Carl Sandburg: Early Life

Chicago, Burlington & Quincy yard in Galesburg, Illinois. Walter Peck, photographer. 1900. Knox College.

Carl Sandburg was born January 6, 1878, in Galesburg, Illinois, to August Sandburg and Clara Anderson. Both Sandburg’s parents had come to the United States from Sweden. August and Clara were working-class people; Clara worked in a hotel and August on the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy railroad, near where the Sandburg family lived. Despite his father not being fully literate, Sandburg remembers his mother reading and writing in English, and perhaps this is why the young Carl was interested in books since his earliest days. When he got his first library card in Galesburg, he began reading biographies of historical figures. However, young Sandburg “was disappointed to find the biographies of Civil War Generals dull and unconvincing” [1]. 

Sandburg’s formal education halted after he completed eighth grade; at this point, he was called upon by his father to help support the family. Despite having enjoyed school, Sandburg found that the world outside the classroom was just as educational and engaging. He worked a wide variety of odd-jobs before he turned eighteen; at this age, he decided to take time to travel and see more of the United States. While traveling around the country by train, he used his eclectic work skills to pick up jobs to fund his next trip. In 1898, after he had returned home, Sandburg enlisted in the army following the sinking of the USS Maine. He did not actually fight during the Spanish-American war, but did travel to Cuba and Puerto Rico, where he and others were greeted with sweltering heat and rotting food supplies.  

Lombard College, Galesburg, Ill. January 6, 1978. Eastern Illinois University.

Upon returning to his hometown after less than a year, Sandburg decided to enter the world of academia to continue his education. During his time at Lombard College, he began studying writing, while also working as a firefighter. Picking up his education where he had left it years ago, Sandburg was embarrassed that he was older and less educated than many of his peers. Despite this, he earned respect and admiration from the other students; his life experience, veteran status, and knack for athletics made him well-liked in a variety of campus social circles. Additionally, one of his professors, Philip Green Wright, seemed to see Sandburg’s potential as a writer, and was an encouraging figure during this period of his life. Sandburg's earliest published writing was in the school’s literary magazine. He ended up spending nearly four years at Lombard, but did not finish a degree. He traveled more after college in 1902, not having a concrete plan for his next steps. However, when he returned to Galesburg once again in 1904, he began writing his first collection of poetry. This could be considered the beginning of his career as an author, but it was still a number of years until his work began to be acknowledged. After leaving Galesburg in 1906, Sandburg began working with Wisconsin’s Social Democratic party organizers. During his years with this organization, Sandburg met Lillian Steichen, a teacher; after marrying in 1908, they stayed for a time in Milwaukee, where Sandburg began working in journalism. 

[1] Gay Wilson Allen, “Carl Sandburg - American Writers 97: University of Minnesota Pamphlets on American Writers” (Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1972), 9.