When the Wagons Rolled

When the Wagons Rolled. One of the first Republican caucuses in Sangamon County was held at Williamsville in 1856; they strengthened their numbers, held meetings, and expressed their vigorous opposition to slavery over the next three years. They referred to the foremost statesman in the land, Stephen Douglas, as "the most unprincipled political demagogue the world ever produced." Abraham Lincoln was their man. The Williamsville Republican Club was formed March 1860 "for the purpose of advocating and extending the principles of the Republican Party and securing the nomination of Abraham Lincoln at the Chicago Convention." By the time Lincoln was nominated for the presidency on May 18, 1860, Williamsville was considered the Republican stronghold of the county., On August 8, 1860, a great procession of delegations from across the state, estimated to be eight miles long, passed in front of Lincoln's home. One of the most imposing displays came from Williamsville, at 500 strong. Nearly a block long and led by 23 yoke of oxen, it depicted: a log cabin with George W. Constant and Wesley Council representing Lincoln splitting rails; a blacksmith, Mr. Alexander, shoeing a Chippewa Indian pony; women spinning and weaving on a wheel and loom; a tinner plying his trade; and a wheelwright making a wheel. The ox team drivers were W.S. Constant and Abraham Van Meter. Isaac Groves, Sr. was captain of the wagons. Disguised as Indians, 32 horsemen accompanied them . "They acted their part well and the deception was complete, many persons thinking they were the genuine aborigines of the plains on a visit to their lost prairie homes," related the Journal. W.F. Constant, member of the Williamsville Wide-Awake Marching Club who was a horseback rider that day, recalled 50 years later that for two months preceding the November 1860 election he and the other Williamsville Republicans did nothing but attend rallies and "whoop-'em-up" for Lincoln., The Village of Williamsville was named after Colonel John Williams, a pioneer, leading businessman, and prominent citizen of Springfield in its early history. He was associated with nearly every public enterprise of importance in Springfield during his business career. Williams was a close friend to Abraham Lincoln. He was encouraged by Lincoln to charter the First National Bank of Springfield and served as Grand Marshal of the 1860 Republican Rally parade supporting Lincoln's presidential campaign. In 1865, Williams accompanied Lincoln's funeral train from Washington to Springfield, passing through Williamsville, where the Village draped a black arch with the words "He Has Fulfilled His Mission." In addition to his contribution to Lincoln's funeral cortege, Williams acted as honorary pall-bearer and served as a member of the Executive Committee that supervised the erection of the Lincoln Tomb.