Papers Of Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln to John Tillson, 15 February 18501
Springfield, Feb: 15– 1850M^r John TilsonDear Sir:
A M^rsStout, formerly a Miss Huldah Briggs, of Vandalia, and who says she knows you, has become a near and favorite neighbor of ours– She thinks that some relatives of hers in Bond county have not done exactly right with her in relation to the estates of her grand-father & grand-mother, and that you have some knowledge on the subject–

The out-line of her narative is, that her father, Charles Briggs died in Mass– in 1822 or thereabouts; that her grand-father, Richard Briggs, died at Boston about 1833, leaving some property; that her grand-mother removed to Bond county, Ills[Illinois], bringing her husbands means with her, and acquiring some herself by means of a pension, ^&^ divided some $5000 out to her five living children, giving nothing to M^rs Stout, or to the children of another deceased child– In 1842 her grand-mother also died, leaving some property, as M^rs Stout thinks, but of which she still got nothing–

If you can, please answer me these questions–

Did her grand-father make a Will? & if so what was the substance of it?

Did her grand-mother bring means of her grand-father to this country^?^ & if so what went with it?

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Did her grand-mother make a Will? & if so, what was the substance of it?

Has there been an administration on either estate–

Any thing further which you may know– I shall be much obliged if you will do this–2
Yours trulyA. Lincoln

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SPRINGFIELD Ill.[Illinois]
FEB[February]
16
5
PAID
John Tilson, Esq[Esquire]QuincyIllinois–

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[ docketing ]
A. Lincoln
Feb^y[February] 15/50[1850]
Ans^d[Answered] March 6, 18503

1Abraham Lincoln wrote and signed this letter, including the address on the last sheet, which was folded to create an envelope.

2John Tillson responded to Lincoln on March 6, 1850, but Tillson’s letter has not been located. On March 29, Lincoln also wrote Joseph Gillespie inquiring about the matter.
Huldah R. Briggs, Huldah B. Stout’s grandmother, died intestate. Her grandson, James Bradford, became administrator of her estate in January 1844. In his final accounting of the estate to the probate court of Bond County in March 1849, he certified that the estate had never contained assets of any kind.
Daniel W. Stowell, et. al., eds., The Papers of Abraham Lincoln: Legal Documents and Cases (Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, 2008), 4:217; Affidavit of Decease, 18 January 1844; Final Account, 2 March 1849, Hulda Briggs Probate File, Papers of Abraham Lincoln Book Edition Files and Cases Files, Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library, Springfield, IL. The original probate file is housed at the Bond County Courthouse, Greenville, IL.

3Tillson wrote this docketing.