"Caleb Carman is responsible for the most exact description of Lincoln as a young man between the years of 1831 - 1837 that we have and his letters are the basis of much work of historians from the time of Billy Herndon to the present."

"After leaving Sangamon Town, Caleb became a 'shoemaker' and lived in the building that is known as the Lincoln-Berry store in restored New Salem. Lincoln boarded with Caleb off and on for about two years. Later, Caleb followed his trade at Petersburg. In 1884 at the age of 80 he was elected Alderman at Petersburg on the anti-local option ticket. He lived until 1890."

Hall also quotes some of Caleb's letters which were written in 1866 to William Herndon, Lincoln's former law partner and first biographer. In these letters, Caleb tells his memories of Lincoln.

"Abe boarded with me in 1834 and I lived in the house in which Berry and Lincoln kept a grocery. I then lived at New Salem."

"While he boarded with me he made himself useful in every way he could. Abe caned a chair for me. This was in '34 or '35. One morning I saw Abe up early with an axe on his shoulder. I said to him, "Abe, what in the devil are you going to do?" "I'll tell you directly," said Abe. He went into the woods and cut down two hickory saplings, peeled off the coarse outer bark, picked off the clean, inner bark and with it 'bottomed' my chair"

"Abe ceased boarding with me in 1836 or 1837"