The Carman Family
History owes a debt to this family member ...
Caleb Carman
1805 - 1888
Abe Lincoln's Friend
Of all the members of the Carman family that migrated to Sangamon Town in Illinois, Caleb, oldest son of Samuel and
Sarah Carman, has had the most written about him and has left us the most personal history. Nearly all Lincoln writers,
especially those dealing with his youth, rely upon descriptions left by Caleb.
Caleb's writings about Lincoln began in 1860 and extended up until the time of his death. His memories of Lincoln will
continue to be used as the Lincoln story is being told and re-told, although in many instances Caleb will not be credited
as the source of the information.
This is because as young men they became acquainted at Sangamon Town in 1831 and later, Lincoln boarded with Caleb and his
family at New Salem. (The reader is urged to read; "He Called Him Abe," an article by the writer included in this text.)
Beginning
Big Event
New Life
Second Marriage
Limelight
On and On
Alderman!
Tributes
"Me and Abe"
Beginning
In the Illinois Census of 1830, Caleb - then twenty-five years of age, states he was born in Canada and is a "Carder."
Our detailed record of his life begins in the year 1826. The family is well established at Sangamon Town and Caleb, now
of age, is appointed Constable there. In February of the same year he marries Mariah Hardy. He qualifies for his first public
office by posting bond.
As Constable he appraises "estrays" and serves at the county court in Springfield for which he is paid one dollar a
day---big money in the times. (For an explanation of "estrays" see article titled: "They Called It Sangamon Town.")
The census of 1830 reveals that at the time he is the father of one child, a female.
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Big Event
What was to become the biggest event of his life occured in 1831. In March of that year young Abe Lincoln appeared at
Sangamon Town where the "now-famous" flatboat was being built. Caleb's descriptions of the young Lincoln of that time-how
he looked-how he dressed-and what he did-have become classics.
In later years Caleb was considered to be a veteran of the Black Hawk War and was so honored in the old soldiers' reunions
at Petersburg. In candid honesty, he never made such a claim, but always said that he was "called out" in 1831 for the Indian
War of that year. Actually, the Indian scares occured over several years and every able-bodied male between the ages of
16 and 45 in pioneer Illinois was automatically a militiaman.
In the early thirties his public services continued and included serving as a road supervisor. Lincoln was now living at view
Salem and Caleb voted in the same precinct. Consequently, we find Caleb's name on many documents with Lincoln's---the voting
records, petitions for handling public wards and making improvements. Sometime in the mid-1830's he moved to New Salem,
began his trade as a shoemaker and the years of his most intimate relations with Lincoln.
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New Life
With the move to New Salem, Caleb began a new life. He left his old trade as "carder" and became a shoemaker. As such, in
addition, to leather work, repairing boots and shoes, he actually made shoes. During a period of about two years, Lincoln
who at that time was beginning to find himself and as he said: "He came to the area like a piece of driftwood"; he boarded
with Caleb.
Again, Caleb's reporting of Lincoln at New Salem gives us an accurate portrait of the Abe of pioneer Illinois. In his
writings Caleb tells of the characteristics of the young Lincoln, how he ate, how he spent his time and many facts about
his character and personality. One of the famous Caleb yarns to come from this relationship is his story called, "Abe Caned
a Chair for Me.” (This chair is in existence and is now owned by the Illinois Department of Conservation and on display in
the New Salem Museum.)
When Lincoln was at Vandalia serving in the legislature, Caleb took over his duties as postmaster of New Salem. Caleb tells
of Lincoln's cats and of the books Lincoln read and the songs he liked.
Just when Caleb moved down to the new county seat of Menard County at Petersburg is not known, but New Salem, just as had
Sangamon Town ceased to be an important place, so the move to a better town where he could follow his trade.
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Second Marriage
Caleb married for a second time in December, 1844, this time to Melissa Elmore, who was to outlive him by about five years.
There is no record of the death of Mariah and she is likely in an unknown grave somewhere in the New Salem countryside.
Caleb now starts his second family; his son Charles being born in 1846. Caleb fathered two Civil War veterans; his son
John Charles by the second marriage.
Before his life was over, he had sired a number of children, some of whom failed to reach adulthood. While he was a hard
worker and for the time probably made an adequate living for a townsman, he did have his lumps and in 1858 we find him
delinquent in his taxes to the amount of $6.23.
In 1860 the big event occured, Abraham Lincoln became President of the United States. Caleb although always stressing the
fact that he was a Democrat voted for Lincoln all along the way. This started as early as 1832, Lincoln's first campaign for
office. The records show this and there was no way to hide the choice as secret ballots were far in the future. (Paul
Horgan in his “Citizens of New Salem” uses much of Caleb's information about Lincoln.)
