To Joseph W. Brackett of Rock Island Lincoln writes account of his visit to land office May 9, 1857. There was no record in office to show quantity of land preempted and he failed to get business concluded. Register was perplexed "because of the peculiarity of the case and consequently he put me off from time to time till now." He encloses certificates. Abraham Lincoln to Joseph W. Brackett, 18 May 1857, CW, 2:395-96.