Papers Of Abraham Lincoln

Receipt of Schuyler Strong and Abraham Lincoln to John Hogan, 17 June 18401
Office of the Board of Public Works
Springfield Ill^s June 17^th 1840
The following is a copy of an Order adopted by the Board of Public Works this day, to wit: “Ordered, that the sum of One hundred dollars be allowed to Schuyler Strong Esq[Esquire] and Fifty dollars to A Lincoln Esq for professional services rendered the Board of Public works.2
W^m Prentiss
Sec^y Bo Pub[Secretary Board Public] Works
Received Springfield June 17^th 1840 of John Hogan Com^r[Commissioner] of the Board of Public Works, One Hundred and fifty Dollars in full for the above order of the Board Pub works—
Schuyler StrongA. Lincoln
$150—

<Page 2>

[ docketing ]
N^o 66

[ docketing ]
Strong & Lincoln
professional services
N^r Cross R. R.
$150—
June 17, 1840

1William Prentiss wrote the receipt in its entirety. Schuyler Strong signed his and Abraham Lincoln’s names to the accompanying receipt.

2In February 1840, the Illinois General Assembly reconfigured the Board of Public Works, which oversaw, promoted, maintained, supervised, and directed the system of internal improvements created by the Internal Improvement Act. The new law changed the board from seven to just three commissioners, elected by the General Assembly, who would keep an office in Springfield. The law required the previous commissioners to settle accounts and to deliver all property and records to the new Board headquartered in Springfield. It is possible that Lincoln and Strong provided legal work related to this effort. In the late 1830s, Lincoln generally charged from $5-10 for each case he handled. Therefore, the $50 fee here likely represented a significant amount of legal work for him.
An Act to Establish and Maintain a General System of Internal Improvements; An Act to Provide for the Settlement of Debts and Liabilities Incurred on Account of Internal Improvements in the State of Illinois; Martha L. Benner and Cullom Davis et al., eds., The Law Practice of Abraham Lincoln: Complete Documentary Edition, 2d edition (Springfield: Illinois Historic Preservation Agency, 2009), http://www.lawpracticeofabrahamlincoln.org/Reference.aspx?ref=Reference html files/NarrativeOverview.html.