Honest Abe

In the history of America, no man has had more books written and published about him than Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln holds the awe and respect of Americans even more than 100 years after his death. He is remembered for his wisdom and insight, for his kindness and courage. And more than any other attribute, Abraham Lincoln is remembered for his honesty.

Lincoln was born February 12, 1809, in the state of Kentucky. He lived the first years of his life in a log cabin, as his family was quite poor. Young Abe learned to work hard; he cut down trees, sawed lumber, husked corn, and helped build the house where he and his family lived. His mother read the Bible to him, and taught him that it was important to be honest and treat people with kindness. When Abe was eight years old, his mother died. A year later, his father remarried. His stepmother, Sarah Lincoln, recalled that as a child, Abe was "the best boy I ever saw . . . He never told me a lie in his life . . . never quarreled, never dodged . . . any chastisement or other responsibility."

There is a story that as a young boy, Lincoln walked two long miles down dusty roads to the nearest store to buy something that his stepmother needed. It was a long way for a young boy to walk all alone, but his mother couldn't make the journey with the other smaller children. Several hours later, tired and dirty, he arrived back home with his purchases. Only then did he discover that the store clerk had given him too much money in change. It wasn't a lot, but the Lincolns were poor and could have used the extra money. Besides, it would have been much easier to just stay home after already making the long walk once. But Abe knew there was only one choice. He put the money in his pocket and walked the two miles back to the store.

Along with learning to be honest and responsible, as a young man Lincoln also learned the value of hard work. He remembered all his life the day he earned his first dollar because it opened up for him possibilities of how to be independent and how to succeed. When he was about eighteen, he was down by the river near his house, looking at a new wood flatboat he had made. Two men came down to the shore in carriages and unloaded their trunks. "Will you," one of them asked, "take us and our trunks out to the steamer?" Lincoln explained, "I was very glad to have the chance of earning something. I supposed that each of them would give me [some small bit of money], so I took them out to the steamboat. Each of them took from his pocket a silver half-dollar, and threw it on the floor of the boat. I could scarcely believe my eyes as I picked up the money . . . You may think it was a very little thing, but it was a most important incident in my life. I could scarcely believe that I, a poor boy, had earned a dollar in less than a day, that by honest work I had earned a dollar. The world seemed wider and fairer before me. I was a more hopeful and confident being from that time."

Lincoln's honesty and willingness to work gave him confidence and helped him to become a successful lawyer, a respected politician and most importantly, helped him serve two successful terms as President of the United States.