William K. Payne to Abraham Lincoln, 27 March 18491
Grandview Edgar Co Ills March 27 1849Hon A LincolnThis is to informe you that our present Post Master is about to resign, and we will have to have a new one soon, we have one applicant
besides myself Viz Mr J V Brown, a Taylor by trade
I would like to have the office from the mere fact that Poke turned me out through the influance[influence] of O B Ficklin for Political opinion,2
you will confere a favor on me by useing your influence for me with the P. M; G.
Mr Brown the other applicant expects the influence of Col Baker, neither of us intend to send up a petition as we think it useless. at any rate I
have found it so during the last 4 years I have in the Last four years sent up a petition with ¾ of all the votes in this
precinct, but it avails nothing
your attention to this matter will be thankfully recid[received] from youre friend and humble servantW. K. Payne32Payne had previously been postmaster of Grand View from December 1836 to May 1841
and from July 1841 to February 1845.
Record of Appointment of Postmasters, 1832-1971
, NARA Microfilm Publication, M841, 145 rolls, Records of the Post Office Department,
RG 28, 1832-1844, 12B:492, National Archives Building, Washington, DC; The Biennial Register of all Officers and Agents in the Service of the United States (Washington, DC: Blair & Rives, 1838), 278*; Register of all Officers and Agents, Civil, Military, and Naval, in the Service of
the United States, on the Thirtieth September, 1839 (Washington, DC: A. B. Claxton, 1839), 260*; Register of all Officers and Agents, Civil, Military, and Naval, in the Service of
the United States, from the Thirtieth September, 1841, to the Thirtieth September,
1843 (Washington, DC: J. & G. S. Gideon, 1843), 542*; Register of all Officers and Agents, Civil, Military, and Naval, in the Service of
the United States, on the Thirtieth September, 1845 (Washington, DC: J. & G. S. Gideon, 1845), *387.
3James F. Whitney, postmaster of Grand View, would resign in May, and Payne would received
the appointment, holding the position until May 1853.
Record of Appointment of Postmasters, 1832-1971
, NARA Microfilm Publication, M841, 145 rolls, Records of the Post Office Department,
RG 28, 1845-55, 18:48, National Archives Building, Washington, DC; Register of all Officers and Agents, Civil, Military, and Naval, in the Service of
the United States, on the Thirtieth September, 1849 (Washington, DC: Gideon, 1849),*475; Fitz Henry Warren to Abraham Lincoln; Register of all Officers and Agents, Civil, Military, and Naval, in the Service of
the United States, on the Thirtieth September, 1851 (Washington, DC: Gideon, 1851), 532*; Register of Officers and Agents, Civil, Military, and Naval, in the Service of the
United States, on the Thirtieth September, 1853 (Washington, DC: Robert Armstrong, 1853), 504*.
Autograph Letter Signed, 1 page(s), Abraham Lincoln Papers, Library of Congress (Washington, DC).