He worked as a ferryman's helper. At age 18, a local merchant hired him to accompany his son on a 1200-mile voyage to New Orleans. All the money he earned he turned over to his father.
             When he was 22, Lincoln moved from his family to New Salem. He quickly became acquainted with the small town's residents and worked with his friend in a store, which later failed. A year later, in 1832, he ran for the state legislature, advocating internal improvements, improved education, and a legal limit on interest rates. He lost and placed 8th of 13 candidates in the district-wide voting. While running, he served a brief three-month military period, fighting in the Black Hawk War, where according to him, the only blood he lost was to mosquitoes. In 1834 he ran for state legislature again and won. He was a member of the Illinois Legislature for eight years (four terms.)
             He was a Whig and supported a system of improved transportation and a state bank. Whil
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