Lincoln and the Logan County Court Houses

[Eva Elisabeth]

Welcome maharba! Re.: "I wonder if a person could represent themself either in civil or criminal?" - maybe this helps?:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pro_se_l...ted_States

Re.: "He must have been dedicated to the work to want to travel like that for about 20 years."

I would think the work he was most dedicated to was politics. A part of his dedication to his lawbusiness was certainly simply to make a living (and not the labored way his father did). And about traveling I think he loved the kind of "timeout" from regular life, the freedom, adventure, and male companionship.

David Davis later became one of Robert's best friends/intimates and surrogate father (and to Mary right the opposite). His house was one of the poshest and technically (re. plumbing, lighting, etc.) most modern ones in Illinois (and he was the largest landowner in the state).
https://www.daviddavismansion.org/