John Hanks

He had a few books that had been his mother's, and he read them again and again until he knew everything that was in them.

John Hanks, his cousin, says of him, "'When Abe and I returned to the house from work, he would go to the cupboard, snatch a piece of cornbread, take down a book, sit down, cock his legs as high as his head, and read.' the bible and pilgrim's progress aesop's fables and robertson crusoe these were his books he knew them by heart at the intervals of work he used to tell them to his companions he thought over every word until he understood it In this way he learned more from a few books than many people do from whole libraries, because he learned to think.

He questioned everything, and asked himself if he thought so too, and why he thought so.

One day he borrowed The Life of George Washington from a farmer who lived near.

The voyage ended successfully, and Abraham returned home for two more years.

At the end of that time, his father again moved.

John Hanks had gone west to Illinois.

He wrote to his uncle, praising the new country, and urging him to come there too.

During that memorable winter, the family realized how much they were indebted to his devotion and remarkable powers of endurance.

During this same winter, near its close, young Lincoln, in company with his stepmother's son, John D. Johnson, and John Hanks, proposed another flatboat trip to the Crescent City.

They therefore hired themselves to a person named Dennis Ofolt to take a boat to that metropolis from Beardstown, Illinois, they agreeing to meet their employer at Springfield, Illinois, when the snow should have melted off, and complete their arrangements for the trip.

But when the snow melted, in the early part of March, 1831, traveling by land became impractical, as the county was entirely flooded so they purchased a large canoe and came down the sangamon river therein by this mode mr lincoln made his first entrance into the county of sangamon offolt however had failed to procure the boat So they hired themselves to him at twelve dollars per month each, and were employed in getting the timber out of the forest, and in building a boat, at Old Sangamon Town, seven miles northwest of Springfield, on the Sangamon River.

He had a few books that had been his mother's, and he read them again and again until he knew everything that was in them.

John Hanks, his cousin, says of him, "'When Abe and I returned to the house from work, he would go to the cupboard, snatch a piece of cornbread, take down a book, sit down, cock his legs as high as his head, and read.' The Bible, and Pilgrim's Progress, Aesop's Fables, and Robertson Crusoe—these were his books.

He knew them by heart.

In the intervals of work he used to tell them to his companions.

He hit first one and then another on the head and threw them overboard, Alan Gentry helping.

The fight was very fierce for a few moments, and then the negroes turned and fled.

abraham and allen pursued them a long way into the darkness but the thieves did not dare to return though two men could not have held their own for long against such numbers the voyage ended successfully and abraham returned home for two more years at the end of that time his father again moved john hanks had gone west to illinois he wrote to his uncle praising the new country and urging him to come there too thomas lincoln was always ready to try something new he sold his farm and his land to a neighbor all the goods of the household were packed in a wagon drawn by oxen the family walked beside it they tramped for more than a week until they came to the new state The journey was not easy.

It was February.

Many years after, he said, All I am or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother.

The first act will be Abraham Lincoln and John Hanks coming in from work.

Act 1

Gee, I am tired, aren't you?