Pontiac in Livingston County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Lincoln Visits Strevell

Looking for Lincoln

Photographed by Al Wolf, April 10, 2010

1. Left Section - Lincoln Visits Strevell Marker

(Click any of these photos to see details.)

Inscription.

Lincoln Visits Strevell. Looking for Lincoln. Left Section, While sitting up late the night of January 27, 1860, in the Pontiac home of Jason Strevell, Abraham Lincoln. predicted he would be nominated for the vice presidency of the young Republican party. In a letter to his son in 1901, Strevell said; “The time of which I am speaking was in the troublous days of slavery and anti-slavery, and one portion of the country was in sentiment entirely arrayed against the other, the North against the South, and the heated condition of the public mind soon eventuated in the clash of arms. . . .” Strevell predicted that Lincoln would be nominated for the presidency at the Republican National Convention in Chicago on May 16, 1860 and that Stephen A. Douglas would be nominated by the pro-slavery Democrats. Lincoln responded: “I have thought that I might be named for the second place on the ticket, but not for anything higher.” Strevell confided he had not seen Lincoln alive after his election, but he and his wife had received a letter “written entirely in his own hand, urging us to visit him at the White House, but that visit was never made.” , Middle Section , “You can take my height if you wish,” Abraham Lincoln told his friend Jason W. Strevell (pictured on left) while conversing with him at his home. Six-foot Strevell had indicated it was not possible that Lincoln was four inches taller. In a letter to his son, Strevell described how he carefully measured Lincoln, who was standing in his stocking feet with his back to the door casing. Using a two-foot rule on top of his head, he found Lincoln to be “exactly six feet four.” , Right Section, Lincoln was entertained January 27, 1860, at a reception at the home of Jason Strevell, 401 W. Livingston St., following a speech at the Presbyterian Church. The house was built in 1854 in the Carpenter Gothic Style. Strevell was born in New York of Dutch stock, was admitted to the bar in 1855, and “came west” to Illinois that year, opening a law practice in Pontiac. He was elected to the board of trustees when Pontiac was incorporated as a village Feb.12, 1856. He attended the state convention that nominated Lincoln in Decatur in 1860. He was elected to two terms as a state representative and one in the state senate, where he drafted a bill for the state reform school at Pontiac. After twenty-four years in Pontiac, Strevell again moved “west,” this time to Montana, in 1879.

Left Section

While sitting up late the night of January 27, 1860,
in the Pontiac home of Jason
Strevell, Abraham Lincoln predicted he would be nominated for the vice presidency of the young Republican party. In a letter to his son in 1901, Strevell said; “The time of which I am speaking was in the troublous days of slavery and anti-slavery, and one portion of the country was in sentiment entirely arrayed against the other, the North against the South, and the heated condition of the public mind soon eventuated in the clash of arms. . . .” Strevell predicted that Lincoln would be nominated for the presidency at the Republican National Convention in Chicago on May 16, 1860 and that Stephen A. Douglas would be nominated by the pro-slavery Democrats. Lincoln responded: “I have thought that I might be named for the second place on the ticket, but not for anything higher.” Strevell confided he had not seen Lincoln alive after his election, but he and his wife had received a letter “written entirely in his own hand, urging us to visit him at the White House, but that visit was never made.”

Middle Section

“You can take my height if you wish,” Abraham
Lincoln told his friend

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Jason W. Strevell (pictured on left) while conversing with him at his home. Six-foot Strevell had indicated it was not possible that Lincoln was four inches taller. In a letter to his son, Strevell described how he carefully measured Lincoln, who was standing in his stocking feet with his back to the door casing. Using a two-foot rule on top of his head, he found Lincoln to be “exactly six feet four.”

Right Section

Lincoln was entertained January 27, 1860, at a reception
at the home of Jason Strevell, 401 W. Livingston St., following a speech at the Presbyterian Church. The house was built in 1854 in the Carpenter Gothic Style. Strevell was born in New York of Dutch stock, was admitted to the bar in 1855, and “came west” to Illinois that year, opening a law practice in Pontiac. He was elected to the board of trustees when Pontiac was incorporated as a village Feb.12, 1856. He attended the state convention that nominated Lincoln in Decatur in 1860. He was elected to two terms as a state representative and one in the state senate, where he drafted a bill for the state reform school at Pontiac. After twenty-four years in Pontiac, Strevell again moved “west,” this time to Montana, in 1879.

Erected 2009 by The City of Pontiac.

Topics and series.

