Several Washington residents learned more about Abraham Lincoln’s years before he was president during “Celebrating Lincoln Today in Portraits Past” Thursday night in the Caterpillar Performing Arts Center at Five Points Washington.
The event was put together by Washington Community High School, the Washington Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission, Washington Park District, and the Washington Historical Society.
Anna Oxborrow’s advance drama students presented three original skits, two based on Lincoln’s time in Washington and one on the efforts of John Randolph Scott in the Underground Railroad.
The historical information came from several articles that appeared in Washington papers beginning in 1858.
The articles provided a glimpse into the time Abraham Lincoln spent in Washington.
Legal documents from those years revealed Lincoln represented Washingtonians in 13 different criminal and civil court cases.
In the first skit, Asenath Scott (Rachael Stuckey) talks about her husband’s work with the Underground Railroad with her daughter, Emma (Sam Tofanelli).
Scott and his brother, James Patterson Scott, moved from Pennsylvania to Washington in 1836.
Scott was involved in antislavery activity prior to his marriage and stopped for a time after the birth of his first child.
According to records, Washington was not considered a very friendly place for slaves, so the Underground Railroad bypassed Washington.
The Scott brothers were the primary conductors through this township, moving fugitive slaves from the northern part of Morton Township to either Metamora or Cruger townships in Woodford County.
At one time, Lincoln defended Scott in an antislavery case.
In the second skit, Lincoln (senior Sam Thies), defended 21 men, known as the Washington Boys, for $25 after they destroyed Frederic Pearl’s Store and Saloon on the western edge of the city after David Kelso died from drinking “tainted” whiskey at Pearl’s store.
The Washington Boys were big supporters of the temperance movement in the 1840s and ‘50s that called for abstinence.
The Tazewell County States Attorney accused the Pearl brothers of running a disorderly house and selling alcohol without a license.
The Pearls filed charges against the Washington Boys for rioting.
People vs. Pearl became one of the cases recently published in “Papers of Abraham Lincoln.”
The final skit tells how Lincoln spent time at Richard Smith’s Dry Goods Store met with a on Washington Square to plan his presidential campaign.
In fact, records state, Lincoln spent a lot of time planning his presidential campaign in 1959 to ‘60 at Smith’s store.
In between skits, the audience was entertained by the Central Illinois Civil War Dance Society performing period dances.
As part of the evening, WCHS concert choir members performed “Tenting Tonight” and “Illinois.”
The evening culminated in singing “Happy Birthday” to Lincoln (portrayed by Walt Ruppman), followed by cake and punch in the Five Points Banquet Center.
Refreshments were provided by Carol Wilson’s foods classes.
Those in attendance were also able to see Lincoln-inspired artwork by the Jayme Mason’s 2D art classes.
