McClures Magazine, Volume VI, No. 3. February 1896 | Page 7

scant, and the trousers came out conspicuously short in the legs. One
day when James Short was visiting with his sister, he pointed to a man
walking down the street, and asked, "Who is that man in the short
breeches." "That is Lincoln," the sister replied; and Mr. Short went out
and introduced himself to Lincoln.--_J. McCan Davis._]
[Illustration: SQUIRE COLEMAN SMOOT.
Coleman Smoot was born in Virginia, February 13, 1794; removed to
Kentucky when a child; married Rebecca Wright March 17, 1817;
came to Illinois in 1831, and lived on a farm across the Sangamon
River from New Salem until his death, March 21, 1876. He
accumulated an immense fortune. Lincoln met him for the first time in
Offutt's store in 1831. "Smoot," said Lincoln, "I am disappointed in you;
I expected to see a man as ugly as old Probst," referring to a man
reputed to be the homeliest in the county. "And I am disappointed,"
replied Smoot; "I had expected to see a good-looking man when I saw
you." From that moment they were warm friends. After Lincoln's
election to the legislature in 1834, he called on Smoot, and said, "I want
to buy some clothes and fix up a little, so that I can make a decent
appearance in the legislature; and I want you to loan me $200." The
loan was cheerfully made, and of course was subsequently repaid.--_J.
McCan Davis._]
[Illustration: SAMUEL HILL--AT WHOSE STORE LINCOLN KEPT

THE POST-OFFICE.
From an old daguerreotype. Samuel Hill was among the earliest
inhabitants of New Salem. He opened a general store there in
partnership with John McNeill,--the John McNeill who became
betrothed to Ann Rutledge, and whose real name was afterwards
discovered to be John McNamar. When McNeill left New Salem and
went East, Mr. Hill became sole proprietor of the store. He also owned
the carding machine at New Salem. Lincoln, after going out of the
grocery business, made his headquarters at Samuel Hill's store. There
he kept the post-office, entertained the loungers, and on busy days
helped Mr. Hill wait on customers. Mr. Hill is said to have once
courted Ann Rutledge himself, but he did not receive the
encouragement which was bestowed upon his partner, McNeill. In 1839
he moved his store to Petersburg, and died there in 1857. In 1835 he
married Miss Parthenia W. Nance, who still lives at Petersburg.--_J.
McCan Davis._]
[Illustration: MARY ANN RUTLEDGE, MOTHER OF ANN MAYES
RUTLEDGE.
From an old tintype. Mary Ann Rutledge was the wife of James
Rutledge and the mother of Ann. She was born October 21, 1787, and
reared in Kentucky. She lived to be ninety-one years of age, dying in
Iowa December 26, 1878. The Rutledges left New Salem in 1833 or
1834, moving to a farm a few miles northward. On this farm Ann
Rutledge died August 25, 1835; and here also, three months later
(December 3, 1835), died her father, broken-hearted, no doubt, by the
bereavement. In the following year the family moved to Fulton County,
Illinois, and some three years later to Birmingham, Iowa. Of James
Rutledge there is no portrait in existence. He was born in South
Carolina, May 11, 1781. He and his sons, John and David, served in the
Black Hawk War.--_J. McCan Davis._]
[Illustration: JOHN CALHOUN, UNDER WHOM LINCOLN
LEARNED SURVEYING.
From a steel engraving in the possession of R.W. Diller, Springfield,
Illinois. John Calhoun was born in Boston, Massachusetts, October 14,
1806; removed to the Mohawk Valley, New York, in 1821; was
educated at Canajoharie Academy, and studied law. In 1830 he
removed to Springfield, Illinois, and after serving in the Black Hawk

War was appointed Surveyor of Sangamon County. He was married
there December 29, 1831, to Miss Sarah Cutter. He was a Democratic
Representative in 1838; Clerk of the House in 1840; circuit clerk in
1842; Democratic presidential elector in 1844; candidate for Governor
before the Democratic State convention in 1846; Mayor of Springfield
in 1849, 1850, and 1851; a candidate for Congress in 1852, and in the
same year again a Democratic presidential elector. In 1854, President
Pierce appointed him Surveyor-General of Kansas, and he became
conspicuous in Kansas politics. He was president of the Lecompton
Convention. He died at St. Joseph, Missouri, October 25, 1859. Mr.
Frederick Hawn, who was his boyhood friend, and afterward married a
sister of Calhoun's wife, is now living at Leavenworth, Kansas, at the
age of eighty-five years. In an interesting letter to the writer, he says:
"It has been related that Calhoun induced Lincoln to study surveying in
order to become his deputy. Presuming that he was ready to graduate
and receive his commission, he called on Calhoun, then living with his
father-in-law, Seth R. Cutter, on Upper Lick Creek. After the interview
was concluded, Mr. Lincoln,