Wilson, Douglas L., ed.; Davis, Rodney O., ed.; Oskins, John. '84. John Oskins (William H. Herndon Interview)' in 'Herndon's Informants: Letters, Interviews, and Statements About Abraham Lincoln' . Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1998. [format: book], [genre: interview]. Permission: University of Illinois Press
Persistent link to this document: http://lincoln.lib.niu.edu/file.php?file=herndon128.html

Septr 16th 1865

Went to see Jno Oscans — or Hoskins — who lives about 1 ½ M South of Gentryville — Saw him — is about 48 ys of age — went to School with Abe in this Co — The School House is situated yonder — down there by the Spring — You see that big oak tree which is Scratched & burnt — The School House was there — The fire & Smoke Coming out of the Chimney partially Killed the tree — the School House was a Kind of hewed log house — had two Chimneys — one door — holes for windows — greasy paper was pasted over the holes in winter time to admit light &c — Swany — or Sweeny ^[1] Kept school here — 2 M south of Gentryville & 4 M from Abes home — Swany Kept school here in 1826 — Lincoln & myself were Schollars — Our books were Websters Spelling books — Introduction to the English reader — We would Choose up and spell as in old times Every friday night — Here is a piece of the log of the old School House — I Know that it is a piece because I tore down the old School house — removed the logs to this place — put them up in the Stable — &c — say to you that this piece of wood is a part of the old School house — Yonder is the

Spring that Abe drank out of a thousand times — There it is (we went down to it) walled up with brick — here is the old burnt oak tree — here Stood the School house — here were the Chimneys.

Hoskins farm is on the road leading from Rockport to Gentryville — about 14 M north of Gentryville ^[2] — 1 ½ M South of Gentryvill — House Stands on the right hand of the road as you go from Rockport to Gentryville &c — ^[3]

Library of Congress: Herndon-Weik Collection. Manuscript Division. Library of Congress. Washington, D.C. 2359 — 60; Huntington Library: LN2408, 1:95 — 96

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