Springfield, IL

SPRINGFIELD, p. v., seat of justice of Sangamon co., and capital of the state of Illinois; from W. 780 ms. The town is situated four miles south of Sangamon river, and became the capital of the state in 1840. It is surrounded by a rich and populous region, picturesquely varied with prairies, forests, vales, and gentle elevations. The village is one of the most pleasant and beautiful in the west, situated on the border of extensive prairie, laid out with broad and shaded streets, interspersed with spacious lawns and squares, and indicating, in its neat and comfortable dwellings, prosperity and vigorous health... The population in 1840 was 2,579; in 1850, 4,533. (Fanning's, 1853)
Place Unit Type
City or Town
Containing Unit
Date Type
A fugitive named Addison nearly kills slave-catchers while running in Illinois Crime/Disasters
Abraham Lincoln of Springfield, Illinois receives a patent for a device to aid riverboats over shoals Science/Technology
Abraham Lincoln returns to Springfield, Illinois where his remains lay in state in the State House Personal
Abraham Lincoln votes in Springfield, Illinois at 3:30PM and waits for election news at a local telegraph office Campaigns/Elections
Abraham Lincoln writes to introduce himself to his running mate Hannibal Hamlin Campaigns/Elections
Abraham Lincoln writes to offer William Henry Seward the post of Secretary of State in his new cabinet Lawmaking/Litigating
First Republican Governor of Illinois inaugurated Campaigns/Elections
Giant Republican rally in Springfield, Illinois Campaigns/Elections
Governor Yates of Illinois calls for recruits to fill up the state's depleted regiments Lawmaking/Litigating
Illinois Democrats choose their Charleston delegates and back Stephen Douglas as the nominee Campaigns/Elections
Illinois Democrats hold their state convention in Springfield. Campaigns/Elections
Illinois State Democratic Convention meets in Springfield Campaigns/Elections
In Springfield, Illinois, Abraham Lincoln formally accepts the Republican nomination for President Campaigns/Elections
In Springfield, Illinois, Abraham Lincoln is formally offered the Republican Party nomination for President Campaigns/Elections
In Springfield, Illinois, Abraham Lincoln receives the news by telegraph of his nomination for President Campaigns/Elections
John McAuley Palmer dies in Springfield, Illinois Personal
Lieutenant-Governor Wood sworn in as Governor of Illinois after the death of William Bissell Lawmaking/Litigating
Lincoln claims he cannot raise $10,000 for campaign even to save himself from "fate of John Brown" Campaigns/Elections
Lincoln denounces the Dred Scott decision Legal/Political
Lincoln deposits his largest legal fee Personal
Lincoln holds meeting regarding 1860 election Campaigns/Elections
Lincoln visits dying political ally Legal/Political
Lyman Trumbull marries Julia Maria Jayne in Springfield, Illinois Personal
Mary Lincoln dies in Springfield, Illinois Personal
Mary Lincoln moves to Springfield, Illinois Personal
Mary Lincoln visits Springfield, Illinois in the spring of 1837 Personal
Outside Springfield, Illinois, thousands watch the races at the National Horse Fair Education/Culture
Ozias Mather Hatch dies in Springfield, Illinois Personal
- Ozias Mather Hatch serves as Illinois Secretary of State Personal
