In preparation for the upcoming term of the Tazewell County Circuit Court, Lincoln writes and mails a notice of motion to Alexander McNaghton and William Cromwell, the plaintiffs in the Tazewell County Circuit Court case of Cromwell & McNaghton v. Baker and Tazewell County, Illinois. Lincoln represents defendant Edward D. Baker in the case regarding a mortgage foreclosure. Notice of Motion (copy), 5 April 1852, Cromwell & McNaghton v. Baker and Tazewell County, Illinois, copy files, IHi, Springfield, IL.

Lincoln buys "1¾ yds. Paper Cambric @ .15" at John Williams' store. Pratt, Personal Finances, 145.

Lincoln arrives in Pekin on the second day of the Tazewell County Circuit Court in time to participate in several cases in which he represents Gideon Hawley. In a criminal case for obstructing a road, People v. Hawley, Lincoln defends Hawley. The jury cannot agree on a verdict, and Judge Davis discharges the jury and sets the case aside for a rehearing. In Gibson et al. v. Hawley, the court rules in favor of Hawley by arresting an earlier judgment against him. The plaintiffs in Cullom et al. v. Hawley and in Gibson et al. v. Hawley dismiss their cases against Hawley. Order, 8 April 1852, People v. Hawley, General Record F, 352; Judgment, 8 April 1852, Gibson et al. v. Hawley, General Record F, 353; Judgment, 8 April 1852,Cullom et al. v. Hawley, General Record F, 353; Judgment, 8 April 1852,Gibson et al. v. Hawley, General Record F, 355, all in Tazewell County Circuit Court, Tazewell County Courthouse, Pekin, IL.

In the McLean County Circuit Court, Lincoln defends Samuel Beaver in a suit of trespass on the case in Lash v. Beaver. Plaintiff Isaac Lash is suing Beaver for $300 in damages. Both sides present their arguments to the jury. The jury finds in favor of Lash but awards him only $2.20 in damages. The court also orders Beaver to pay the court costs. Lincoln files pleas for his clients Benjamin Martin and Wilder Gurnsey in the case of Flagg & Ewing v. Martin and Gurnsey. William F. Flagg and John W. Ewing of the firm of Flagg & Ewing are suing Martin and Gurnsey for $300 in damages for a debt involving the purchase of a reaper. In the ejectment suit of Fell v. McIntire, Lincoln represents plaintiff Kersey H. Fell. The parties agree to continue the case until the next term, and the court allows the continuance. Judgment, 20 April 1852, Lash v. Beaver, Common Law Record 4, 259, McLean County Circuit Court, McLean County Courthouse, Bloomington, IL; Plea, filed 20 April 1852, Flagg & Ewing v. Martin and Gurnsey, Herndon-Weik Collection, Library of Congress, Washington, DC; Order, 20 April, Fell v. McIntire, Common Law Record 4, 258, McLean County Circuit Court, McLean County Courthouse, Bloomington, IL.

In the McLean County Circuit Court, Lincoln represents defendants Benjamin Martin and Wilder Gurnsey in the case of Flagg & Ewing v. Martin and Gurnsey. Flagg and Ewing agree to dismiss their suit, and both sides agree to pay their own court costs. In the slander suit of Thompson v. Henline, Lincoln represents plaintiff David L. Thompson who seeks $3,000 in damages from George W. Henline. Thompson claims that Henline maligned him when Henline publicly declared that Thompson had committed bestiality. The parties make their arguments and present evidence before a jury. The members of the jury cannot agree on a verdict, and Judge David Davis discharges them. The parties reach an agreement, and the court dismisses the case. The court dismisses a bill for discovery in the debt case of Hawks, Osborn & Company v. Major, a suit that the Illinois Supreme Court had remanded back to the circuit court. Lincoln, William H. Holmes, and John M. Scott represent plaintiffs/business partners Matthew H. Hawks, James T. Walton, and Harmon Osborn. Judgment, 21 April 1852, Flagg & Ewing v. Martin and Gurnsey, Common Law Record 4, 262, McLean County Circuit Court, McLean County Courthouse, Bloomington, IL; Plea, Replication, 3 October 1851, Thompson v. Henline, Herndon-Weik Collection, Library of Congress, Washington, DC; Judgment, 21 April 1852, Thompson v. Henline, Common Law Record 4, 265, McLean County Circuit Court, McLean County Courthouse, Bloomington, IL; Opinion, 17 January 1851, Major v. Hawks, Osborn & Company, Illinois Supreme Court, Journal & Opinion Record CGD, 390, Illinois State Archives, Springfield, IL; Order, 21 April 1852, Hawks, Osborn & Company v. Major, Common Law Record 4, 260, McLean County Circuit Court, McLean County Courthouse, Bloomington, IL.

