Wilson, Douglas L., ed.; Davis, Rodney O., ed.; Grigsby, Nathaniel. 'Nathaniel Grigsby (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=herndon111.html

but have heard this said in the family — : Abm Lincoln & Sally & myself all went to school — we 1st went to school to Andy Crawford in the year 1818, in the winter — the same year that Mrs Lincoln died she having died in Octr — Abe went to school nearly a year say — 9 mo — I was going to school all this time and saw Lincoln there most, if not all the time — The 2d School Master we went to was a Mr Hazel Dorsy — Abe Lincoln went to school to Hazel about 6 months — I went to school all the time — saw Lincoln there all or at least most of the time. We had to go about 2 miles to school — The 3d time we went to School was to a Mr Swaney who taught 6 mo. Lincoln did not go to school to him all the time Lincoln had to walk about 4 miles — Lincoln was, about, the 1st school 9 or 10 ys of age — The 2d school, he was about 14 or 15 and the 3d School he was about 16 or 18. Lincoln was Large of his age — Say at 17 — he was 6 & 2 inches tall — weighed about 160 pounds or a little more — he was Stout — withy-wirey — . When we started to School we had Dilworths' Spelling book ^[1] and the American Spelling book ^[2] — not Websters ^[3] I think — Lincoln ciphered at Crawfords school — Dorsys & Swanys — He used Pikes arithmetic — . ^[4] Ray's ^[5] was sometimes used — . We only wrote — spelled & ciphered — . We had Spelling Matches frequently — Abe always ahead of all the classes he Ever was in — When we went to Crawford he tried to learn us manners. &c. He would ask one of the schollars to retire from the School room — Come in and then some schollar would go around and introduce him to all the Schollars — male & female. Lincoln was a Studious. Lincoln while going to School to Crawford would write short sentences against cruelty to animals. We were in the habit of catching Turrapins — a Kind of turtle and put fire on their back and Lincoln would Chide us — tell us it was wrong — would write against it — Lincoln wrote Poetry while he was going to School to Dorsy — . Essays & Poetry were not taught in the school — Abe took it up of his own accord. He wrote a good Composition against Cruelty to animals whilst going to Dorsy and Swany. He wrote Poetry when going to these men. These things I remember & Know — . Cannot remember of his reading — any book — or books Excepting Esops fables — Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress — the Bible — Robinson Crusoe Life of Washington — Dupee's Hymn book ^[6] — Our libraries consisted of Spelling books — Bibles — Arithmetics — Song books. Lincoln was Kindly disposed toward Every body and Every thing — He scarcely Ever quarreled — was prompt & honorable — He never was an intemperate lad: he did drink his dram as well as all others did, preachers & Christians included — Lincoln was a temperate drinker. When

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