Lincoln the Lawyer

Acknowledgments

Acknowledgments The acknowledgments section for every book I publish on Abraham Lincoln or the Civil War may well begin the same way, with an expression of thanks to Philip S. Paludan. Currently the Naomi B. Lynn Distinguished Chair of Lincoln Studies at the University of Illinois –Springfield, Phil is my longtime mentor and friend. He offered invaluable advice on this project, and encouragement for my academic career in general. He is a peerless scholar and teacher. I feel fortunate to know him. Bill Regier, editor and director of the University of Illinois Press, was patient far above and beyond the call of duty as I worked through the various ups and downs of this book. I hope the end product justifies his support. I am also indebted to managing editor Rebecca Crist, copy editor Anne Rogers, and the staff members and reviewers at the University of Illinois Press who helped see this project through to its conclusion. Lincoln scholars are an extraordinarily helpful group, and I have often been the grateful recipient of their advice and criticism. Cullom Davis read an early proposal and offered valuable input. Dan Stowell likewise offered useful information and advice in the beginning stages. Thomas Schwartz is always generous with his support, and Michael Burlingame allowed me to tap into his nearly inexhaustible supply of knowledge about all things Lincoln. Dennis Boman, Kevin Gutzman, and Gerald Prokopowicz have been sources of friendly criticism and advice. In 2003 I was privileged to present a paper at the Lincoln Forum in Springfield, Illinois, where I was able to engage in many a delightful conversation about this project with numerous Lincoln luminaries, including South Texas College of Law professor Mark Steiner. Mark’s own book on the Lincoln law practice was released just as my book was entering the final stages of publication; I was thus unable to draw on Mark’s work. However, I strongly suspect that, in the end, our two new studies of Lincoln’s practice will complement each other well. During a conference at the National Archives in 2004, I benefited from the input and queries offered by James McPherson, William C. Harris, and Nelson Lankford. Bob Willard invited me to speak before the Lincoln Group in Washington, D.C., and I took advantage of his expertise and the comments offered by the audience. The staff of the Lincoln Library and Museum in Springfield courteously guided me through their voluminous holdings. Cindy Van Horn of the Lincoln Museum in Fort Wayne, Indiana, has always been quite helpful. The guardians of the Lincoln law office exhibit in Springfield gave me a tour of their facility and patiently answered my questions. I am also the lucky beneficiary of the expert staff at Anderson University ’s Nicholson Library. Barbara Hoover is an indefatigable source of information. Jill Branscum of the Interlibrary Loan Department is also an indispensable resource; she has always cheerfully met even my most obscure requests for books and other materials. Various friends and colleagues submitted to my musings about Lincoln and his legal career. Professors Michael Frank, David Murphy, Douglas Nelson, Jaye Rogers, and Joel Shrock, my compatriots in Anderson University’s Department of History and Political Science, are all congenial and helpful. Jay Antle and Jim Leiker, both professors of history at Johnson County (Kansas) Community College, offered encouragement and support. Kristine M. McCusker, professor of history at Middle Tennessee State University, has (as always) been a tremendous source of inspiration and friendship. Martha Robinson, professor of history at Clarion University in Clarion, Pennsylvania, helped me understand the essential melancholy of Lincoln and (possibly) rabid bats. Charles Zelden at Nova Southeastern University is a cherished friend whose knowledge of American legal history is vast. He has always been willing to lend an ear and a helping hand, with this and other projects. Inspiration often comes from places outside academe as well. Glen Thurman often serves as a sounding board and source of eminent wisdom. Paula ­Maris-Roberts, a fine attorney and colleague, is a wonderful lunch companion, a great conversationalist, and a very good friend. My mother and father never waver in their support; pointing out that they have been indispensable seems a vast understatement. Julie’s love is a relatively recent (and wonderful) addition to my life, which she has enriched in ways that are at once immensely powerful and difficult to describe. Finally, I chose to dedicate this book to my children, Rachel and Nathan. They are old enough to know...