Chicago Press and Tribune, April 2, 1860.
Did Abraham Lincoln Visit Lake Forest?
Making It Home
Lake Forest map, 1862.
Norman B. Judd.
408 East Illinois Road, pictured 1984. The house was originally built in 1859 and stood on Deerpath.
Lake Forester, February 12, 1976.
Answer: Probably not.
Few American historical figures of 150 years ago have had their movements better documented than Abraham Lincoln. In late March, 1860, Lincoln was working as a lawyer while preparing for a presidential run. He came up to Chicago to argue a case (Johnston v. Jones & Marsh, which involved title to land north of the Chicago River) before the U.S. Circuit Court.
According to several accounts, on April 2, 1860, Lincoln came up to Waukegan by train to give a speech. He had dinner at the home of fellow attorney (and Waukegan mayor) Elisha P. Ferry.
This was followed by a speech at Dickinson Hall notable to posterity more for an interruption than the future president's oratory. A fire broke out at a nearby warehouse, which ended up resulting in a $7,000 loss of property, oats, wheat and salt.
Lake Forest resident James Anderson was in attendance at the speech. He told his grandchildren that the crowd gradually grew smaller and smaller as people left to go to the fire (whether as helpers or gawkers). Lincoln turned to Anderson, one of the few who stayed, and said, "Well, we might as well all go to the fire."
That night, Lincoln returned to the Ferry home (at 308 Julian Street) and slept there; the bed he allegedly slept in is in the collection of the Waukegan Historical Society. On April 3, Lincoln was back at court in Chicago.
The reason that the rumor surfaced that Abraham Lincoln came to Lake Forest on this occasion is likely because he had connections here. Accompanying Lincoln to Waukegan for his speech was Norman B. Judd, chairman of the Illinois State Republican Committee. Judd was a valuable friend and political adviser to Lincoln, and just over a month later he nominated Lincoln for president at the Republican convention in Chicago.
Norman B. Judd's sister, Adeline, was married to Gilbert Rossiter and lived in Lake Forest. The Rossiter home faced Triangle Park on the south side of Deerpath. Around the turn of the century, the house was moved and now stands just east of Gorton Community Center at 408 East Illinois Road.
No known documentary evidence has surfaced placing Abraham Lincoln in Lake Forest. However, is there a possibility that Lincoln and Judd stepped off the train in Lake Forest for a brief morning or afternoon visit to the Rossiters and then re-embarked, on the way to or from Waukegan on April 2 or 3? Certainly it can't be ruled out; however, it must be remembered that in 1860 only a small number of trains ran to Waukegan, and the speed was much slower.
In 1976, amidst a revival in interest in historical questions brought by the nation's Bicentennial, local writer Ann Thompson investigated the Lincoln story for the Lake Forester - read her article below.