutmouthed man who ever lived.
Abstract the lincolnherndon law library contains a number of law books that were owned by william h. Nine years younger than lincoln, herndon had worked as a studentclerk at the law office where lincoln was junior partner to stephen t. Herndon, abraham lincoln s biographer and law partner. Indeed herndon was widely criticized for the informality of.
According to donald, herndons long letter, dated jan. Herndons life of lincoln, the history and personal recollections of abraham lincoln as originally written by william h. Herndon 18181891 was abraham lincoln s law partner from 1844 until lincoln became president in 1861. Central to this reassessment is the muchdisputed role of william h. The novels title ironically echoes the title of herndon s 1889 biography of lincoln, herndon s lincoln, a book that at the time was itself attacked for offering a lessthanworshipful account of lincoln, covering his unhappy marriage to mary todd and his bouts of depression referred to in lincoln s billy as the hypos. The lincoln worshippers in the history departments were embarrassed by herndon and tried to bury him in footnotes. The author of 40 books of poetry and prose, masters is best remembered for his great collection spoon river anthology 1915, a sequence of over 200 freeverse epitaphs spoken from the cemetery of the town of spoon river. His honors include the shelley memorial award, a grant. Now available in paperback, herndons informants collects and annotates more than 600 letters and interviews providing information about abraham lincolns prepolitical and prelegal careers. Herndon s life of lincoln the history and personal recollections of abraham lincoln, premier civil war classics by herndon, william henry and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. In providing the letters and interviews, collected by lincoln s law partner willam herndon, from all the people who were closest to lincoln, this. Letters, interviews, and statements about abraham lincoln book for free. Letters, herndons lincoln, and the lincolndouglas debates. Books on lincoln lincoln studies center knox college.
Herndon 18181891 was abraham lincolns law partner from 1844 until lincoln became president in 1861. The best biographies of abraham lincoln my journey. The book concentrates not so much on the personal herndon but on the herndon who fashioned most of the knowledge we have on the prespringfield lincoln. For the benefit of those who like to trace important matters to their origins in minute events, one might say that it was all billy herndons fault. Herndon wrote a large, influential, but muchcriticized 3volume work, herndons lincoln. Herndon s life of lincoln, the history and personal recollections of abraham lincoln as originally written by william h. After abraham lincolns assassination in 1865, william h. The collected, annotated accounts of lincoln s early life. Herndon s lincoln is an unofficial biography of abraham lincoln by his close friend and law partner william h. Herndon held the onl key which opened and revealed the mind of abraham lincoln. Wilson is the director of the lincoln studies center at knox college, in galesburg, illinois. Herndons lincoln the history and personal recollections.
According to william herndon, his law partner, he was the most secretivereticentshutmouthed man that ever lived. The history of illinois by governor thomas ford edited by rodney o. The history and personal recollections of abraham lincoln. They later produced an annotated edition of the lincoln douglas debates, published the same year as the 150th anniversary of the. But donald was referring to herndons haphazard researches into lincolns family and early life, conducted after lincolns death. Herndon, for twenty years his friend 1888, herndon s lincoln pub. Although imbued with a marked dislike for manual labor, it cannot be truthfully said. Books by william henry herndon author of herndons lincoln. Now available in paperback, herndon s informants collects and annotates more than 600 letters and interviews providing information about abraham lincoln s prepolitical and prelegal careers. At the time of this interview they were codirectors of. The best biographies of abraham lincoln my journey through. Herndon aspired to write a faithful portrait of his friend and law partner, abraham lincoln, based on his own observations and on hundreds of letters. The history and personal recollections of abraham lincoln place published.
The collected, annotated accounts of lincolns early life. Indeed herndon was widely criticized for the informality of his book as lincoln was by then being widely mythologized. To the editors for forty years the new york times has, from time to time, put its collective mind to work in trying to find ways of coping with my disturbing presence on the american scene. Herndon during his legal practice in springfield, illinois. After this had been done and the book had been revised for the press, i was requested by the publishers to add something in the nature of a character sketch of mr. For the broadside, which is the source of the text followed here, see the.
Herndon was abraham lincolns law partner for sixteen years before lincoln was elected president in 1860. Some of the people herndon questioned were illiterate. William henry herndon has 33 books on goodreads with 747 ratings. Herndon to write for the second edition of this work a chapter on the lincoln douglas campaign of 1858. Davis are codirectors of the lincoln studies center at knox college in galesburg, illinois, and the coeditors of herndons informants. William henry herndon december 25, 1818 march 18, 1891 was a law partner and. It told stories about lincoln from herndon s experiences with him over. Herndon, lincoln s law partner and biographer, and the standing and reliability of the evidence herndon collected on lincoln s life before being elected president. Please explain the purpose of this excellent and thoughtprovoking book and how it relates to your other publications about william h.
Herndon, lincolns law partner and biographer, and the standing and reliability of the evidence herndon collected on lincolns life before being elected president. A quarter of a century has wellnigh rolled by since the tragic death of abraham lincoln. Now, i must add herndon s informants to my short list of great lincoln books. The lives of william herndon university of michigan. A life coincides with the bicentennial of lincolns birth, but long after the official events are a memory, this biography will carry the lincoln story to new generations. William henry herndon s most popular book is herndon s lincoln. Of the many works on lincoln which the writer has consulted in the preparation of this volume, the following deserve to be mentioned. Herndon, abraham lincolns biographer and law partner. I have so many to write, that i can not devote much time to any one. Formerly, my two favorite books about abraham lincoln were herndons lincoln and abraham lincoln by carl sandburg. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork. The novels title ironically echoes the title of herndons 1889 biography of lincoln, herndons lincoln, a book that at the time was itself attacked for offering a lessthanworshipful account of lincoln, covering his unhappy marriage to mary todd and his bouts of depression referred to. Burlingame retells this dramatic life account using resources. List of books and articles about abraham lincoln online.