Formative Years in Indiana
As he grew older, young Abraham became skilled at using a plow and, especially, an axe. Although the demands of frontier life left little time for formal schooling, his parents instilled in him a love for books and Abraham educated himself by reading. He could often be seen carrying a book along with his axe. In October 1818, the family suffered a terrible tragedy when Nancy died from drinking contaminated cow's milk. For Abraham, whose mother had encouraged him to read and explore the world through books, it was a devastating blow. The approved reverse design for aspect two depicts a young Lincoln reading while taking a break from working as a rail splitter in Indiana.
