I was born February 12, 1809, in Hardin Co., Ky. My parents were both born in Virginia, of undistinguished families. . .. My mother, who died in my tenth year, was of a family of the name of Hanks. ... My paternal grandfather . .. emigrated from Rockingham Co, Va, to Kentucky, about 1781 or 1782, where, a year or two later, he was killed by Indians, not in battle, but by stealth, when he was laboring to open a farm in the forest.... My father, at the death of his father, was but six years of age, and he grew up, literally without any education. He removed from Kentucky to what is now Spencer Co., Ind, in my eighth year. ... It was a wild region, with many bears and other wild animals still in the woods. There I grew up. There were some schools, so called, but no qualification was ever required of a teacher beyond readin, writin, and cipherin, to the rule of three. If a straggler supposed to understand Latin, happened to sojourn in the neighborhood, he was looked upon as a wizard,
..Of course,
when I came of age I did not know much. Still, somehow, I could read, write, and cipher to the rule of three, but that was all. I have not been to school since. The little advance I now have upon this store of education, I have picked up from time to time under the pressure of necessity.
I was raised to farm work, which I continued till I was twenty two. At twenty one I came to Illinois... [to] Macon county. Then I got to New-Salem . .., where I remained a year as a sort of clerk in a store. Then came the Black Hawk war; and I was elected a captain of volunteers--a success which gave me more pleasure than any I have had since. I went into the campaign, was elected, ran for the Legislature the same year (1832) and was beaten -the only time I ever have been beaten by the people. The next, and three succeeding biennial elections I was elected to the Legislature. I was not a candidate afterwards. During this legislative period I had studied law, and removed to Springfield to practice it. In 1846 I was once elected to the lower House of Congress. Was not a candidate for re-election. From 1849 to 1854,.. in politics, and generally on the Whig electoral ticket, making active canvasses. I was losing interest in politics, when the repeal of the Missouri Compromise aroused me again..
If any personal description of me is thought desirable, it may be said I am in height six feet
four inches, nearly; lean in flesh, weighing, on an average, one hundred and eighty pounds; dark complexion, with coarse black hair and grey eyes- no other marks or brands recollected.
5. From what success did he get his greatest pleasure?