[Some time before he leaves Kentucky, Mrs. Lucy G. Speed presents Lincoln with Oxford Bible. On October 3, 1861, Lincoln sent Mrs. Speed his photograph with inscription: "For Mrs. Lucy G. Speed, from whose pious hand I accepted the present of an Oxford Bible twenty years ago."Photocopy.]

Lincoln and Speed leave Louisville at noon on steamboat Lebanon for St. Louis.Abraham Lincoln to Mary Speed, 27 September 1841, CW, 1:259-61.

"Nothing of interest happened during the passage," wrote Lincoln, "except the vexatious delays occasioned by the sand bars be thought interesting." He did, however, find interest in a dozen Negroes chained together "like so many fish upon a trot-line." On August 24, 1855 he wrote Joshua F. Speed: "That sight was a continual torment to me; and I see something like it every time I touch the Ohio."Abraham Lincoln to Mary Speed, 27 September 1841, CW, 1:259-61; Abraham Lincoln to Joshua F. Speed, 24 August 1855, CW, 2:320-23.

[McLean County Circuit Court opened yesterday, and remains in session all week.]****Should there be 2 September 8th days?

[Wedding of James C. Conkling to Mercy A. Levering takes place at home of Lawrason Levering. Miss Levering is close friend of Mary Todd, and Conkling and Lincoln are friends. At Rushville, celebrated case of Wright et al. v. Adams is called. Another solicitor acts for Lincoln as case is remanded to Sangamon County, judge of Fifth Judicial Circuit having been counsel in case.Record.]

In his letter to Mary Speed September 27, 1841 Lincoln writes: "reached St. Louis the next monday at 8 P.M." Missouri Republican, 14 September 1841; Abraham Lincoln to Mary Speed, 27 September 1841, CW, 1:259-61.

[Two-day stage journey took passengers from St. Louis to Springfield. Fall courts opened at Tremont September 16, 1841. It is assumed that Lincoln was anxious to attend Tazewell Court where he had a good practice and therefore came to Springfield by stage rather than by boat up Illinois River.]

[Stage probably arrives late in afternoon.]

In letter to Mary Speed September 27, 1841, Lincoln says: "When we reached Springfield, I staid but one day when I started on this tedious circuit where I now am." Abraham Lincoln to Mary Speed, 27 September 1841, CW, 1:259-61.

Journey from Springfield to Tremont requires day. Court opened yesterday for six-day term. [In Field v. Averill & Lowell, court awards plaintiff $364.50 and costs by default when Lincoln does not appear to defend.Record.]

"Do you remember," he writes Mary Speed September 27, 1841, "my going to the city while I was in Kentucky, to have a tooth extracted, and making a failure of it? Well, that same old tooth got to paining me so much, that about a week since I had it torn out, bringing with it a bit of the jaw-bone; . . . my mouth is now so sore that I can neither talk, nor eat."Abraham Lincoln to Mary Speed, 27 September 1841, CW, 1:259-61.

In Thorp v. Bole and Hinman, defendant enters motion to quash sheriff's return. It is sustained by court and case continued. Thorp v. Bole et al. is continued. In both cases Logan & Lincoln represent plaintiff and Jones and James defendants.Record.

Lincoln writes answer of Gideon Hawley in Mather, Lamb & Co. v. Hawley et al.Photocopy.

Lincoln writes and files amendments in Chipman v. Higgins, chancery case.Photocopy.

Lincoln draws up and files plaintiff's demurrer to defendant's pleas in Perkins v. Hall. He signs name of Jesse B. Thomas to demurrer as attorney for defendant. He writes amendment to bill in Wilson v. Alexander.Photocopy.

Lincoln delivers and files special plea to set aside default (September 17, 1841) in Field v. Averill & Lowell. Judgment is sustained and defendants allowed appeal.Record.

[Woodford Circuit Court holds first session at Versailles. Logan & Lincoln are represented by Logan, while Lincoln apparently goes to Clinton, arriving in time to file bill in chancery (real estate) in Peter v. Martin et al.Herndon-Weik Collection, Library of Congress, Washington, DC.]

[Sunderland v. Piggott in Woodford Circuit Court is dismissed for want of jurisdiction in court below. Lincoln (in absentia) and Jones are for plaintiff and Thomas for defendant.Record.]

Lincoln writes to his friend, Mary Speed, of Louisville, Kentucky. Lincoln recalls his recent visit to Kentucky as a guest of Joshua F. Speed, Mary's half brother. Lincoln describes a scene he witnessed while on board a steamboat-leg of the journey back to Springfield, Illinois. He writes, "A gentleman had purchased twelve negroes in different parts of Kentucky and was taking them to a farm in the South. They were chained six and six together. A small iron clevis was around the left wrist of each, and this fastened to the main chain by a shorter one at a convenient distance from, the others; so that the negroes were strung together precisely like so many fish upon a trot-line." He recounts, "Do you remember my going to the city while I was in Kentucky, to have a tooth extracted, and making a failure of it? Well, that same old tooth got to paining me so much, that about a week since I had it torn out, bringing with it a bit of the jawbone; the consequence of which is that my mouth is now so sore that I can neither talk, nor eat. I am litterally 'subsisting on savoury remembrances'—that is, bring unable to eat, I am living upon the remembrance of the delicious dishes of peaches and cream we used to have at your house." Abraham Lincoln to Mary Speed, 27 September 1841, CW, 1:259-61.