Shelbyville in Shelby County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Anthony Thornton
Looking for Lincoln
— 1853 —
Left Section
Anthony Thornton and Abraham Lincoln led fairly similar lives. Both were born in Kentucky, were tall, and were Whigs.
Both began practicing law in Illinois in 1836, even though Thornton was college-educated and read law in an uncle’s law office while Lincoln had little schooling and was self-taught in the law. Both served in the Illinois legislature. Thornton served in the constitutional convention in 1847, when Lincoln was elected to the U. S. Congress. After 1854, the two men took different paths. The Kansas-Nebraska Act destroyed the Whig Party, resulting in new party loyalties. Thornton, concerned about the anti-slavery zeal of the Republicans, chose the Democrats; Lincoln took several years before finally calling himself a Republican. Despite the party changes, the two remained friends. Thornton supported Stephen Douglas in the 1858 Illinois Senate race and was a presidential elector for Douglas in 1860. During the Civil War, Thornton was a pro-war Democrat, sold bonds to pay bounties for Shelby County volunteers, and won election to the U. S. Congress in 1864. He took office in March 1865, just one month before Lincoln’s assassination.
Center Section
Thornton had a distinguished career after the Civil War. He served one term in the U. S. House, working on the important Committee of Claims. In 1870, he was elected to the Illinois Supreme Court, hearing more than 1,500 cases and writing approximately 200 opinions in his four-year tenure. In 1877, he became the first president of the Illinois State Bar Association, serving three terms. After a life of public service, he returned to the law, dying in Shelbyville in 1904.
Right Section
Anthony Thornton assisted in protecting Lincoln’s professional reputation. Oldham and Hemingway, partners with Lincoln’s deceased father-in-law Robert Todd, sued Lincoln in a Kentucky court, alleging that Lincoln had failed to pay them money from a note that he had collected against Shelbyville residents William F. Thornton and his son-in-law, Marshall Basye. Lincoln was angry at the suggestion that he purposefully withheld money from his father-in-law. Lincoln came to Shelbyville in 1853 to take William Thornton’s deposition. William Thornton was away, so Lincoln took the testimony of Anthony Thornton, who had served as an attorney for William Thornton and Basye, was aware of the circumstances, and claimed that “Lincoln has never had anything to do with said note.” Because of Thornton’s testimony, the plaintiffs dismissed their lawsuit against Lincoln, helping to preserve Lincoln’s very important reputation as a lawyer.
Erected 2009 by Shelby County Historical Society and the Lincoln Heritage Coalition.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Government & Politics • Settlements & Settlers • War, US Civil. In addition, it is included in the Former U.S. Presidents: #16 Abraham Lincoln, and the Looking for Lincoln series lists. A significant historical month for this entry is March 1865.
Location. 39° 24.413′ N, 88° 47.406′ W. Marker is in Shelbyville, Illinois, in Shelby County. Marker is on East Main Street (Illinois Route 16) east of Washington Street, on the right when traveling west. Marker is in front of the Shelby County Tourism Center. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 315 E Main St, Shelbyville IL 62565, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Traveling the Circuit (a few steps from this marker); First Commercial Pick-up Baler (within shouting distance of this marker); Lincoln-Thornton Debate / Lincoln Circuit (within shouting distance of this marker); Revolutionary War Soldiers Buried in Shelby County Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); Freedom Square (within shouting distance of this marker); Soldiers and Sailors Monument (within shouting distance of this marker); Lincoln - Thornton Debate (within shouting distance of this marker); "Let's Debate" by John McClarey (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Shelbyville.
Also see . . .
1. Looking for Lincoln. Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area website entry:
Many resources for tracking Lincoln through History and Illinois, for all ages. (Submitted on May 16, 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 May 16, 2010, by Al Wolf of Veedersburg, Indiana.)
Credits. This page was last revised on December 16, 2021. It was originally submitted on May 16, 2010, by Al Wolf of Veedersburg, Indiana. This page has been viewed 1,770 times since then and 41 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on December 16, 2021, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. submitted on May 16, 2010, by Al Wolf of Veedersburg, Indiana. 8. submitted on August 1, 2021, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York. 9, 10. submitted on May 16, 2010, by Al Wolf of Veedersburg, Indiana. 11. submitted on December 16, 2021, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois. • Syd Whittle was the editor who published this page.