Description:

Abraham Lincoln
Springfield, IL, November 24, 1842
Abraham Lincoln, 250 Bold Words in His Hand, Protects Children in 1842 Dispute
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ABRAHAM LINCOLN, Autograph Document, Decree in case of Pickrell & Cantrall v. Smith et al., filed November 24, 1842, Springfield, Illinois. 2 pp., 7.75" x 12.5". Ex-King V. Hostick; expected folds; small separation on one fold; soiling on folds; toning; very good.

In November 1840, Abel Pickrell sold Benjamin Smith two hundred acres of land in Sangamon County, Illinois, for $4,200. In return, Smith gave Pickrell a promissory note but died by March 1841 before paying the note. William G. Cantrall served as the administrator of Smith's estate. Pickrell and Cantrall retained partners Stephen T. Logan and Abraham Lincoln, and according to Lincoln's notes, "Nothing has been paid for the land, and there will be no assets to pay with, beyond about $200. The object is to have Pickrell take back the land, and discharge the indebtedness. Pickrell & the Adm to be made complainants." Lincoln wrote the bill of complaint in which Pickrell and Cantrall as administrator sued Smith's heirs to rescind the contract.

The defendants in this case included all of Benjamin Smith's heirs, including his widow Abigail Smith, his four sons, his six married daughters, and his six sons-in-law. Five of the defendants lived outside of Illinois. Because three of Benjamin Smith's sons were below the age of twenty-one, the court appointed attorney John C. Doremus (1816-1878) to represent their interests as a guardian ad litem in this case.

Logan and Lincoln filed the bill of complaint in this case on September 7, 1842, and published notices in the Sangamo Journal newspaper, published in Springfield, about the case. The defendants, who probably wanted the contract canceled as well, did not appear in court at its November 1842 term. As was common in uncontested cases and sometimes in contested ones, Lincoln as attorney wrote a draft decree for the court to issue. He also wrote the guardian ad litem's answer for Doremus to sign. Judge Samuel H. Treat accepted Lincoln's draft decree, and the clerk copied it verbatim into the court record. The court ruled for Pickrell and Cantrall, voided the contract, and canceled the promissory note. Logan and Lincoln received $10 from Smith's estate for their legal services in this case.

Complete Transcript
Abel Pickrell &
William G. Cantrall
vs. In Chancery
Jefferson Smith
John Downs
Elizabeth Downs
Henry M'Calister
Harriet M'Calister
Joseph Kinnaman
Susan Kinnaman
Sherman Buck
Hannah Buck
Edward Guyott
Mary Ann Guyott
Adam W. Cantrall
Delilah Cantrall
Abel Smith
James Smith
John N. Smith
Jeremiah Smith &
Abigail Smith
This day came the complainants, and it appearing to the court that due notice of the pendency of this suit had been given to all of said defendants by service of process, and publication in a newspaper, and they all, except the minors named in said Bill, being three times solemnly called came not, but made default; it is therefore ordered by the court that said Bill be taken for confessed as against all, except said minors.
And John C. Doremus being appointed guardian ad litem to the said minors, to wit, James Smith, John N. Smith, & Jeremiah Smith, and having filed his answer, saying that he knows nothing of the truth or falsity of the allegations of said Bill and therefore requires full proof of the same. And the court hearing the allegations and proofs of said complainants, and being satisfied that said allegations are true, it is ordered and decreed by the court, that the contract in relation to the land in the Bill mentioned, be null and void, from hence forth, and that the articles of agreement and promissory note therein mentioned, be mutually surrendered up and cancelled.

[File Note, written by Lincoln:] Pickrell & Cantrall vs. Smith & others / Order.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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