President Lincoln's remains reboard his funeral train for the last time in Chicago bound for Springfield, Illinois and home Personal
President-Elect Lincoln departs Springfield, Illinois on his eleven-day pre-inaugural journey Campaigns/Elections
President-Elect Lincoln meets Alexander McClure in Springfield, Illinois Lawmaking/Litigating
Serious train wreck near Belleville, Illinois injures dozens Crime/Disasters
The Illinois State Legislature strongly protests the military shutdown of the Chicago Times Lawmaking/Litigating
The Lincolns entertain over 300 guests at their home in Springfield Legal/Political
The well-to-do women of Springfield, Illinois form a "Loyal Ladies League" Campaigns/Elections
Burial Place of
Date Title
Springfield Illinois Journal, "Fusion," August 31, 1854
Abraham Lincoln, Speech in the Illinois Legislature Concerning the State Bank, January 11, 1837
Abraham Lincoln to Mary S. Owens, August 16, 1837
Abraham Lincoln, Address Before the Young Men's Lyceum, Springfield, Illinois, January 27, 1838
Abraham Lincoln to Eliza Caldwell Browning, April 1, 1838
Abraham Lincoln to John Stuart, January 23, 1841
Abraham Lincoln, Address to Washington Temperance Society, February 22, 1842
Abraham Lincoln to Joshua Speed, February 25, 1842
Abraham Lincoln to Joshua Speed, February 25, 1842 (Second Letter of the Day)
Abraham Lincoln to Joshua Speed, July 4, 1842
Abraham Lincoln to Joshua Speed, October 5, 1842
Abraham Lincoln, Campaign Circular from Whig Committee, March 4, 1843
Abraham Lincoln to Williamson Durley, Springfield, Illinois, October 3, 1845
Abraham Lincoln to Andrew Johnston with Poem, April 18, 1846
Abraham Lincoln to Allen N. Ford, August 11, 1846
Abraham Lincoln to William Hernden, June 22, 1848
Abraham Lincoln to Thaddeus Stevens, September 3, 1848
Abraham Lincoln to J. R. Underwood, June 3, 1849
Abraham Lincoln to John M. Clayton, July 28, 1849
Abraham Lincoln, Notes for a Law Lecture, circa 1850
Abraham Lincoln to John D. Johnston, Springfield, Illinois, January 12, 1851
Abraham Lincoln, Eulogy on Henry Clay, July 6, 1852
Abraham Lincoln, Fragment on Government, circa July 1, 1854
Abraham Lincoln to Richard Yates, Springfield, Illinois, August 18, 1854
Abraham Lincoln to Richard Oglesby, September 8, 1854
Abraham Lincoln to Ichabod Codding, November 27, 1854
Abraham Lincoln to Elihu Benjamin Washburne, February 9, 1855
Abraham Lincoln to Jesse Olds Norton, February 16 1855
David Davis to Julius Rockwell, March 4, 1855
Abraham Lincoln to Henry Clay Whitney, June 7, 1855
Abraham Lincoln to Owen Lovejoy, August 11,1855
Abraham Lincoln to Joshua Fry Speed, August 24, 1855
Abraham Lincoln to Lyman Trumbull, June 7, 1856
Abraham Lincoln's Speech at Springfield, Illinois, June 10, 1856
Abraham Lincoln, Form Letter to Fillmore men, September 8, 1856
Abraham Lincoln, Fragment on Stephen Douglas, December 1, 1856
New York Times, “Gubernatorial Inaugurals,” January 20, 1857
Abraham Lincoln to Charles D. Gilfillan, May 9, 1857
Abraham Lincoln to B. Clarke Lundy, August 5, 1857
Abraham Lincoln to James W. Grimes, August 17, 1857
Abraham Lincoln to Richard Yates, September 30, 1857
Abraham Lincoln to Lyman Trumbull, December 18, 1857
Abraham Lincoln to Lyman Trumbull, December 28, 1857
Abraham Lincoln to Thomas A. Marshall, April 23, 1858
