Emma A. Stark to Abraham Lincoln, 13 August 18581
Atlanta Aug 13th/58Hon A. LincolnSir—I have delayed writing to you for some time, in refferance to the business you have undertaken for me, thinking you would probably visit Atlanta
soon, when I could see you— as I have been unable to learn when you are expected, I have concluded to address you, for the purpose of finding out
what more it will be necessary for me to do if any-thing, in order that I may be successful–
I fear this matter
Very respectfully–Emma A Stark.Hon A. Lincoln–<Page 2>
will seem rather unimportant to you (when compared with the subject that is principally
occupying your attention at present) yet however much so, it may seem to you— to me, it is of the greatest importan^ce^ that I should succeed, now that I have undertaken–2<Page 3>
[Envelope]
ATLAN[TA] IL[L]
AUG[AUGUST] 13Hon A. Lincoln.Springfield.Illinois.
AUG[AUGUST] 13Hon A. Lincoln.Springfield.Illinois.
1Emma A. Stark wrote and signed this letter. She also wrote Abraham Lincoln’s name
and address on the envelope shown in the third image.
2Stark is discussing her divorce case, Stark v. Stark. After her husband, LaFayette A. Stark, deserted her in 1856, she relocated to Champaign County, Illinois, with their son while LaFayette remained in New York. She retained Lincoln as her attorney and sued her husband for a divorce. Lincoln
argued that LaFayette’s cruelty provided the grounds for divorce and that his harsh
treatment had seriously and negatively impacted Emma’s health. In September 1858,
the Logan County Circuit Court granted her the divorce and awarded her full custody of their son.
At the time of this letter, Lincoln was running against Democratic incumbent Stephen A. Douglas as the Illinois Republican Party’s candidate for the U.S. Senate. Like Douglas, Lincoln traveled extensively throughout the campaign of 1858, delivering
speeches in support of candidates for the Illinois General Assembly in their respective parties. At the time, members of the General Assembly voted for
and elected the state’s representatives in the U.S. Senate, so the races for the
Illinois House of Representatives and Illinois Senate were highly relevant to the outcome of the race for the U.S. Senate. It appears that
Lincoln only visited Atlanta, Illinois, once during the 1858 campaign season. He attended
one of Douglas’ speeches in Atlanta on July 17, but did not deliver an address himself.
Ultimately, in Illinois’ local elections of 1858, Republicans won a majority of all
votes cast in the state, but pro-Douglas Democrats retained control of the Illinois
General Assembly and Douglas won reelection to the U.S. Senate. Through the campaign,
however, and in particular through his participation in the Lincoln-Douglas debates, Lincoln gained recognition as well as standing within the national Republican Party.
See 1858 Illinois Republican Convention; 1858 Federal Election.
Stark v. Stark, 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=136143; Michael Burlingame, Abraham Lincoln: A Life (Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 2008), 1:458, 556-57; Allen C. Guelzo,
“Houses Divided: Lincoln, Douglas, and the Political Landscape of 1858,” The Journal of American History 94 (September 2007), 392, 394, 414-17; The Lincoln Log: A Daily Chronology of the Life of Abraham Lincoln, 17 July 1858, https://www.thelincolnlog.org/Results.aspx?type=CalendarDay&day=1858-07-17.
Autograph Letter Signed, 3 page(s), Abraham Lincoln Papers, Library of Congress (Washington, DC). .