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Limelight
The election of 1860 not only placed Lincoln into national prominence but shoved Caleb into a more limited limelight. In
its October 24, 1860 issue, the Illinois State Journal at Springfield published the "Lincoln Chair Story." This was repeated
again and again and today it is a part of the records of the Illinois State Historical Society. (Caleb tells how Lincoln
repaired a damaged chair for him.)
Within one year after Lincoln's death, Caleb was sought for information about his years in the New Salem area. Today, the
Carman letters to William Herndon give us an intimate description that could come from few other sources. (Lincoln's first
and perhaps most controversial biographer.) Caleb also had a small part in de-bunking the Lincoln-Ann Rutledge story.
The post-Civi1 War period found Caleb still at his trade in Petersburg, attending veteran's reunions, and becoming known as
"an old settler"---a survivor of pioneer times and the log cabins.
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On and On
As he lived into the 1880’s, a revival of interest in the Lincoln story, now more idealistic and less realistic, than
in earlier years found Caleb much in demand, as possibly less reliable myths and facts were becoming inter-mixed. But,
America’s folk-god, Lincoln, was developing; an ideal wanted by most people of that time and today.
As he lived on, Caleb was in the midst of his large collection of children and grandchildren. There were family tragedies
and he was out-living many of his brood. A few of his family became identified with the milling trade in Petersburg and
the area, a trade that had been in the Carman family since colonial times. Caleb also took the time to write (or have
one of his family write) to Carman family researchers back East about the Sangamon Town Carmans. The writer has drawn
heavily on his letters in the New York Genealogical and Historical Society library in New York City for family information.
They are dated, 1879.
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Alderman!
In the early 1880's one of the biggest political questions at Petersburg was local option-the control of saloons on the
local level. Caleb, now an eighty year old man, got into the act. He ran for alderman from the first ward in 1884 and was
elected by 4 votes! He was for saloon, licensing them and voted to set the fee at $500 a year.
For the next several years he was on the city council and was responsible for the streets and alleys of that small city.
The first ward, it should be remembered was not in the aristocratic part of Petersburg, it was "below the hill" in a
commercial area where he had his shop and home. At age 84 we find his last Lincoln letter in the Herndon files, it is merely
a repetition of. what he had said years before. He was getting old and mixing what he really knew with all the things they
were now saying about Lincoln. A half-century can affect one's remembering.
In 1890 at age 85 he was to die---Melissa lived until 1896. Both had survived many of their children and grandchildren.
grandson had drowned in the Lincoln stream-the Sangamon River-in 1885.
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Tributes
While Caleb had been reviled in the Petersburg press for his 'saloon' position; scandalous in the eyes of church members,
on May 8, 1886 the editor of THE PETERSBURG OBSERVER wrote the following about him:
"Uncle Caleb Carman, our neighbor across the way, is one of the oldest citizens in this city engaged in active business
life. He is in his 83rd year and every day may be found at his bench pegging shoes. He has resided in this section since
the early settlement of the county and says in all that time he never saw times so hard and money so scarce as at the
present time."
By this late date, Caleb was full of years, respected and his opinions honored!
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"Me and Abe"
This is the title of a long narrative poem about Caleb Carman and Abraham Lincoln written by Carrie Douglas Wright in 1930
and published in book form. (This book with Caleb's photo and several line drawings can be found in the Illinois State
histoiical Library at Springfield.)
In discussing her work the authoress said:
"that she re-visited New Salem and Petersburg in 1927 and that .....
"During my stay in Petersburg I thought often of the old shoemaker, who told me much of his life; of his making shoes
for Lincoln when they both lived at New Salem.
"I stood beneath a spreading tree that once sheltered Caleb's Shoe Shop. Gone! 0 yes these many years, but the universe
turned backward, and I was a child again. There was the shoe shop, yea, and the old white sign swinging to and fro.
Upon it, in bold black letters, was painted, 'Caleb Carman, Shoemaker.' At the right of his name was a great boot, and
at the left a shoe both done in black.
“Yes, I was a child again. I even hear the creaking of the signboard, heard Caleb sing --- and when he ceased, I
stepped to the door.
“Come in Little Gal," he said in the same old way.
"I entered, sat down once more beside him on the bench, and asked him if he knew Lincoln well?
"In reply to my question he repeated the sweetest story ever told. No one else could give that story as Caleb. gave it.
I will tell it, as nearly as possible, just as Caleb told it to me."
Both Caleb and his admirer stretched the truth, but it is an impressive tribute to a childhood memory of a man who had known
Abraham Lincoln.
Since preparing the mss. the following note came to light: a news note - Caleb Carman. Died - At his residence in this city
(Petersburg, ILL.) on Thursday, Mar. 15 1888, at 3:30 PM. aged 85 years and 4 days.' He is buried along side his wife in
Rose Hill cemetery.
If this account is accurate, he was born in 1803.
Additional Caleb Carman reference material is filed in the Illinois State Historical. Library, Springfield.