In the McLean County Circuit Court, Lincoln represents plaintiff David L. Thompson, who seeks $3,000 in damages from William W. Patton in the slander suit, Thompson v. Patton. Thompson charges that Patton publicly declared that Thompson had committed bestiality. The previous day, after the jury was unable to agree on a verdict in a related but separate case, Thompson v. Henline, the parties in that case reached an agreement, and the court dismissed the case. Thompson and Patton agree to dismiss their case as well. Lincoln defends David M. Pantier in the case of Flagg & Ewing v. Pantier. Pantier knew Lincoln when he lived in New Salem, Illinois, and Pantier served in Lincoln's company during the Black Hawk War. Flagg & Ewing are suing Pantier for his failure to pay for a reaper he had purchased from them. Lincoln files a plea for Pantier and asks Judge David Davis to give the litigants until the next term to work out an amicable agreement. Judge Davis continues the case until the following term. Plea, Replication, October 1851, Thompson v. Patton, Herndon-Weik Collection, Library of Congress, Washington, DC; Judgment, 21 April 1852, Thompson v. Henline, Common Law Record 4, 265; Judgment, 22 April 1852, Thompson v. Patton, Common Law Record 4, 276, both in McLean County Circuit Court, McLean County Courthouse, Bloomington, IL; Benjamin P. Thomas, Lincoln's New Salem (Springfield, IL: Abraham Lincoln Association, 1934; reprint, Chicago: Lakeside Press, 1947), 54; Plea, 22 April 1852, Flagg & Ewing v. Pantier, Herndon-Weik Collection, Library of Congress, Washington, DC; Order, 22 April 1852, Flagg & Ewing v. Pantier, Common Law Record 4, 276, McLean County Circuit Court, McLean County Courthouse, Bloomington, IL.

In the McLean County Circuit Court, Lincoln and his co-counsel William H. Holmes reintroduce their case, Hawks, Osborn & Company v. Major, a suit which the Illinois Supreme Court had remanded to McLean County. Lincoln and Holmes represent plaintiffs Matthew H. Hawks, James T. Walton, and Harmon Osborn. The litigants agree to continue the case until the next term, and Judge David Davis orders the continuance. Lincoln represents defendant Augustus R. Burbank in the case of Gridley v. Burbank. Plaintiff Asahel Gridley is suing Burbank for trespass on the case upon promises, and he seeks $200 in damages. Lincoln appears in court for Burbank, but Burbank fails to enter a plea. The court rules in favor of Gridley and orders Burbank to pay him $136.35 in damages "by reason of the breach of promises." The court also orders Burbank to pay the court costs. Order, 23 April 1852, Hawks, Osborn & Company v. Major, Common Law Record 4, 282; Order, 23 April 1852, Gridley v. Burbank, Common Law Record 4, 282, both in McLean County Circuit Court, McLean County Courthouse, Bloomington, IL.

In the McLean County Circuit Court, Lincoln and fellow attorney Kersey H. Fell ask the court for time to amend a declaration they previously filed in the case of Stern & Friedman v. Sawyer. Lincoln and Fell represent plaintiffs Samuel Stern and Isaac S. Friedman in the attachment suit. The court grants the plaintiffs' request and continues the case until the next term. Lincoln represents the plaintiffs in the chancery case of Gibbs and Rogers v. Eckles. The court orders Gibbs and Rogers, the executors of William Gibbs's estate, to convey a land deed to defendant Jacob P. Eckles. The court also orders the plaintiffs to pay the court costs. Order, 24 April 1852, Stern & Friedman v. Sawyer, Common Law Record 4, 289; Decree, 24 April 1852, Gibbs and Rogers v. Eckles, Chancery Record 5, 124-25; Judgment and Execution Docket, 2 October 1852, Gibbs and Rogers v. Eckles, Judgment & Execution Docket 3, 120-21, all in McLean County Circuit Court, McLean County Courthouse, Bloomington, IL.

