In February of 1861 President-elect Abraham Lincoln traveled from Springfield to Washington, D.C., visiting his supporters and finding his voice on his way to taking the oath of office on March 4, 1861. Along the way the President-elect stopped in Erie at the request of the Erie County Republican Club.
Lincoln’s visit was arranged by the club writing a letter to Lincoln on February 1, 1861, which read:
Hon. A. Lincoln, President ElectLincoln's Visit
Dear Sir,
As it is announced that your route to Washington will be through Cleveland & Buffalo, and consequently through this place we address you to ascertain if it would be convenient for you to make a short stay at Erie. Our city is connected with the interior of the State by the Sunbury & Pittsburg Railroads, thus enabling the people at the lines of those Roads an opportunity of meeting you which they could not have at any other point. Your reception here would not be partisan in its character, though the political sentiment of this part of the State is largely Republican. As the trains change engines here, you would be necessarily detained and if you could prolong your stay sufficiently to enable our citizens to pay their respects to you as the President elect, you would place them under many obligations.
Please inform as whether this would be agreeable, and at what time you would reach here.
Very respectfully yours
R. F. Gaggin [Richard F. Gaggin]
A. M. D. Lyon [Alexander McD. Lyon, Yale graduate]
A. H. Caughey [Andrew H. Caughey]
Erie County Republican Club
Before arriving in Erie, on February 16, 1861, Mr. Lincoln was met At the Girard station with several baskets of splendid fruit and flowers that were presented to the Presidential family. Horace Greeley, who one time worked as a journeyman printer in Erie, boarded the train. No little sensation was produced at this point by the unexpected apparition on the train of Mr. Greeley equipped with a valise and his well known red and blue blankets. He was at once conducted into the car of the President who came forward to greet him. He got off again at Erie after traveling about twenty miles with the company.
Arriving in Erie on that same day, the train that brought Mr. Lincoln and the Erie committee arrived in the city at twenty minutes past twelve, announced by the booming of a cannon and huzzas from the assembled multitude of supporters.
Erie Mayor Sherburn Smith was the chairman of the welcoming committee. Erie's first Union Station (1851-1866) on Peach Street was decorated with flags. An arch was built over the railroad tracks and evergreens were wrapped around the pillars.
Great enthusiasm was manifested as Mr. Lincoln passed from the car he occupied to the depot dining room to have lunch with his supporters where he declined to give a speech, but promised he would speak later, in accordance with the Constitution and the manifest interests of the whole country: He urged adherence to the Union.
Outside of the depot quite a scene occurred when the roof of a nearby building collapsed on which a large number of curious spectators had gathered. The sudden appearance of the whole group, and the scramble among the ruins, was seen as most ludicrous in propriety. Fortunately no one was seriously hurt.
After having lunch at Union Station, Lincoln’s Inaugural Train made a stop at the station in the township of North East, in Erie county, where a flag, inscribed fort Sumter, was carried right up to where Mr. Lincoln stood, but he did not seem to take the hint and made no allusion to it in his remarks.
It was at this same station that a myth was created that Mr. Lincoln, while speaking at the station, took occasion to state that during the campaign that he had received a letter from a young girl, in which he was kindly admonished to do certain things, and among others to let his whiskers grow, and that, as he had acted upon that piece of advice, and he would now be glad to welcome his fair correspondent, if she was among the crowd. In response to the call a young girl made her way through the crowd and was helped on the platform and kissed by the President.
The source of this myth was a story that actually comes out of Westfield, New York, where lived a 11 year old girl named Grace Bedell. It was reported by several newspapers at the time that she had wrote Abraham Lincoln a letter in October of 1860 suggesting that he grow a beard because his face was so thin. Mr. Lincoln took her advice and had a full beard during his journey. While in Westfield he asked if she might be present in the crowd, and surely enough, she was. The child was said to be beautiful, with black eyes and hair, being pointed out by the crowd. Mr. Lincoln left the train car, walked through the crowd to the girl, and gave her several kisses on her cheek. Young Grace blushed, but didn't run away.
The township of North East and Westfield, New York, being only 17.4 miles apart, theories are numerous as to how the confusion came about.
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| Copy of the letter that the Erie County Republican Club wrote to Abraham Lincoln (February 1, 1861) |