Category Archives: Lincoln, Abraham

Edwards Place: Center of social life

Posted on April 18, 2013 by editor

In 1833, Dr. Thomas Houghan, an early Springfield physician, built a 1½-story brick house in a 14-acre grove of elm, walnut, and maple trees on the northern edge of Springfield. The home, greatly altered over the years, now is the … Continue reading →

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Lincoln’s Farewell Address to Springfield

Posted on April 13, 2013 by editor

The occasion of Abraham Lincoln’s leaving for Washington, D.C., on the morning of Feb. 11, 1861 inspired an eloquent farewell to Springfield. Made from the rear of the train to an estimated 1,000 of his friends and neighbors, the speech … Continue reading →

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Jameson Jenkins

Posted on April 13, 2013 by editor

(Alternative spellings: Jamieson Jenkins, Jimison Jarkins) Jameson Jenkins (1810?-1873) was an African American drayman – a carter or teamster – in Springfield from the late 1840s through the 1860s. He was a neighbor of the Lincoln family and was active … Continue reading →

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Martin Van Buren meets Abraham Lincoln

Posted on April 13, 2013 by editor

Former president Martin Van Buren visited Springfield between June 16 and 19, 1842, and while there he visited the home of his first cousin, George Brunk, in Cotton Hill Township near Rochester. The house still stands today. Van Buren, a Democrat … Continue reading →

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Riverton

Posted on April 7, 2013 by editor

Like many early towns, the village of Riverton’s proximity to the Sangamon River contributed to its beginnings. A ferry across the Sangamon, operated by Ezikiel Judd, was the first enterprise in the area. He later transferred the ferry to his … Continue reading →

Posted in Amusements, Coal mines and mining, Communities, Early residents, Lincoln, Abraham, Local government, Mills, Railroads, Sangamon River, Schools and school districts, Sports and recreation, Transportation | Tagged , , , , , | 13 Comments

The Wigwam

Posted on March 21, 2013 by editor

In 1860, members of the Republican Party held conventions and party rallies in buildings they called “wigwams” all over the North. Illinois Republicans proposed Abraham Lincoln for president in the Decatur Wigwam, and the National Republican Convention nominated Lincoln in the … Continue reading →

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