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FF oo rr TT hh ee PP ee oo pp ll ee A NEWSLETTER OF THE ABRAHAM LINCOLN ASSOCIATION VOLUME 12, NUMBER 1 SPRING 2010 SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS NEWLY DISCOVERED PHOTOGRAPHS OF LINCOLN’S SPRINGFIELD This photograph of the north side of the Public Square in Springfield, Illinois, circa 1860, was taken by Springfield photogra- pher Frederick W. Ingmire from the cupola of the State House, now the Old State Capitol. Public Square (shown above), the State Richard E. Hart Recently, a relative of Ingmire in- House draped in mourning (shown on Photographs of Lincoln’s Springfield formed me that he had a number of the back), the Mather residence, and are rare. Newly discovered ones are photographs of Springfield taken by the entrance to Oak Ridge Cemetery in even rarer. Among the most familiar Ingmire in the 1860s. I thought that his May 1865. Two of these newly dis- of the known photographs are those photographs would be duplicates of the covered photographs are published in taken at the time of Lincoln’s funeral known funeral pictures. this issue and others will be published by Springfield photographer Frederick in future issues. I asked Springfield W. Ingmire—the Lincoln home and the When I received copies of the photo- historian Curtis Mann to write about Old State Capitol decorated in mourn- graphs, I was surprised to see new the photograph of the north side of the ing and Lincoln’s horse posed in front views of Lincoln’s Springfield, views I Public Square. His description follows of the Lincoln home. had never seen—the north side of the on the next page. 2 A NEWSLETTER OF THE ABRAHAM LINCOLN ASSOCIATION FOR THE PEOPLE North Side of Public Square John McCreery Stove and hardware dealer By Curtis Mann John McCreery made sure Manager, Sangamon Valley Collection that every potential cus- Lincoln Library, Springfield, Illinois tomer could locate his The buildings shown in this circa 1860 business stand by placing his last name in large let- photograph were located in the center of the north side of the Public Square—on ters on a sign located on the roof of his store build- the north side of Washington Street be- tween Fifth and Sixth streets in Spring- ing. A variety of stoves sit in front of the building, field, Illinois. The style of these build- ings is representative of the style of com- including one on its own stand. Later McCreery mercial structures built in Springfield in the 1850s and 1860s—usually three sto- became the proprietor of the St. Nicholas Hotel and served as the ries, Greek Revival or Italianate in archi- tectural style and built of brick with iron mayor of Springfield. The building hous- fronts and ornate hoods above the upper ing his business was owned by John W. Frederick W. Ingmire story windows. Most buildings were 20 Priest, who also operated a stove business feet wide. Coleman and Ayers on the north side of the square earlier. The Pasfield Block The building just east of the Telegraph Office Pasfield block was occupied On the far left side of the by the dry goods and gro- McCreery shared this building with the tele- photograph, one can see ceries firm of Coleman and graph office which was located on one of buildings built in 1856 by Ayers This building stood the upper stories. The telegraph line was Springfield merchant on the east twenty feet of lot carried by poles from the station at Third George Pasfield. In 1831, 6 which was purchased by and Washington streets to this building. Pasfield had acquired the three businessmen, Milford The pole for the line is located in front of building lot and on Febru- O. Reeves, Grover Ayers the building and can be seen in this photo- ary 25, 1856, a fire de- and William Wardall. These three men graph. Abraham Lincoln received confir- stroyed two of the three were in the dry goods business together. mation of his nomination as the Republican wood frame buildings located there. Party presidential candidate from this office. Reeves sold his portion of the lot and building to Ayers and Wardall in 1855. Union Herald Newspaper After the fire, Pasfield built two brick They continued to operate in business as buildings on the east portion of the prop- Ayers and Wardall at this location. War- The last full building erty. These are shown in the far left of dall and Ayers dissolved their partnership shown on the right side of the 1860 Ingmire photograph. Pasfield and by 1863 the firm of Abraham W. the photograph was the sold the west portion of the property to Coleman and Byron W. Ayers were in office of the Union Herald Dorwin and Dickey, tin shop operators operation. Coleman was the former clerk newspaper. The newspa- who had been renting from him since for Ayers and Wardall, and Byron was a per was operated