The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
By Rosalie Melvin
Abe Lincoln and Mary Todd will arrive in Oquawka this Sunday, September 19th to drive by the Phelps brothers' homes that he visited several times during the 1830s.
This includes the S. S. Phelps home on Calhoun and the Alexis Phelps home on North Second, with a brief stop at the old Presbyterian Church (now United Methodist) where he attended the funeral of his friend, Alexis.
Then the entourage will move toward Delabar State Park at the north edge of Oquawka, where they will be greeted by Chuck Neff, Kim Gullberg and other dignitaries on the stage, assembled for the annual Republican fish-fry.
Abe will mingle with fellow Republicans and their dinner guests before they depart for the area of the Lincoln Trail in Big River State Forest, where Captain Abraham Lincoln led 2000 militiamen during the days preceding the Black Hawk War in 1830.
Chuck Shinkle of Stronghurst had discovered the Pioneer Cemetery, and subsequently the Lincoln Trail while working with the Department of Conservation as a maintenance worker at the Big River State Forest. The entire story of that discovery will be available at the Oquawka Museum during the Henderson County Heritage Trail on September 25-26, and partially appears inside this paper on page 12.
Those who cannot greet the Lincolns on the 19th may do so the next weekend, when they will be visiting the Oquawka Museum, and the Alexis Phelps House during both days of the Heritage Trail festivities.