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[RJNorton]

You nailed it, Anita! Yes, it was Buck.

The story comes from p. 31 of Francis Marion Van Natter's Lincoln's Boyhood; A Chronicle of his Indiana Years.

Needing another ox, Tom Lincoln went up to the home of William Wood, an enterprising farmer who lived midway between Gentryville and Elizabeth, about a mile and a half north of the Lincoln farm. A night or two later the ox, named Buck, bought by Tom, broke out and wandered off home and Tom sent Abe to bring the animal back. Abe found Buck contentedly grazing in a field. After helping to drive the ox into a barnlot, Mr. Wood offered a rope: "You can lead Buck with this." "No," said Abe, "I won't lead him. I'll ride that ox home and make him pay for his smartness."

While Abe cut a gad, the entire Wood family came out to see the show. He leaped onto the ox's back and waved at Wood's attractive daughter, Elizabeth. Buck stood immovable. "Get out of here!" yelled Abe. Buck didn't move. Abe jammed his heels hard into Buck's flanks. Resenting that, Buck jumped high into the air and came down with a jolt on all fours. Around and around the barnlot the ox leaped and bawled, swayed, kicked, bucked, did everything an ox could do to throw off a rider. But Abe Lincoln stuck on tighter than a hungry tick, for Elizabeth Wood was watching him. Her father shouted, "Better get off and lead him! He'll break your neck against that fence!"

On and on went the struggle between Abe Lincoln and Buck. "Have the bars down 'gin we get around again!" finally yelled Abe.

Wood ran to the bars, but before he could lay them down Buck made another circuit and headed straight for him. Frantically, Wood jumped aside. The ox leaped the bars and headed down the road, Lincoln sticking on. They covered the first mile in no time. Buck slowed to a walk. Then Abe laid it on heavy with the gad. Panting, his tail drooping, the ox went into a jog trot. As they entered the Lincoln barnyard, Abe grinned at Tom and patted Buck: "I gentled him, Pap."


The author includes an endnote for the story which reads, "Armstrong's Notes, 1874; Herndon-Weik MSS Vol. 4, William Wood, Sept. 15, 1865, statement undoubtedly meant this episode."