Collection of three (3) documents from when Abraham Lincoln served as an elector for William Henry Harrison in the 1840 presidential election. Matted and framed to 28 5/8 x 16 1/2 in., the documents include: 

1. Partly printed document completed in manuscript and signed by Justice of the Peace C.W. Morrell. Morgan County, Illinois, 2 November 1840. Includes two affidavits for the Judges of the Election, James Bozarth, William B. Hatfield, and John Crawford, and the Clerks of the Election, E. Abbey and J.H. Hatfield, to perform their duties as "Judges of this Election." 

2. Poll Book for Meredosia Precinct, Nov. 1840. Partly printed document completed in manuscript. Meredosia, [Morgan County, Illinois], November 1840. 

Shows a tally of votes for ten Presidential Electors. Listed last among the Whig Electors is "Abram Lincoln."

3. Partly printed document completed in manuscript. Bethel, Morgan County, Illinois, [November 1840]. Certified by the Judges of the Election and attested by the Clerks of the Election, as listed in the first document. 

The document records the number of votes received by each elector, including 73 earned by "Abram Lincoln." 

This was the first year that Lincoln served as a presidential elector. In that role, he would give stump speeches on behalf of presidential candidate William Henry Harrison throughout southern Illinois, writing in 1860 that he "spent much time and labor in the canvasses" (Works, VI, p. 34). He was also involved in party management, organizing the first Whig Illinois State Convention, held in October 1839, and the Young Men's Whig Convention held in June 1840. Additionally, he was an editor and likely a financial backer of the Whig campaign publication, “The Old Soldier.”

A rare early Lincoln document. 

Note: This lot cannot be packaged and shipped in-house. Successful bidders winning items marked as being packaged and shipped by a third-party service are responsible for paying the third party directly. We are happy to offer complimentary drop-off service to local third-party packing/shipping companies in Columbus, Ohio.

[Politics, Abraham Lincoln, William Henry Harrison, John Tyler, Martin van Buren, Illinois, Manuscripts, Documents, Letters, Ephemera, Republican Party, Whig Party, Civil War, Union]