"I practiced law with Herndon in the 'fifties and the 'sixties, and he often talked to me about Lincoln, whom he liked very much, and afterward wrote his history. [Herndon was Lincoln's law partner twenty years.]
"At the time of the Armstrong trial, Lincoln was not looked upon as the great man he is to-day, only that he was a very good and successful lawyer. No one ever dreamed that he would be President. He was a man of great common sense, and an amusing story-teller. He knew how to please the common people, and everybody liked him personally.
Yours truly,
"Lyman Lacey, Sr."
Miss Ida M. Tarbell says, in McClure's Magazine, that Lincoln told the jury in the Armstrong case that he was not there as a hired attorney, but to discharge a debt of gratitude. Duff Armstrong said: "Uncle Abe did his best talking when he told the jury what true friends my father and mother had been to him in the early days. He told how he used to go out to Jack Armstrong's and stay for days; how kind mother was to him; and how, many a time, he had rocked me to sleep in the old cradle."
J. M. Hobson, now in his eighty-first year, and who, for many years, has resided in Winterset, Iowa, recently informed me that he was acquainted with "Aunt Hannah." She was married the second time to Samuel Wilcox. She died in Winterset, August 15, 1890, at the age of seventy-nine.
Mr. Hobson further said: "The son that Lincoln took an interest in was here fifteen or sixteen years ago. His name was William, but they called him "Duffy." We had a revival meeting at our church, and he attended. I took an interest in him, and tried to get him to be a Christian. He did not make a start then, and I do not know whether he did later or not."
Duff Armstrong was a soldier in the Civil War, and died a widower, in 1899, at his daughter's, near Easton, Mason County, Illinois.
"Aunt Hannah" has a number of relatives in Winterset, Iowa, among them Mrs. Martha McDonald, her step-daughter and daughter-in-law. She was first married to Robert, a son of "Aunt Hannah." He died several years ago. I am indebted to Mrs. McDonald, through J. M. Hobson, for the excellent picture of "Aunt Hannah" in this book, also for the picture of "Duff," taken late in life, as an every-day farmer. He was Mrs. McDonald's step-brother and brother-in-law.