who was abe lincolns attorney

by Rebekah O'Reilly Published 2 years ago Updated 1 year ago 9 min read

How did Abraham Lincoln become a lawyer?

A History of Abraham Lincoln and His Lawyer Career Abraham Lincoln is famous for being the 16th president of the United States. He is also known as the president responsible for issuing the Emancipation Proclamation and winning the Civil War, which led to the end of the practice of slavery in America.

Who is Abraham Lincoln?

Jan 30, 2022 · Abraham Lincoln was a general attorney who took up civil and criminal cases, providing some of the best legal representation at the time due to his good moral conduct. You may want to believe that the former Springfield attorney and U.S. president received his degree at Harvard Law School. However, he never truly received a formal legal ...

What did Abraham Lincoln do before he was president?

Abraham Lincoln and Joshua Speed, Attorney and Client (JISHS) An Honest Calling: Lincoln's Law Practice (ALI) Dalby Revisited: A New Look at Lincoln's "Most Far-Reaching Case" in the Illinois Supreme Court (JALA)

How long did Abraham Lincoln's legal career last?

John J. Duff, A. Lincoln: Prairie Lawyer (New York: Bramhall House, 1960); John P. Frank, Lincoln as a Lawyer (Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1961). Martha L. Benner and Cullom Davis, eds. The Law Practice of Abraham Lincoln: The Complete Documentary Edition (Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 2000), DVD; see also Martha L. Benner, “The Abraham Lincoln Legal Papers: The …

Who was Abe Lincolns law partner?

William Henry Herndon (December 25, 1818 – March 18, 1891) was a law partner and biographer of President Abraham Lincoln....William Herndon (lawyer)William HerndonOccupationLawyer, biographerKnown forPartner and biographer of Abraham LincolnPolitical partyRepublican4 more rows

What was Abraham Lincoln a lawyer?

Abraham Lincoln was a self taught lawyer. In September 1836 he was admitted to the bar, allowing him to practice law in Illinois. In the spring of 1837 he moved to Springfield, a city of 1,500 residents, where John T. Stuart took him as a junior partner.

When did Lincoln stop practicing law?

After losing the 1854 Senate election, Lincoln wrote to some clients in March 1855, that he had dabbled in politics and neglected business, and that since he had lost, he had to go back to work. During his 1858 Senatorial campaign against Stephen A. Douglas, Lincoln did not practice law for much of the summer and fall.

Why did Abraham Lincoln want to be a lawyer?

His path to the courtroom was hindered by many obstacles, distractions, and doubts. He overcame his personal hurdles through not only perseverance and talent, but with the backing of an incredible assembly of supporters which enabled him, and encouraged him, to become Abraham Lincoln)the lawyer.

When did Abraham Lincoln qualify as a lawyer?

He decided to attempt a career as a lawyer, but rather than going to law school, Lincoln was self-taught. He rigorously studied by reading a large selection of previous legal cases and law books, and in 1836, at the young age of 25, he obtained his law license.

Was Abraham Lincoln a good lawyer?

One of Lincoln's greatest strengths as a lawyer was to take complex cases, parse out the key points, and simplify it in court. This and his talent for offering persuasive arguments while reading the mood of the jury was of great benefit to him during his law career.

Was Lincoln a successful lawyer?

Abraham Lincoln enjoyed a successful legal career in Illinois spanning nearly 25 years. Like most lawyers of his time, he did not attend law school. It was customary to study under established lawyers, but he lived in a rural village and taught himself.

What was a major difference between Lincoln and Douglas's views on slavery?

One of the biggest differences between Douglas' and Lincoln's views on slavery is that, unlike Lincoln, Douglas did not consider slavery a moral issue, an agonizing dilemma, nor was it an issue that would tear the Union apart.

Move to Illinois

Many people are unaware that Lincoln was mostly self-educated and learned to read while in Kentucky, scratching words on the back of a shovel as his paper pad of sorts.

Did Abraham Lincoln Attend Law School?

Abraham Lincoln enjoyed a 25-year legal career in Illinois, but he was never really educated in the field. He did practice law but did not take the traditional law school route. Like many lawyers in the 1800s, Abraham Lincoln never received his legal education or attended law school.

When Did Abraham Lincoln Practice Law?

In 1834, Abraham caught the attention of a lawyer by the name of John Stuart, who gave Lincoln a lot of legal books to study and encouraged him to pick up this profession. As bright as Lincoln was, within 3 years, the stout gentleman joined John Stuart as a partner in his law practice.

Abe and the Illinois Supreme Court

In the 1840s, Abraham Lincoln took on his first Illinois State Supreme Court case just before ending his partnership with Logan. After he got elected to the US Congress in 1846, Lincoln took a 2-year break from practicing law. However, he soon resumed his practice, working hard to regain his position as a prairie lawyer.

How did Abraham Lincoln impact the American people?

