Wilson, Douglas L., ed.; Davis, Rodney O., ed; Turnham, David. 'David Turnham (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=herndon120.html

moved to Ills in an oxe waggon — 2 yoke of oxen — waggon Ironed — Lincoln sold his farm to Gentry — Jas Gentry Sen — the old man — Mr Lincoln wrote a book of Chronicles — Satirizing the Grigsby and Josiah Crawford — The production was witty & showed talent — it marked the boy — as a man. Grigsby & Johnson ^[6] had a fight — Grigsby would have whipt Johnson, had no foul play been used — Bill Boland showed foul play — the fight took place after the marriage of Chas & Reuben Grigsby were married — Thomas Lincoln had about 40 acres of land under cultivation when he left for Ills — he planted a young orchard on his old farm — Mr Thos Lincoln was a Carpenter & Cabinet Make. I have a Cupboard now in my house which Mr Thomas Lincoln made for me about 21. (1821 or 1822) Abe Lincoln has worked for my father some — worked at farming work —

To show Lincolns — Abes Humanity let me tell you a short story — One night when Lincoln & I were returning home fromg Gentryville we were passing along the road in the night. We saw something laying near or in a mud hole and Saw that it was a man: we rolled him over and over — waked up the man — he was dead drunk — night was cold — nearly frozen — we took him up — rather Abe did — Carried him to Dennis Hanks — built up a fire and got him warm — I left — Abe staid all night — we had been threshing wheat wheat — had passed Lincolns house — Lincoln stopt & took Care of the poor fellow — Smith — This was in the year 1825 There was one Store in Gentryville. Don't publish the mans name: he was an honorable man having now near us Excellent, dear & near relatives —

Went and took dinner with Mr Turnham — good dinner, good man. Abe Lincoln — was not fond of the Girls. Lincoln went to Gordons mills to grind We had hand Mills here ^[7]

I knew Thomas Lincoln very well — have Studied his make & his form: he was not tall — was dark skinned — was Stout — muscular — not nervous — nor Sinewy — He weighed about 165. lbs.: he was Somewhat raw boned — Abe favored him in many particulars. Both were humerous — good natured — Slow in action Somewhat. Sarah Lincoln favored Abe: she dark Skinned — heavy built — favored Abe very much — looked alike —

I Knew Dennis Hanks: he was not the truest man in the world — would dodge — Equivocate and Exagerate: the idea that he taught Lincoln to read and write is to me preposterous — . The Hanks were a peculiar people — not chaste — Dennis Hanks was a bastard — was the son of _________ His mother married Levi Hall — Dennis Hanks married Miss Johnson Abe Lincoln's Step Sister — Squire Hall married Matilda Johnson — Squire Hall Hall was ½ brother to Hanks. Squire Hall was the Son Levi Hall. These people were all good clever people I assure you, but they were peculiar —