Middle Section - Lincoln Visits Strevell Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Al Wolf, April 10, 2010

2. Middle Section - Lincoln Visits Strevell Marker

This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Government & Politics • Notable Events. In addition, it is included in the Former U.S. Presidents: #16 Abraham Lincoln, and the Looking for Lincoln series lists. A significant historical date for this entry is January 27, 1994.

Location. 40° 52.927′ N, 88° 37.937′ W. Marker is in Pontiac, Illinois, in Livingston County. It is on West Livingston Street, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 401 West Livingston Street, Pontiac IL 61764, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Central Illinois.

It is also in the American Midwest

and in the Corn Belt.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture

and also the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: The Home of Jason and Elizabeth Strevell (here, next to this marker); Lincoln Speaks at Church (about 600 feet away, measured in a direct line); Lincoln Stranded Here (about 700 feet away); Original Washington Street Route 66 Bricks (approx. 0.2 miles away); Original Route 66 Wishing Well & Sign Countryside, Illinois 1941-2007 (approx. 0.2 miles away); Pontiac City Hall and Fire Station (approx. 0.2 miles away); The Bob Waldmire Road Yacht (approx. 0.2 miles away); Livingston County War Memorial (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Pontiac.

Also see . . .

Right Section - Lincoln Visits Strevell Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Al Wolf, April 10, 2010

3. Right Section - Lincoln Visits Strevell Marker

1. Visit Pontiac: Attractions. This web link has a number of links to other historic items in Pontiac, Illinois. Informative and very helpful. (Submitted on April 12, 2010, by Al Wolf of Veedersburg, Indiana.)

2. Looking for Lincoln Video - on P. B. S. Follow Henry Louis Gates, Jr. "...from Illinois, to Gettysburg, to Washington, D. C., and face to face with people who live with Lincoln every day..." (Submitted on April 12, 2010, by Al Wolf of Veedersburg, Indiana.)

Middle Section - Photo " Jason W. Strevell " image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Al Wolf, April 10, 2010

4. Middle Section - Photo " Jason W. Strevell "

Courtesy of City of Pontiac

Right Section - Photo " Strevell Home " image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Al Wolf, April 10, 2010

5. Right Section - Photo " Strevell Home "

Courtesy of Barbara Sancken

Full View - Lincoln Visits Strevell Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Al Wolf, April 10, 2010

6. Full View - Lincoln Visits Strevell Marker

Looking East - Lincoln Visits Strevell Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Al Wolf, April 10, 2010

7. Looking East - Lincoln Visits Strevell Marker

Looking West - Lincoln Visits Strevell Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Al Wolf, April 10, 2010

8. Looking West - Lincoln Visits Strevell Marker

Long View - Lincoln Visits Strevell Marker & Strevell Home image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Al Wolf, April 10, 2010

9. Long View - Lincoln Visits Strevell Marker & Strevell Home

The Strevell Home is currently (April 10, 2010) under restoration work.

Other View - Lincoln Visits Strevell Marker & Strevell Home image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Al Wolf, April 10, 2010

10. Other View - Lincoln Visits Strevell Marker & Strevell Home

Lincoln/Strevell Mural image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Al Wolf, April 10, 2010

11. Lincoln/Strevell Mural

The City of Pontiac has nineteen (19) murals for the public to enjoy. This (Lincoln/Strevell) mural is located on the North side of Washington Street to the East of Main Street.

Travel with Lincoln image. Click for more information.

Photographed by Larry Gertner

12. Travel with Lincoln

All the HMDb Lincoln Circuit Markers, and a few others, following Lincoln's travels while a member of the Circuit of the Eighth Judicial District from 1847 - 1857.
Climb into Lincoln’s buggy and take a trip with Lincoln and his fellow lawyers on the job traveling Illinois as Circuit Lawyers. See all the Lincoln Circuit Markers (and a surprise or two), in the order of his travels while a member of the Circuit of the Eighth Judicial District (of Illinois) during 1847-1857. Use the “First >>” button in the upper right to see these markers in sequence, starting from Springfield.
(Submitted on April 12, 2010, by Al Wolf of Veedersburg, Indiana.)
Click for more information.

Credits. This page was last revised on June 9, 2021. It was originally submitted on April 12, 2010, by Al Wolf of Veedersburg, Indiana. This page has been viewed 1,254 times since then and 35 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. submitted on April 12, 2010, by Al Wolf of Veedersburg, Indiana. 12. submitted on June 9, 2021, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York. • Syd Whittle was the editor who published this page.