Wilson, Douglas L., ed.; Davis, Rodney O., ed.; Spears, George. 'George Spears to William H. Herndon' in 'Herndon's Informants: Letters, Interviews, and Statements About Abraham Lincoln' . Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1998. [format: book], [genre: letter]. Permission: University of Illinois Press
Persistent link to this document: http://lincoln.lib.niu.edu/file.php?file=herndon393.html

287. George Spears to William H. Herndon.

Tallula Ills Nov 3d 1866

Dear Sir

in answer to yours of the 1st of Nov I hasten to answer your enquiries so fair as I can as it regards the time that Doc Duncan came to New Salem I can not give the date he left I think in the fall of 1833 & went to Knox Co, Ills is in Knoxville & is living there yet so fair as I know; ^[1] 1 Jack Kelso Left Salem in 1837 & moved to Missouria But I never knew the County ^[2] an Old friend of mine in St Louis was at my hous this Somer past & told me that he was at Kelsoe's house in, Mo but I never asked him the County the Mans name is Z. C. Inghram will write to him & assertain the County & inform you as Soon as posible this man Inghram kept a Store in New Salem at the time that Lincoln & Bery Dunkin & Kelso all lived there and Can give you all the dates, there is no end to his recollections he never for gets any thing that he sees or hears ^[3] If you write to him tell him that I refered you to him for the information though he is a Strong Democrat yet he will answer your enquiries; I took my horse this morning & went over to the Neighbourhood of Newsalem among the Potters & Armstrongs & made all the enqirys I could but could learn nothing the Old Ladys would begin to count up what had happened in Salem when such a one of their children was born & such a one had a Bastard but it all amounted to nothing I could arrive at no dates only when those Children wer Born Old Mrs Potter ^[4] affirms that Lincoln did sell Liquors in a grosery I can't Say whether he did or not at that time I had no idia of his ever being President therefore I did not notice his course as close as I should of had. there is a man in Mason County Ills by the name of Henry Sears who was always about Salem he never for gets Dates & can tell you all

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