This helped him win a seat in the House of Representatives in 1846. He spoke out against the Mexican-American War and against slavery, which he felt needed to be abolished. He ran as a Republican for president in 1860 and was successfully elected as the 16th president of the United States in 1861. He was then re-elected in 1864. Throughout his presidential career, Abraham Lincoln fought tirelessly against the horrors of slavery and tried diligently to unite a divided nation. His leadership during the Civil War was integral to how our country is shaped today. Sadly, he was assassinated at Ford's Theatre by John Wilkes Booth on April 14, 1865. This moment in history is known as one of America's darkest days. People all over the country revered Lincoln as a great man, even those who may have disagreed with him. Today, his legacy as a uniting force for America and someone who fought tirelessly for freedom lives on.

What was Lincoln's role in the Civil War?

His leadership during the Civil War was integral to how our country is shaped today. Sadly, he was assassinated at Ford's Theatre by John Wilkes Booth on April 14, 1865.

What was Abraham Lincoln's career?

While he was an important part of American history in this regard, he also had a successful career as a lawyer . This background is part of what made Lincoln so adapted to writing excellent speeches and what made him so well-versed in understanding the law as well as right versus wrong. He spent most of his early life on a farm in Indiana and eventually moved to Illinois, where he took several jobs, including as a storekeeper and a surveyor. But his deep interest in the law formed the foundation for what he would become later in life.

What is Lincoln's legacy?

Today, his legacy as a uniting force for America and someone who fought tirelessly for freedom lives on.

What would have happened if Judd hadn't supported Lincoln?

If Judd hadn’t supported Lincoln in 1858, then Lincoln wouldn’t have been the senatorial candidate , and there wouldn’t have been a Lincoln-Douglas debate, and then Lincoln wouldn’t have been the Republican nominee in 1860 (191–92). McGinty explains that history rendered two verdicts.

What are the two general treatments of the law practice?

There have been two general treatments of the law practice, a study of Lincoln’s cases involving the medical profession, an analysis of Lincoln’s murder cases, a collection of articles on different aspects of the law practice, and two books examining Lincoln’s circuit riding. [10] .

What was Lincoln's role in the Illinois Central Railroad?

The coming of the railroads, especially after 1850, made travel easier and practice more remunerative. Lincoln served as a lobbyist for the Illinois Central Railroad, assisting it in getting a charter from the state, and thereafter he was retained as a regular attorney for that railroad .

How much did Abraham Lincoln make in Illinois?

Lincoln Home National Historic Site, Springfield, Illinois. Within a few years of his relocation to Springfield, Lincoln was earning $1,200 to $1,500 annually, at a time when the governor of the state received a salary of $1,200 and circuit judges only $750. He had to work hard.

What was the name of the bridge that was saved by the Mississippi River?

In one of his finest performances before the bar, he saved the Rock Island Bridge, the first to span the Mississippi River, from the threat of the river transportation interests that demanded the bridge’s removal. His business included a number of patent suits and criminal trials.

Where did Abraham Lincoln move to?

The next year he moved to Springfield, Illinois, the new state capital, which offered many more opportunities for a lawyer than New Salem did. At first Lincoln was a partner of John T. Stuart, then of Stephen T. Logan, and finally, from 1844, of William H. Herndon.

Who was the first attorney general of Missouri?

A member of the influential Bates family, he was the first US Cabinet appointee from a state west of the Mississippi River . Born in Goochland County, Virginia, in 1814 Bates moved to St. Louis, where he established a legal practice. He was appointed as the first attorney general of the state of Missouri in 1820.

Who was Edward Bates?

For other people named Edward Bates, see Edward Bates (disambiguation). Edward Bates (September 4, 1793 – March 25, 1869) was an American lawyer and politician. He represented Missouri in the US House of Representatives and served as the US Attorney General under President Abraham Lincoln.

What was the name of the man who wrote the preamble to the Missouri Constitution?

Barton was killed in a duel on the island in 1823. Bates's first foray into politics came in 1820, with election as a member of the state's constitutional convention. He wrote the preamble to the state constitution—an honor that later influenced his fight against the radical Missouri Constitution of 1865.

When was Bates elected to the Missouri House of Representatives?

In 1822, Bates was elected to the Missouri House of Representatives. He was elected to the United States House of Representatives for a single term (1827–1829). Next, he was elected to the State Senate from 1831 to 1835, then to the Missouri House from 1835.

Where did Edward Bates live?

Career. Edward Bates served in the War of 1812 before moving to St. Louis, Missouri Territory , in 1814 with his older brother James, who started working as an attorney. Their eldest brother Frederick Bates was already in St. Louis by that time, where he had served as Secretary of the Louisiana Territory and Secretary of the Missouri Territory.

Who was the first cabinet member appointed from west of the Mississippi River?

The next year, after winning the election, Lincoln appointed Bates United States Attorney General, an office Bates held from 1861 until 1864. Bates was the first Cabinet member appointed from west of the Mississippi River .

What did Bates disagree with?

Bates disagreed with Lincoln on emancipation and the recruitment of blacks into the Union Army. In 1864, Lincoln nominated Salmon P. Chase to be Chief Justice, an office Bates had wanted.

Who edited the Lincoln quote?