[In Springfield, delegates attending the Sangamon County Whig convention nominate James C. Conkling to run for a seat in the state legislature made available by the resignation of Ninian W. Edwards. Illinois Daily Journal (Springfield), 27 April 1852, 2:1.

Someone, perhaps Mary Lincoln, buys wallpaper and "6 pieces [of] border" for a total of $18.30 from John Williams and Company in Springfield and charges the purchases to Lincoln's account. Harry E. Pratt, The Personal Finances of Abraham Lincoln (Springfield, IL: Abraham Lincoln Association, 1943), 145.

]

[In Lincoln's absence, someone, probably his co-counsel David A. Smith, files a public notice in the Sangamon County Circuit Court case of Gilman et al. v. Hamilton et al., in which Lincoln and Smith represent plaintiffs Winthrop S. Gilman and Grundy H. Blackburn. In the public notice, Lincoln and Smith explain to the case's non-resident defendants that "an amended bill in Chancery has been this day exhibited and filed against them." Lincoln and Smith state further that the defendants "are hereby notified to plead answer or demur in the premises, or said amended bill will be taken pro confesso against them." Illinois Daily Journal (Springfield), 1 May 1852, 3:2; Decree, 3 September 1852, Gilman et al. v. Hamilton et al., Record L, 535-36, Sangamon County Circuit Court, Illinois Regional Archives Depository, University of Illinois at Springfield, Springfield, IL .

]

Lincoln and Smith publish notice of pendency of Gillman et al. v. Hamilton et al.Illinois Journal.

[Judge David Davis opens the two-day De Witt County Circuit Court with forty-eight cases on the docket. Orders and Decrees, 29-30 April 1852, Chancery Record 1A, 433-54, De Witt County Circuit Court, De Witt County Courthouse, Clinton, IL.]

In the De Witt County Circuit Court, Lincoln and Clifton H. Moore represent defendant John Warner in the case of Campbell v. Warner. Barzilla Campbell is suing to remove Warner from land which Campbell claims to own. Lincoln and Moore file a plea in which Warner states that "he is not guilty of unlawfully withholding the premises claimed by the plaintiff." Judge David Davis continues the case until the next court term. Plea, filed 30 April 1852, Campbell v. Warner, Henry Horner Lincoln Collection, IHi, Springfield, IL; Order, 30 April 1852, Campbell v. Warner, Chancery Record 1A, 445, De Witt County Circuit Court, De Witt County Courthouse, Clinton, IL.

Lincoln writes a mortgage deed in which De Witt County residents James Mattlen and his wife Susana Mattlen agree to sell their steam saw and flouring mill to John Billington of Springfield, Illinois for $1,500. Lincoln also writes three promissory notes for James Mattlen to sign. Mortgage Deed, 30 April 1852, Henry Horner Lincoln Collection, IHi, Springfield, IL; Declaration, filed 23 April 1853, Billington v. Mattlen, case file, De Witt County Circuit Court, De Witt County Courthouse, Clinton, IL.

[In Lincoln's absence, his co-counsel files separate praecipes in two cases before the U.S. Circuit Court in Springfield: Moore for use of State Bank of Indiana v. Tanquary and Moore for use of State Bank of Indiana v. Buchanan and Vandermark. Complete Record, 21 July 1853, Moore for use of State Bank of Indiana v. Tanquary, Record Group 21, Complete Law Record, Volume 1b, 59-63; Complete Record, 10 February 1853, Moore for use of State Bank of Indiana v. Buchanan & Vandermark, Record Group 21, Complete Law Record, Volume 1b, 80-6, both in United States Circuit Court for the Southern District of Illinois, National Archives and Records Administration, Great Lakes Region, Chicago, IL.]