Abraham Lincoln: A new book

Just in time for Abraham Lincoln's 201st birthday comes a new book by Norman F. Boas, M.D., "Abraham Lincoln: Illustrated Biographical Dictionary, Family and Associates. 1809-1861."

Many volumes have been written about the rail-splitter president who piloted our country during the bloody years of the Civil War, including Michael Burlingame's recent monumental life. But this book is different. A different Lincoln emerges from these pages.

Boas has given us a biographical reference volume detailing the ancestors, relatives, neighbors, friends and law associates of the man's early years which brings to life little known or largely forgotten incidents in the life of this national hero.

Dr. Boas is the author of many scientific and historic articles and books including a biography of his distinguished ancestor, anthropologist Franz Boas. For more than 20 years Dr. Boas has collected letters and documents relating to Lincoln's life before the presidency. Noting a dearth of information about the individuals who knew or worked with Lincoln, he began to research their identities.

He has compiled the results in this handsome 518-page illustrated volume, complete with 625 brief biographies along with images of the subjects and their signatures. He also includes a useful and detailed chronology of the assassinated president.

I knew that Lincoln was a lawyer, but I never thought much about his cases. The entry for William "Duff" Armstrong relates Lincoln's involvement in one of the most famous murder trials in Illinois history. Duff was accused of murdering James Metzker in a drunken brawl; a man claimed to have witnessed the deed from 150 feet at 11 o'clock at night.

Using an almanac, Lincoln showed clearly that there was no moon that night and at that distance the witness would have had insufficient light to see. (Doesn't this sound like Perry Mason?) Having provided this background, Boas cites a letter from Duff's mother written about her son, and includes Duff's picture in Civil War uniform.

Another entry concerns City Clerk Oramel Abel, with a facsimile of his order to prepare Oak Ridge Cemetery "for the mortal remains of our late President Abraham Lincoln." The book is crammed with similar fascinating bits of information with dozens of examples of beautiful 19th century penmanship such as we no longer see.

As a biographical reference volume the book is immensely useful for research. One of the nation's leading Lincoln authorities, retired Chief Justice Frank J. Williams of Rhode Island, terms the book "a succinct scholarly narrative … that is a virtual biography of Abraham Lincoln's youth."

But it is also fun to browse through it and discover surprising Lincoln trivia. The book jacket bears an attractive Lincoln portrait by the author's grandson, Maxwell N. Boas.

The book is available from the author at Seaport Publications, 4 Brandon Lane, Mystic for $45 plus $5 for Media Mail, or by Parcel Post, $45 plus $10. (The book weighs 2.2 pounds.) Call 860-572-8441 for more information, or e-mail ndboas@abcglobal.net.

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