ABE LINCOLN IN PEORIA

                                ABE  LINCOLN   IN    PEORIA

 

                                      NORMAN  V.  KELLY

 

1832:    The Black Hawk War is over.  Quite a few men from Peoria chased Black Hawk around as Members of the Illinois Militia. Once Black Hawk and his people entered Illinois most folks assumed it was with the intention to wage war.   Finally Black Hawk was taken prisoner and his tribe defeated at Bad Axe on the Mississippi. A Peoria Indian named Nomaque was an escaped local Indian that had joined Black Hawk after he ran away from Peoria. He had been convicted of killing a Frenchman here and while returning home, some Peoria soldiers ran across Nomaque.  He was severely wounded…they simply ‘shot him out of pity’, so said the local newspapers.

 

Lincoln, a Captain in the Illinois Militia was on his way back to New Salem when both he and his companion were victims of horse thieves so they walked south into Peoria, Illinois. He walked down Main Street in Peoria, Illinois and stopped at the river.   They bought a canoe and continued their journey towards Pekin, Illinois on the Illinois River. My personal view is how would anyone have known it was Abraham Lincoln?  I don’t think he would have had a press agent with him do you?

 

1840:  Lincoln was here In Peoria, Illinois where he spoke on behalf of William Henry Harrison. It was a well attended rally and Harrison became our 9^th President.   He died in office the 32nd day of his administration from pneumonia.

 

1844:  Lincoln came to Peoria to speak to the members of the Henry Clay Club.   Clay was running for president in 1844 but lost the election.  He did become the Secretary of State.  Lincoln said of Henry Clay: “He is my ideal of a great man.”

 

1844: He debated John C. Calhoun here in Peoria, Illinois.  Calhoun was the seventh Vice President of the United States.  Calhoun was a highly successful politician from South Carolina.

 

1844:  Lincoln came to Peoria to be part of the Whig Convention. Lincoln was the leader of the Whig Party that supported the supremacy of the Congress over the Presidency.   The party only lasted two decades and was aligned with the Whigs of 1776.

 

1844:   Lincoln came to Peoria twice more in 1844 on legal business.  He filed papers and argued on behalf of the Plaintiff in the famous divorce case Aquilla Wren vs. Clarissa Wren.  That case went to the Illinois Supreme Court concerning alimony and other divorce decrees.

 

1847:    Lincoln stopped in Peoria for four hours returning from a trip to Chicago on his way home.  He had several friends here and apparently the visit was strictly social.

 

1848:   Lincoln stopped in Peoria to support and make a speech on behalf of Zachary Taylor. Taylor was America’s 12^th president, 1849-

1850. Sadly he died during his 16^th month as our president.   Zachary was an Army General during the Mexican War and an American hero.  He was a reluctant candidate but Whig members like Abe Lincoln convinced him to run.

 

1852:  Abe Lincoln came to Peoria, Illinois to speak on behalf of General Winfield Scott, a beloved general that served 53 years in the

Army. Lincoln came here to support him for president. In fact, with Lincoln’s encouragement, The Party ‘dumped’ Millard Fillmore to nominate Scott for President.   Scott lost.

 

1854:  Lincoln came to Peoria by horseback to debate Stephen Douglas, ‘The Little Giant’ here at our courthouse.  This was NOT one of the seven famous debates between those two presidential candidates in 1858. Most of their debates centered upon slavery and the Missouri Compromise’ which was argued here in 1854. We have a statue of Lincoln where he appears to be pointing to the ground marking a ‘Line in the sand.’ It is located at the entranceway of our courthouse.

 

1858:   Two days before his famous debate with Douglas, Lincoln stayed over night here in Peoria, Illinois.  One of our local newspapers said in an editorial:  “Long Abe will mount his high heeled shoes and take on

‘The Little  Demagogue.’”    Lincoln was quoted as saying, “Come what may I will keep my faith with friend or foe.”

 

1858: Also in 1858, Lincoln stayed overnight here in Peoria on his way to Pekin, Illinois.

 

1858:    On October 5, 1858 Lincoln stayed overnight here at the Peoria House, staying in room 16.   Lincoln never returned to Peoria, Illinois.

 

Lincoln came to Peoria a total of 17 times according to Lincoln scholars, including multiple times during the year 1844.

 

There were a lot of different opinions of Lincoln, especially in the bitter rivalries of local newspapers.  One editor called Mr. Lincoln a “Two dollar orator and a third rate lawyer.” When Lincoln came here in 1854 to debate Douglas he rode in alone on horseback.   Douglas was met by a crowd of at least 500 people and a marching band.  Lincoln lost the election here in Peoria, Illinois.  However, this city and this county genuinely mourned the death of President Abraham Lincoln. I find it amazing that well over 15,000 books were written about ‘Old Abe.’

Editor’s Note:  Norm is a Peoria Historian and author of hundreds of articles about Peoria, Illinois, many of which are on line.       norman.kelly@sbcglobal.net