Bloomington in McLean County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Lawrence and Mary Jane Weldon House
Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, October 10, 2021
1. Lawrence and Mary Jane Weldon House Marker
Lawrence and Mary Jane
Weldon House
Italianate Architectural Style, 1870
by Pennington and Coultas
A US Court of Claims judge, Weldon was a friend of
Abraham Lincoln and hosted U.S. Grant here in 1880.
The house was modified in 1911 with stucco siding
and Craftsman style porches.
Erected by Dimmitt's Grove Neighborhood Association.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Law Enforcement. A significant historical year for this entry is 1870.
Location. 40° 28.668′ N, 88° 59.359′ W. Marker is in Bloomington, Illinois, in McLean County. Marker is on East Grove Street east of South Gridley Street, on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 407 E Grove St, Bloomington IL 61701, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Edward & Ora Gridley House (within shouting distance of this marker); Dr. David & Elizabeth Moore House (within shouting distance of this marker); Horace and Nora McCurdy House (within shouting distance of this marker); Oscar and Sara Mandel House (within shouting distance of this marker); Ezra & Barbara Prince House
this page online
Regarding Lawrence and Mary Jane Weldon House. Excerpt from East Grove Street Architectural/Historical Survey by Greg Koos (1985):
… Judge Lawrence Weldon the original occupant practiced on the 8th Judicial Circuit before the Civil War. A friend of Lincoln's, he was appointed Federal State's Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois in 1861. He maintained close ties to the Republican Party, in 1868 delivering the dedicatory address for the Veteran's Monument in Franklin Square and in 1883 was appointed Judge of the United States Court of Claims. President Ulysses S. Grant stayed at his house in April of 1880 while attending a soldier's reunion in Bloomington. In his retirement Judge Weldon was active in the Chautauqua movement and presented lectures and reminiscences on Lincoln. He died in 1905.
Jacob Funk obtained the house fromthe Weldon estate and converted it to a duplex. He was a descendent of Isaac Funk the early settler noted for his large land holdings. He was prominent i his own right being the president of the State National Bank of Bloomington. He died on the same day as his brother in 1919.Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, October 10, 20212. Lawrence and Mary Jane Weldon House MarkerMarker is just out of view on the left.
Also see . . .
1. The Lawyers: Lawrence Weldon (1829 – 1905). Recap of Judge Weldon's legal career and friendship with Abraham Lincoln, by the Lincoln Institute's "Mr. Lincoln & Friends" project. (Submitted on October 14, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)
2. Funk family. A WikiWand article on the pioneering and prominent Illinois family. (Submitted on October 14, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)
From Lincoln the Lawyer by Frederick Trevor Hill (1912)
3. Judge Lawrence Weldon
Credits. This page was last revised on October 14, 2021. It was originally submitted on October 14, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 187 times since then and 32 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on October 14, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
