Abraham Lincoln to William McCullough, 16 January 18561
Springfield, Jany 16. 1856Wm McCullough, Esq.[Esquire]My dear Sir.I herewith return the copy of Mrs Bishop's Petition–2 If it
is quite certain that it is right now, have Mrs Bishop to
swear to it (this is indispensable) and then file it, and proceed upon it anew, just
as if none
nothing had been done before–
Yours trulyA. Lincoln–2Clarissa H. Bishop retained Abraham Lincoln as a lawyer after her husband, Minor Bishop,
died intestate in 1855. In 1856, she petitioned the McLean County Circuit Court for a partition of her husband’s land amongst his heirs and to set aside her dower.
The court decided in her favor and partitioned the land according to her petition.
William McCullough served as the clerk of the McLean County Circuit Court at the time
of this letter.
Bishop v. Bishop 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=136830.
Autograph Letter Signed, 1 page(s),
Colby College (Waterville, ME).