Norman Buel Judd to Abraham Lincoln, June 1, 1858
John Wentworth to Abraham Lincoln, June 6, 1858
Lyman Trumbull to Abraham Lincoln, June 12, 1858
Recollection by Shelby Cullom, House Divided Speech, June 16, 1858
Recollection by Julian M. Sturtevant, House Divided Speech, June 16, 1858
Lyman Trumbull to Abraham Lincoln, June 16, 1858
New York Times, "Illinois Republican State Convention," June 21, 1858
John L. Scripps to Abraham Lincoln, June 22, 1858
Abraham Lincoln to John L. Scripps, June 23, 1858
Raleigh (NC) Register, “The Northern Democracy Split to Pieces,” June 23, 1858
Abraham Lincoln to Joseph Medill, June 25, 1858
Richmond (VA) Dispatch, “A Crumb of Comfort for Mr. Seward,” June 26, 1858
Chicago (IL) Press and Tribune, "The Passage at Arms between Lincoln and Douglas in 1854," July 1, 1858
Chicago (IL) Press and Tribune, “New Orleans Delta on the Illinois Republican Convention,” July 5, 1858
- Recollection by Gustave Koerner, Lincoln-Douglas Debates
(St. Louis) Missouri Republican, "Mr. A. Lincoln," July 11, 1858
Gustave Philipp Koerner to Abraham Lincoln, July 17, 1858
Lyman Trumbull to Abraham Lincoln, July 19, 1858
(St. Louis) Missouri Republican, "The Progress of Judge Douglas Through Illinois," July 19, 1858
Abraham Smith to Abraham Lincoln, July 20, 1858
Charles H. Ray to Abraham Lincoln, July 27, 1858
Abraham Lincoln to Stephen Douglas, July 29, 1858
Chicago (IL) Press and Tribune, "Great Debate Between Lincoln and Douglas At Ottawa," August 23, 1858
Lyman Trumbull to Abraham Lincoln, August 24, 1858
B. Lewis to Abraham Lincoln, August 25, 1858
Quincy (IL) Whig, "Lincoln and Douglas," August 25, 1858
Leavenworth (KS) Journal, "Cheering News," August 26, 1858
Joseph Medill to Abraham Lincoln, August 27, 1858
Abraham Lincoln to Elihu B. Washburne, September 16, 1858
Milwaukee (WI) Sentinel, “A Peep Behind the Curtain!,” October 12, 1858
Recollection by Gustave Koerner, Alton Debate, October 15, 1858
Quincy (IL) Whig, "Disappointed," October 16, 1858
New York Evening Post, “Political,” October 20, 1858
New York Times, “Vice-President Breckenridge for Douglas,” October 23, 1858
Abraham Lincoln to John Jordan Crittenden, November 4, 1858
Milwaukee (WI) Sentinel, “The Popular Majority,” November 9, 1858
Chicago (IL) Press and Tribune, “Abraham Lincoln,” November 10, 1858
Abraham Lincoln to Norman Buel Judd, November 15, 1858
Abraham Lincoln to Norman Buel Judd, November 16, 1858
Abraham Lincoln to Eleazar A. Paine, November 19, 1858
Abraham Lincoln to Henry Asbury, November 19, 1858
Abraham Lincoln to Charles H. Ray, November 20, 1858
Louisville (KY) Democrat, “From Abroad,” November 23, 1858
(St. Louis) Missouri Republican, “Judge Douglas,” November 25, 1858
Abraham Lincoln to Lyman Trumbull, December 11, 1858
William A. Ross to Abraham Lincoln, March 18, 1859
Abraham Lincoln to William A. Ross, March 26, 1859
Chicago (IL) Press and Tribune, “The Beginning of the Presidential Campaign,” April 7, 1859
Abraham Lincoln to Thomas J. Pickett, April 16, 1859
Abraham Lincoln to Salmon Portland Chase, April 30, 1859
Abraham Lincoln to Theodore Canisius, May 17, 1859
Abraham Lincoln to Samuel Galloway, July 28, 1859
Abraham Lincoln to Peter Zinn, September 6, 1859
Abraham Lincoln to Salmon Portland Chase, September 21, 1859
Abraham Lincoln to Thomas Corwin, October 9, 1859
