In explanation of Lincoln’s great popularity, D. W. Bartlett, in his
“Life and Speeches of Abraham Lincoln,” published in 1860 makes this
statement of “Abe’s” efficient service to his neighbors in the “Great
Snow” of 1830-31:
“The deep snow which occurred in 1830-31 was one of the chief troubles
endured by the early settlers of central and southern Illinois. Its
consequences lasted through several years. The people were ill-prepared
to meet it, as the weather had been mild and pleasant--unprecedentedly
so up to Christmas--when a snow-storm set in which lasted two days,
something never before known even among the traditions of the Indians,
and never approached in the weather of any winter since.
“The pioneers who came into the State (then a territory) in 1800 say the
average depth of snow was never, previous to 1830, more than knee-deep
to an ordinary man, while it was breast-high all that winter.
It became crusted over, so as, in some cases, to bear teams. Cattle
and horses perished, the winter wheat was killed, the meager stock of
provisions ran out, and during the three months’ continuance of the
snow, ice and continuous cold weather the most wealthy settlers came
near starving, while some of the poor ones actually did. It was in the
midst of such scenes that Abraham Lincoln attained his majority, and
commenced his career of bold and manly independence.....
“Communication between house and house was often entirely obstructed for
teams, so that the young and strong men had to do all the traveling on
foot; carrying from one neighbor what of his store he could spare to
another, and bringing back in return something of his store sorely
needed. Men living five, ten, twenty and thirty miles apart were called
‘neighbors’ then. Young Lincoln was always ready to perform these acts
of humanity, and was foremost in the counsels of the settlers when their
troubles seemed gathering like a thick cloud about them.”