Rensselaer Journal, Volume 11, Number 32, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 January 1902 — Old Friend Lincoln [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Old Friend Lincoln

The men who personally knew Abraham Lincoln become fewer each year, but there is none who during the time in which the martyred president rose to prominence saw more of him than J. G. Stewart, a veteran photographer of Bloomington, 111. In 1857 Mr. Stewart was in business in Springfield. He recalls many interesting events in the career of Lincoln and says when he first knew the “railsplitter" that Mr. Lincoln exhibited negligence as to dress. The future president usually went about with one trousers leg caught on the top of one of hts high boots. Mr. Stewart belonged to the Fremont party and following its defeat signed a call to organize the Republican paTty in Springfield. Among '.the names signed were those of A. Lincoln and Shelby M. Cullom. The first meeting was held in Mr. Stewart’s gallery. The organization was called the Lincoln club. During the presidential campaign in which Lincoln was the nominee for president Mr. Stewart ■made over 450,000 pictures of Lincoln.

J. G. Stewart.