Jonathan Haines and Lincoln exchanged at least seven letters related to Haine’s legal case, which was Haines v. Rugg. In the fall of 1856, Haines sued George H. Rugg in the U.S. Circuit Court, Northern District of Illinois for infringing upon his patent on a reaper (a kind of harvesting machine). Lincoln represented Haines and T. Lyle Dickey represented Rugg. The case ultimately went to trial in March 1858 and lasted just four days. Judge Thomas Drummond ruled for the plaintiff and awarded Haines $2,300 in damages. Rugg appealed this decision to the U.S. Supreme Court in the case, Rugg v. Haines. Lincoln represented Haines until he was elected president in the 1860 Federal Election. Rugg v. Haines commenced December 9, 1862. On December 15, 1862, Justice Roger B. Taney upheld the lower court’s decision and awarded Haines $2,300 in damages as well as costs expended in the suit.

In 1858, Haines also sued Wait Talcott, along with the other surviving representatives of Manny and Company, in a separate case for infringement upon his reaper patent. For additional information on that case, see Haines & Haines v. Talcott et al., 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=137699.