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Lincoln was here? Geneva History Museum finds city record stating Lincoln spoke in Geneva

Volunteers found document while scanning city records

By Brenda Schory
The 1844 Kane County courthouse, which later became the site for Geneva's City Hall, at the corner of First and James streets. Recently discovered documents for the cornerstone – dated Dec. 7, 1912 – state that Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas spoke from its steps.

The 1844 Kane County courthouse, which later became the site for Geneva's City Hall, at the corner of First and James streets. Recently discovered documents for the cornerstone – dated Dec. 7, 1912 – state that Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas spoke from its steps. (Provided by Geneva History Museum)

A 1912 Geneva city document suggests that Abraham Lincoln was physically present in Geneva, sometime between 1844 and 1856.

The document was discovered recently when Geneva History Museum volunteers went through a box of papers donated by the city, Executive Director Terry Emma said.

Every Wednesday afternoon, volunteers work on organizing donated historical material, she said.

“Sometimes people bring boxes and boxes of stuff,” Emma said. “It’s been my mission to catch up on this backlog.”

Emma trained a group of volunteers to handle documents one page at a time, how to index them, create a key word and log it into a database.

“One of the volunteers had this document in front of her,” Emma said. “She walked over to me and said, ‘What is this?‘... I had to read it five times because of the way it’s written... It’s the first time I’ve seen it in print that Lincoln actually spoke here.”

The typed document, entitled “DATA,” is a record by then-Geneva City Clerk Arthur L. Stimple, of setting the cornerstone for the new City Hall, Dec. 7, 1912.

“The site of this building holds claim to distinction in that upon this identical spot was built, in 1844, Kane County’s first permanent court house,” Stimple wrote.

In 1912, Geneva City Clerk Arthur L. Stimple filed paperwork listing Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas was for the cornerstone of the new City Hall, honoring its historic location. Volunteers at the museum recently discovered the paperwork in a box provided by the city.

In 1912, Geneva City Clerk Arthur L. Stimple filed paperwork listing Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas was for the cornerstone of the new City Hall, honoring its historic location. Volunteers at the museum recently discovered the paperwork in a box provided by the city. (Provided by Geneva History Museum)

“This building was in some respects the most important historically of the three erected by the County as permanent court houses,” Stimple wrote. “The revered Abraham Lincoln and the famous Stephen A. Douglas spoke on several occasions from its steps.”

That was the sentence: Historic proof that Lincoln visited Geneva.

“We figure, based on the dates of this old courthouse, Lincoln would have visited between 1844-1856 because that is when a new courthouse was built across the street here from the museum,” Emma wrote in an email.

“Later it burns in 1890 and then they build the one that is there now,” she said, referring to the county’s historic courthouse at 100 S. Third St.

“This shows the kind of work we’re doing at the museum. This is huge. It shows the depth of our collection. It’s vast and it’s very cool,” Emma said. “We were jumping for joy.”

The second page of 1912 Geneva City Clerk Arthur L. Stimple's documentation for the cornerstone of the new City Hall.

The second page of 1912 Geneva City Clerk Arthur L. Stimple's documentation for the cornerstone of the new City Hall. (Provided by Geneva History Museum)

Stimple’s document also listed other historical facts for 1844, including that the county’s population was 9,000 and the officials occupying the courthouse then, along with less savory citizens.

“Out of its basement jail, John Collins, the first of only two of Kane County’s more than one hundred murderers who ever suffered the law’s extreme penalty, was taken to execution,” Stimple wrote.

By 1856, the county’s population increased to 24,000 and the building was no longer large enough. Offices were removed to to the new court house, built in the block bounded by Third, James, Fourth and Campbell streets, Stimple wrote.

“During the following twenty years the building was but little used, was finally abandoned and fell into decay,” Stimple wrote.

“In 1891, under the administration of Mayor Dennis J. Hogan, it was acquired by the City of Geneva, remodeled and used as a City Hall until its destruction by fire on April 11, 1912,” Stimple wrote. “The present building, of which this cornerstone is a part, was erected in 1912-1913 ... This corner stone was laid on Dec. 7, 1912.”

Stimple also lists the city officials of the day in charge of getting the new city hall built – which is still Geneva’s City Hall.

Emma said the city gave boxes of documents to the museum.

“We will preserve this and make it available to the community,” Emma said. “Who knows what would have happened to that box? It’s been there since 1912.”

Is Stimple’s document accurate about Lincoln?

“Did Abe Lincoln come to Geneva and speak here? Our newspaper records don’t go that far back,” Emma said. “This is the first time I have actual documented proof he spoke here.”

But they need more proof, she said.

“We will continue to dig to see if there is anything else out there,” Emma stated in an email.

The National Park Service does not list Geneva among the seven 1858 debate stops in Illinois while Lincoln was challenging incumbent Douglas for the U.S. Senate in 1858.

Stimple’s document does not state there was a debate, only that Lincoln and Douglas spoke from the 1844 courthouse steps.

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