Several good single volume sources of Lincoln quotes are: (1) Recollected Words of Abraham Lincoln compiled and edited by Don E. Fehrenbacher and Virginia Fehrenbacher. (2) A Treasury of Lincoln Quotations edited by Fred Kerner. (3) Of the People, By the People, For the People and other Quotations from Abraham Lincoln edited by Gabor S. Boritt.

Who edited the Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln?

The Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln edited by Roy P. Basler, Volume IV, "Letter to John M. Brockman" (September 25, 1860), p. 121. "...let every man remember that to violate the law, is to trample on the blood of his father, and to tear the character (charter?) of his own, and his children's liberty.".

What did the hog do to John?

The hog went straight for the boys and drove John up a tree. Then it went for the seat of James’ trousers, and the only way the boy could save himself was by holding onto the porker’s tail. The hog would not give up his hunt, nor the boy his hold.

What did the friend ask him after a long ride in the hot sun?

As the mild beverage was being mixed, the friend insinuatingly asked if he wouldn’t like just the least drop of something stronger, to brace up his nerves after the exhausting heat and exercise.

What was the prize hog?

The Prize Hog. I used to know [an old farmer] out in Illinois. He took it into his head to go into hog-raising, so he sent out to Europe and imported the finest breed of hogs that he could buy. The prize hog was put in a pen and the farmer’s two mischievous boys, James and John, were told to be sure not to let it out.

What did Abraham Lincoln say at an editor's banquet?

At an editors' banquet held in 1856, Lincoln—not being a journalist—felt rather alienated. Addressing his audience, he compared himself to the ugly horseman. This fellow, while riding one day, happened upon a woman who curtly remarked, “Well, for land sake, you are the homeliest man I ever saw.”

What did Lincoln say when he said "That reminds me"?

“That reminds me…” When Lincoln uttered those three simple words, you knew it was time to get comfy. Honest Abe had an endless supply of jokes, tall tales, and anecdotes, including these folksy classics.

What did Allen's British hosts joke about?

During this trip, Allen’s British hosts pelted him with jokes about “Americans and General Washington in particular and one day they got a picture of General Washington” which was conspicuously hung up in an outhouse. Though he couldn’t have missed this painting, Allen never mentioned it.

Who said if I had two faces why would I be wearing this one?

Self-deprecating humor came naturally to Lincoln; once after being called "two-faced," he quipped, “If I had two faces, why would I be wearing this one?” He also told this story, which was relayed by portrait painter Francis B. Carpenter (1830-1900):

Overview

Abraham Lincoln was an American lawyer and statesman who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. Lincoln led the nation through the American Civil War and succeeded in preserving the Union, abolishing slavery, bolstering the federal government, and modernizing the U.S. economy.

Family and childhood

Abraham Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809, the second child of Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks Lincoln, in a log cabin on Sinking Spring Farm near Hodgenville, Kentucky. He was a descendant of Samuel Lincoln, an Englishman who migrated from Hingham, Norfolk, to its namesake, Hingham, Massachusetts, in 1638. The family then migrated west, passing through New Jersey, Pennsylv…

Early career and militia service

When Lincoln returned home from the Black Hawk War, he planned to become a blacksmith. He didn't, but he formed a partnership with William Berry, 21, with whom he purchased a general store on credit in New Salem, Illinois. Because a license was required to sell customers single beverages, Berry obtained bartending licenses for $7 each for Lincoln and himself, and in 1833 the store became a tavern as well. As licensed bartenders, Lincoln and Berry were able to sell spirits…

Illinois state legislature (1834–1842)

Lincoln's second state house campaign in 1834, this time as a Whig, was a success over a powerful Whig opponent. Then followed his four terms in the Illinois House of Representatives for Sangamon County. He championed construction of the Illinois and Michigan Canal, and later was a Canal Commissioner. He voted to expand suffrage beyond white landowners to all w…

U.S. House of Representatives (1847–1849)

True to his record, Lincoln professed to friends in 1861 to be "an old line Whig, a disciple of Henry Clay". Their party favored economic modernization in banking, tariffs to fund internal improvements including railroads, and urbanization.
In 1843, Lincoln sought the Whig nomination for Illinois' 7th district seat in the U.S. House of Representatives; he was defeated by John J. Hardinthough he pr…

Prairie lawyer

In his Springfield practice, Lincoln handled "every kind of business that could come before a prairie lawyer". Twice a year he appeared for 10 consecutive weeks in county seats in the Midstate county courts; this continued for 16 years. Lincoln handled transportation cases in the midst of the nation's western expansion, particularly river barge conflicts under the many new railroad bridg…

Republican politics (1854–1860)

The debate over the status of slavery in the territories failed to alleviate tensions between the slave-holding South and the free North, with the failure of the Compromise of 1850, a legislative package designed to address the issue. In his 1852 eulogy for Clay, Lincoln highlighted the latter's support for gradual emancipation and opposition to "both extremes" on the slavery issue. As the sl…

Presidency (1861–1865)

The South was outraged by Lincoln's election, and in response secessionists implemented plans to leave the Union before he took office in March 1861. On December 20, 1860, South Carolina took the lead by adopting an ordinance of secession; by February 1, 1861, Florida, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas followed. Six of these states declared themselves to be …