Wilson, Douglas L., ed.; Davis, Rodney O., ed.; Spears, John Q. 'John Q. Spears (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=herndon705a.html

600. John Q. Spears (William H. Herndon Interview).

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A. Q. Spears ^[1] — Menard — Says — I Knew Mr. Lincoln from the time I was 4 years old — he used to Come out to my grand Mothers — the Doct — who was taken by the Indans in Tennessee — and liberated at Detroit — Mr. Lincoln used to talk to her instead of talking to Men: She was an intellectual woman. L said that if she had an Education she would have been Equal to any woman — Grand Mother and Mrs. Wm Green, among the women, were the first to bring Lincoln out to public view or notice. My grand Mother Said — "There is a great promise — a great possibility in Lincoln. Mary Spears was my grand Mothers name. Mrs. Green's name was Elizabeth.

Library of Congress: Herndon-Weik Collection. Manuscript Division. Library of Congress. Washington, D.C. 2586