The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
"It was a wild region, with many bears and other wild animals still in the woods.
There I grew up. There were some schools, so called; but no qualification was ever required of a teacher, beyond "readin, writin, and cipherin,' the rule of three. . .There was absolutely nothing to excite ambition for education.
Of course when I came of age I did not know much. Still somehow, I could read, write, and cipher to the rule of three, but that was all. I have not been to school since.
The little advance I now have upon this store of education I have picked up from time to time under the pressure of necessity.
Letter to Jesse Fell-Dec. 20, 1859