Evelyn,
Mr. Lincoln was 23 when he became the postmaster at New Salem. That was the year after he came to live in the village. The year was 1832 that he became postmaster the same year he first ran for the state legislature. He lost that race wining in 1834. He lived in New Salem until 1837 and obtained his law license while living there. Moved to Springfield and lived there till he won the election of 1860 and moved to Washington. I think his age is right. His first encounter with slaves and slavery was in late 1831 when he took a flat boat of goods to New Orleans for Mr. Offut who ran one of the general stores in New Salem. His first public pronouncement on his opinions on the subject were published while in the state legislature when he was one of 6 members who voted against a bill concerning slavery and that was in 1837.
Frank