Charles H. Ray to Abraham Lincoln, October 20, 1859
Abraham Lincoln to William E. Frazer, November 1, 1859
Lyman Trumbull to Abraham Lincoln, November 28, 1859
Abraham Lincoln to Jesse W. Fell, December 20, 1859
Oliver P. Hall and Others to Abraham Lincoln, January 9, 1860, Mechanicsburg, Illinois
Abraham Lincoln to Alonzo J. Grover, January 15, 1860
Abraham Lincoln to Oliver P. Hall, Jacob N. Fullinwider, and William F. Correll , Springfield, Illinois
Abraham Lincoln to E. Stafford, March 17, 1860
Chicago (IL) Press and Tribune, “Lincoln as He Is,” May 23, 1860
Abraham Lincoln to George Ashmun, May 23, 1860
Chicago (IL) Press and Tribune,“The Fillmore Men,” May 25, 1860
Chicago (IL) Press and Tribune, “Mr. Lincoln's Committals,” May 28, 1860
Abraham Lincoln to Leonard Swett, May 30, 1860
Abraham Lincoln to George Ashmun, June 4, 1860
Abraham Lincoln to Richard W. Thompson, June 18, 1860
John L. Scripps to Abraham Lincoln, June 18, 1860
Abraham Lincoln to Samuel Galloway, June 19, 1860
Richard W. Thompson to Abraham Lincoln, July 6, 1860
Abraham Lincoln to Richard W. Thompson, July 10, 1860
John L. Scripps to Abraham Lincoln, July 11, 1860
John L. Scripps to Abraham Lincoln, July 17, 1860
Abraham Lincoln to Alexander McClure, August 30, 1860
Abraham Lincoln to Grace Bedell, October 19, 1860
David Hunter to Abraham Lincoln, October 20, 1860
Abraham Lincoln to David Hunter, October 26, 1860
Boston (MA) Advertiser, "How Mr. Lincoln Voted," November 8, 1860
New York Times, "From the Home of Mr. Lincoln," November 8, 1860
New York Herald, “Untitled,” November 23, 1860
Abraham Lincoln, Certified Transcript of Passage from the House Divided Speech, December 7, 1860
Abraham Lincoln to Lyman Trumbull, December 10, 1860
Abraham Lincoln to William Kellogg, December 11, 1860
Abraham Lincoln to John A. Gilmer, December 15, 1860
Abraham Lincoln to Henry J. Raymond, December 18, 1860
New York Times,“A Visit to Mr. Lincoln,” December 20, 1860
New York Times, “Interesting from Springfield,” December 25, 1860
Anonymous to Abraham Lincoln, January 1, 1861
John P. Verree to Abraham Lincoln, January 1, 1861
New York Herald, “Cabinet Rumors from Pennsylvania,” January 1, 1861
Abraham Lincoln to Simon Cameron, January 3, 1861
Joseph Medill to Charles H. Ray and John Locke Scripps, January 6, 1861
Edwin V. Sumner to John G. Nicolay, January 7, 1861
Leonard Swett to Abraham Lincoln, January 24, 1861
New York Herald, “More Trouble About Old Abe’s Cabinet,” February 10, 1861
Abraham Lincoln, Farewell Address to Springfield, Illinois, February 11, 1861
Abraham Lincoln's Farewell Address at Springfield, Illinois, February 11, 1861
San Francisco (CA) Evening Bulletin, “A Story of ‘Prince Bob’,” April 3, 1861
Cleveland (OH) Herald, “A Rugged Issue,” April 5, 1861
Jesse K. Dubois to Abraham Lincoln, June 8, 1861
Ozias Mather Hatch to Abraham Lincoln, August 17, 1861
Resolutions, Republican Party of Illinois in Convention, August 8, 1866, Springfield, Illinois
- John G. Nicolay's conversation with James Moorhead, May 12-13, 1880
Recollection by James S. Owing, 1844-1860, in a Speech to the Illinois Schoolmasters' Club, Bloomington, Illinois, February 12, 1909
How to Cite This Page: "Springfield, IL," House Divided: The Civil War Research Engine at Dickinson College, https://hd.housedivided.dickinson.edu/index.php/node/9276.