as a daily 1853. Dorwin and Dickey agreed to con- son of Grover Ayers. The firm appar- and weekly by Lewis and struct a brick building of their own that ently dissolved by 1864. Company with Thomas would adjoin the two Pasfield buildings Lewis as editor. He had to the west and is not shown in this pho- Joseph B. Fosselman previously worked as a tograph. The firm of Hannon and shoemaker, merchant, and Ragsdale were the architects and builders In 1859 former druggist banker. of all three structures. Joseph B. Fosselman started a wholesale grocery and Background Structures Pasfield finished the upper two floors for liquor business just east of This photograph also provides wonderful a hall to be used for balls, concerts and Coleman and Ayers in a views of buildings located to the north of other events. A sign reading “Concert building owned by the the Public Square. The roof and steeple Hall” can be seen between the windows Latham family. The exte- of the North Baptist Church can be seen for the second and third story. rior of Fosselman’s building above Fosselman’s store. Just beyond it is covered with signs for and to the left is the back side of the Eng- At the time the photograph was taken, the groceries, wines, liquors and lish Lutheran Church. The large Italian- occupants of the building were the Ham- cigars. Fosselman made a ate house featuring a cupola located just merslough Brothers, merchant tailors and special point to note he was left of the Lutheran Church was the resi- clothiers, and Albert L. Ide, a watch- an agent for Lill’s Premium Ale. Several dence of merchant Samuel B. Fisher, who maker and jeweler. men stand on the sidewalk in front of the lived at the northwest corner of Sixth and store sporting different styles of hats. Mason streets. FOR THE PEOPLE A NEWSLETTER OF THE ABRAHAM LINCOLN ASSOCIATION 3 LINCOLN DAY IN SPRINGFIELD Bayard L. Catron round and walked with President Lincoln The Fire-eaters, devout disunionists Last year’s commemoration of Abraham on April 4 when he strode down the middle who exploited every opportunity to Lincoln’s 200th birthday surely set a high- of Richmond streets to inspect the quarters inflame public opinion and provoke water mark in ALA history not likely to be of fleeing Confederate President Jefferson Southern secession. exceeded in the next 100 years. Newly inau- Davis, the president must have seemed, if Border-state leaders, and the blowback gurated President Obama returned trium- not an apparition, God incarnate. Surely it after the Emancipation Proclamation. phantly to Springfield, where he had must have been a prophet who set them And, especially when the war was go- launched his presidential campaign two free, and was martyred just like Jesus and ing badly, the strident Copperheads, John the Baptizer before him. Northern anti-war Democrats who years before, to address the ALA banquet. Such historic moments are inevitably also demanded peace regardless of cost Aided by stunning visuals, including an or consequence, including capitula- occasions for political myth-making, which array of fanciful “death-bed scenes” of the provides the lead for this report on Lincoln tion to the South’s demand for inde- time, Fox suggested that several stark im- pendence. Day 2010. ages conveyed a sense of a family in quiet (The political landscape was littered Springfield, IL— Harold Holzer’s ALA mourning, as in a formal parlor in an upper/ with many other factions, of banquet address completed a pitch-perfect middle class Northern white Protestant course—Douglas Democrats, Aboli- encore to President Obama’s memorable home, presented so as to draw viewers in, tionists, Know-Nothings, Wide- February 12, 2009, appearance here in constituting metaphorically an invitation by Awakes—each with its agenda, Springfield. the family to share their grief as a National claims and interests, and all compli- family. cating the story.) After reminding his audience of last year’s lively media and public attention to the The afternoon symposium was convened by What treacherous political terrain Mr. Lin- many parallels (fact, fiction, and fantasy) Thomas F. Schwartz, Illinois State Histo- coln traversed to win the election! What between Obama and Lincoln, Holzer rian, in the gorgeous Hall of Representa- crushing pressures he endured as president treated us to a panoramic look at the many tives in the Old State Capitol. The mood to preserve the Union, subject not only to ways American presidents (and candidates) was subdued, respectful. Perhaps others the tides of war, but to the fickle winds of since Lincoln have used and/or abused his were somewhat awed and humbled, as I public opinion, and the shifting sands of name and words and image, regardless of was, sitting there as Lincoln had, in political allegiances.