Abraham Lincoln to James W. Somers, 19 June 18581
Springfield, June 19. 1858.James W. Somers, Esq[Esquire]Dear SirYours of the 10th in relation to the suit of Thompson, White & Pryor vs Wilson & Park, was received some days ago–2 There was no ground upon which to stave the case off– Judgment is entered for $555–33,
besides costs not yet made up– If you send me the $200 I will apply it on the judgment
any day; but I think you need be in no great hurry about it– I charge no fee in the
case–3
Please tell your uncle William that judgment also went against Miller & Jaquith, there being no ground upon which to stave off–4
Why were you not here to the convention? We had a great time–5
Yours very truly A. Lincoln–3In the fall of 1857, the firm Wilson and Parks gave the firm Thomson, White and Pryor
two promissory notes totaling $541.34. After Wilson and Parks failed to pay, Thomson,
White and Pryor sued in an action of assumpsit in the U.S. Circuit Court, Southern District of Illinois and requested $800 in damages. Lincoln and Somers represented Wilson and Parks; Major W. Packard and Robert E. Williams represented Thomson, White and Pryor. After Wilson and Parks failed to appear, Judge
Samuel H. Treat ruled for Thomson, White and Pryor, awarding $555.33 plus court costs.
Declaration, Praecipe, Document ID: 67371; Execution Docket, Document ID: 67379, Thompson, White, & Pryor v. Wilson & Parks, 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), https://www.lawpracticeofabrahamlincoln.org/Details.aspx?case=137692 .
4In September 1857, the firm Jaquith and Miller gave John M. Maris & Company a promissory note for $987.68. After Jaquith and Miller
failed to pay, John M. Maris and Co. sued in the U.S. Circuit Court, Southern District
of Illinois in an action of assumpsit and requested $2,000 in damages. Jaquith and
Miller retained Lincoln and William H. Herndon, but ultimately failed to appear. In June 1858, Judge Treat ruled for John M. Maris
and Co. and awarded $1,013.83.
Complete Record, Document ID: 65854, John M. Maris & Co. v. Jaquith & Miller, Martha L. Benner and Cullom Davis et al., eds., The Law Practice of Abraham Lincoln: Complete Documentary Edition, https://www.lawpracticeofabrahamlincoln.org/Details.aspx?case=137572.
Autograph Letter Signed, 1 page(s), Lincoln Collection, Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum (Springfield, IL).