author
William Henry Herndon
1818–1891
Best remembered as Abraham Lincoln’s law partner and one of his earliest biographers, he helped preserve stories and impressions that might otherwise have been lost. His own life in Illinois politics and law gave him a close-up view of the world Lincoln came from.
2 Audiobooks
Abraham Lincoln: The True Story of a Great Life, Volume 2 (of 2)
by William Henry Herndon, Jesse William Weik
Abraham Lincoln: The True Story of a Great Life, Volume 1 (of 2)
by William Henry Herndon, Jesse William Weik
About the author
Born in Kentucky in 1818 and raised in Illinois, William Henry Herndon studied law in Springfield and built his career there. He became Abraham Lincoln’s junior law partner in 1844, and the two practiced together for many years, giving Herndon an unusually intimate view of Lincoln’s character, habits, and ideas.
Herndon was also active in public life. He was associated with the early Republican movement in Illinois and served as mayor of Springfield. After Lincoln’s assassination, he devoted himself to collecting letters, memories, and interviews from people who had known him, determined to create a fuller picture of the man behind the presidency.
That work made Herndon an important figure in Lincoln history. His recollections and research shaped some of the earliest and most influential writing about Lincoln, and they are still consulted today by readers who want to understand the future president’s life before the White House.