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Abraham Lincoln to James F. Joy, 14 September 18551
Bloomington, Sept 14, 1855J. F. Joy, Esq.[Esquire]Chicago, Ills.Dear Sir
I have to day drawn on you in favor of the McLean County Bank, or rather it's Cashier, for one hundred and fifty dollars– This is intended as a fee for all services done by me for the Illinois Central Railroad, since last September, within the counties of McLean and De Witt. Within that time, and in the two counties, I have assisted, for the Road, in at least fifteen cases (I believe, one or two [...?] ^more^) and I have concluded to lump them off at ten dollars a case– With this explanation, I shall be obliged if you will honor the draft2
Yours trulyA. Lincoln
[ endorsement ]
09/14/1855
The above facts are true, and I think the charges very reasonable–
D Davis
Judge of Dewitt &
McLean Cir CourtsBloomington
Septr 14– 1855–3
1Abraham Lincoln wrote and signed this letter.
2James F. Joy’s reply to this letter has not been located. However, a September 19 letter Lincoln wrote Joy reveals that Joy indeed replied and that Lincoln also sent Joy a telegram on September 17, also on the topic of compensation. Lincoln’s September 17 telegram to Joy has not been located.
Mason Brayman had hired Lincoln on behalf of the Illinois Central Railroad Company in October 1853. Lincoln represented the railroad in the case Illinois Central RR v. McLean County, Illinois & Parke as well as in other cases that local landowners brought against the railroad as it completed its construction work throughout central Illinois. At the request of Brayman, Lincoln had declined new cases against the railroad that came his way between 1853 and 1855, passing at least some on to John T. Stuart, and therefore lost opportunities to earn legal fees as a direct result of his employment for the railroad. Lincoln corresponded with Joy about some of his work on behalf of the railroad on at least two occasions prior to this September 14 letter.
Lincoln only requests compensation for his services “since last September” in this letter because on September 23, 1854, he wrote Brayman requesting that Brayman honor a $100 draft upon the railroad’s account for services Lincoln had rendered on behalf of the railroad since the time Brayman hired him. Lincoln’s September 19, 1855 letter to Joy reveals that Brayman approved this 1854 request for compensation.
Lincoln eventually also received $5,000 for his legal services related specifically to the case Illinois Central RR v. McLean County, Illinois & Parke, although he had to sue the railroad in 1857 to collect the fee.
Abraham Lincoln to James F. Joy; Abraham Lincoln to James F. Joy; Illinois Central RR v. McLean County, Illinois & Parke, 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/Details.aspx?case=136867, http://www.lawpracticeofabrahamlincoln.org/Details.aspx?case=136868; For additional details about the many smaller cases in which Lincoln represented the Illinois Central Railroad Company, search Participant, "Illinois Central RR," Martha L. Benner and Cullom Davis et al., eds., The Law Practice of Abraham Lincoln: Complete Documentary Edition, http://www.lawpracticeofabrahamlincoln.org; Abraham Lincoln to Mason Brayman; For details on Lincoln suing the Illinois Central Railroad Company to collect the fee for his services on the Illinois Central RR v. McLean County, Illinois & Parke case, see: Lincoln v. Illinois Central RR, Martha L. Benner and Cullom Davis et al., eds., The Law Practice of Abraham Lincoln: Complete Documentary Edition, http://www.lawpracticeofabrahamlincoln.org/Details.aspx?case=136777.
3David Davis wrote and signed this endorsement.

Copy of Autograph Letter Signed, 1 page(s), Abraham Lincoln Association Files, Lincoln Collection, Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum (Springfield, IL).