Lincoln's Christianity by Michael Burkhimer

[maharba]

I clicked to try and find more on Gilbert Jay Greene. And how he knew Lincoln in Springfield, seemingly as a child or young man working as a 'printers apprentice'. I see mention of that by Gilbert or some biographer in footnoting, but can't corroborate with other records. Instead, it shows Gilbert in every census in NY state: born, married, in 1850 and 1860 census and dying 1906 in NY state. The census never shows him working as a printer, but as a railroad worker. Maybe a conductor one year, a ticket agent next census. Gilbert J. Greene apparently joined a NY regiment
1861, served 3 or 4 months as it was begun, then possibly petitioned Abraham Lincoln for an appointment. Was appointed a Collector or station manager ? during the war. The only Illinois reference I see for Gilbert is that one of his sons Gilbert F. Greene was born 1859 in far northern Illinois, Winnebago county, and not near Springfield. I'll guess that say 1854, Gilbert's father died and he 'went west with an
uncle or aunt' and in the time period 1854-1858 was working as a youth in a print
shop in or near Springfield IL. And there met Lincoln who was traveling the law circuit. Then moving to northern IL and immediately returning to NY there in the 1860 census. But this wouldn't correlate with his speeches and of 'being a lifelong friend of Abraham Lincoln'.