Monthly Archives: July 2014

Spaulding (village)

The village of Spaulding, off Illinois 54 east of Springfield, got its name from a mammoth nursery and orchard. In central Illinois, the name Spaulding today is synonymous with Lake Springfield and City Water, Light and Power. But before Willis … Continue reading

Posted in Agriculture, Business, Coal mines and mining, Communities, Farming, Prominent figures | 10 Comments

St. Vincent de Paul Church

The story of Lithuanians in Springfield began with young Lithuanian men who first sought work in the coal mines, then returned home and bought land, started families and hoped for a better future. Other Lithuanian miners, however, remained transients for … Continue reading

Posted in Churches, Coal mines and mining, Communities, Ethnic groups, Lithuanians | 2 Comments

The Mack family and Springfield’s McDonald’s restaurants

Springfield’s Lithuanian historian, Sandy Baksys, covers the beginnings of McDonald’s restaurants in Springfield in three posts on her Lithuanians in Springfield, Illinois web site. Here’s how she led off the first installment: Anybody who’s eaten a McDonald’s hamburger in Springfield … Continue reading

Posted in Business, Ethnic groups, Lithuanians, Prominent figures, Restaurants | 1 Comment

Bettie Stuart Brown

Elizabeth “Bettie” Stuart Brown (1838-69) was the oldest child of John T. Stuart and Mary Nash Stuart. John Stuart was Lincoln’s first law partner and Mary Lincoln’s first cousin. Bettie was born in July of 1838, nine months after her … Continue reading

Posted in Early residents, John T. Stuart, Lincoln, Abraham, Prominent figures, Women | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Caroline Lamb Black

Caroline “Lina” Lamb Black (1831-1908) was the third child of James Lamb, a prosperous Springfield merchant and pork packer. She was born in Kaskaskia on Feb. 8, 1831, and moved with her parents to Springfield two years later. Mary Lincoln’s sister … Continue reading

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Legh Kimball

Legh Kimball (1826-1865) is an interesting and somewhat mysterious footnote in the story of Abraham and Mary Lincoln. Even his name is mysterious — several 19th-century sources cite it as “Legh,” even though Lincoln’s own phonetic spelling of the name indicates … Continue reading

Posted in Early residents, Lincoln, Abraham | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Benjamin S. Edwards

Benjamin Stephenson Edwards (1818-86) was the youngest son of Ninian Edwards, governor of the Illinois Territory and third governor of the state of Illinois. Benjamin received his education at Yale University and became the first citizen born in Illinois to … Continue reading

Posted in Architecture, Early residents, Historic Sites, John T. Stuart, Lincoln, Abraham, Politics, Prominent figures | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Auto dealers in Springfield (Studebaker through Yugo)

Note: This is one in a five-part list of automobile brands sold in Springfield through mid-2014 and the dealers who sold them. The list is broken up because of the length of the full list. The original list was compiled by … Continue reading

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Auto dealers in Springfield (Oakland through Stoddard-Dayton)

Note: This is one in a five-part list of automobile brands sold in Springfield through mid-2014 and the dealers who sold them. The list is broken up because of the length of the full list. The original list was compiled by … Continue reading

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Auto dealers in Springfield (Ingram through Nissan)

Note: This is one in a five-part list of automobile brands sold in Springfield through mid-2014 and the dealers who sold them. The list is broken up because of the length of the full list. The original list was compiled by … Continue reading

Posted in Auto dealers, Business | 1 Comment