Papers Of Abraham Lincoln

Certification of the Election of Abraham Lincoln to the Illinois General Assembly, 18 November 18401

State of Illinois
Sangamon County

I Noah W Matheny Clerk of the County Commissioners Court of Sangamon County do hereby certify that Abraham Lincoln Esqr.[Esquire] was Elected Representative to the Legislature of the State of Illinois from the County of Sangamon at the General Election held the first monday in August AD 1840 as appears from the Election returns on file in my office2

In Testimony whereof I have herewith subscribed my name and affixed the seal of said Court at Springfield this 18^th November AD 1840
N W Matheny clerk

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1840

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Nov,[November] 18

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Abraham Lincoln Certificate of Elec[Election]

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Representative

1Noah W. Matheny wrote this certification in its entirety.

2Abraham Lincoln tallied 1844 voters, the lowest tally of the five Whig candidates elected to the House of Representatives. John Calhoun was Lincoln’s closest challenger with 1266 votes.
Theodore C. Pease, ed., Illinois Election Returns, 1818-1848, vol. 18 of Collections of the Illinois State Historical Library (Springfield: Illinois State Historical Library, 1923), 344.