The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1909-02-19

personally heard from and all have 1lcl-
dents and "reminiscences of note to re-
late.
Mr.. 3. D. PAY, of South Second street
is proud of the fact that he has twice
been voter for Abraham Lincoln, and
is much interested i'm the burst of pa
triotiSm that is sweeping the country
i'm commemoration of Lincoln.
Mr.. Pay is man of Keen Judgment,
and has been a resident of Mankato
for nearly so years. but 1T was at Yer
non Center that he first voted for Lin
coin in the fall of 1860. At this time
the situation of the country was in
serious condition and war was every
tongue. 1t was on the following 4th or
March, in the year 1861, that Lincoln
miles from Mr. Pays home in Vernon
Center. an inaugural celebration took
place i'm honor of Abraham Lincoln who
had been elected president of the Uni
ted States.
1t was n noteworthy occasion both
mon and women attending and patriot
ism ran high. Several speakers talked of
the man Lincoln and his life and album
CANT ability to stand at the helm.
MIR. Pay was present ut this ceiebra-
ton with all his family and remembers
distinctly the occasion and the STIR
ing words of praise that were spoken
of Abraham Lincoln. James n. Wis
well of Garden City and later Mayor
Of Mankato also Squire Nathan Bass.
were among the number who addressed
the people on that evening; Mr.. Bass
later joined Brackets battalion of
Blue Earth cavalry. 1t was not a
gathering of one political party Mr.
PAY went on to say. with much feeling:
republicans and democrats were both
present not the secession democrats.
hut those who were called the liberals.
Continuing Mr.. Pay spoke of Lincoln
i'm those carly days and of voting for
him the second time at Mankato in No
Vcmber of 1864. Mr.. Pay was born r
October. 1891 and has always voted the
republican ticket. His personal reminis-
ccnseS of logging days in 81 and SIS
were also full of much interest and he
first voted for a president in 1852. when
Franklin Pierce was elected.
CALVIN SMITH-In response to your
request for. Lincoln voters. | have no
objections To being put on record as
second term i'm 1864. while serving as
soldier i'm company II. Twenty-Five
Michigan infantry. Our regiment was at
that time with General Scofeld looking
after the Johnnies or perhaps they
were looking after US After General
Sherman had started on his famous
march to the sea. we had large amount
of travelling to do both on foot and
on the cars. We ran into Chattanooga.
Tennessee. some four trains of the sec
ond division. twenty third army orps.
While details from my regiment were
drawing rations the train pulled out
and left a large number of the reGi-
ment, officers as well as men, Major
Wheeler, commander of the regiment
for two days They were rushed to
Nashville. Tennessee and then to John
sonville. 4 supply depot on the Tennessee
river, where it was reported that the
enemy were connecting forces. After
drawing rationS the next thing was to
join the regiment for the train that had
pulled out and left us carried the colors
and where the colors were. there the
regiment was supposed to be. Major
Wheeler gathered up large number of
new recruits that had been carried on
R-Tl1c lint Il ~
been able to join the regiment up to
this time and by evening we had nearly
many men rs had gone on to Nash
vile. That evening there was a special
train of box cars made up and we pull
led out for Nashville. Arriving there
we found the regiment had gone on to
Another special was procured and we
started TO find the colors. While making
this run we met with "A land slide which
delayed us nearly twenty-four hours.
election day but the tickets which had
been previously forwarded to the proper
officers were not with us but there
were some that had been received by
but a few days before received some
from my home county. both democrat
and republican While waiting to get
help and tools TO clear the track we
proceeded to hold an election. Perhaps
the polls We're not opened or closed
the exact hour but the boys all got to
We used an empty hard tack box to de-
post our ballots in 1t was not locked
but there was no Stuffing the ballot box.
The election board was elected by those
interested and present at the time. the
Major acting as q supervisor or inspec-
tor. This perhaps was not necessary.
hut while being cut off from the head
quarter voting place we thought TO
make and safe.
Well when the vote was canvassed |
assure you | was very much surprised
f1,n
ton board. L could not do otherwise but
believe the figures We're correct They
were to by best recollection about one
hundred and twcnty-six votes east ana
but four for McClelland. 1t showed the
boys did not propose to so home and
forever after have it thrown up to
them that the war failure. / think
that the vote of the western army
pecally proved to the president and
others that the little unpleasantness
between the north and south would
be settled soon and forever and on
terms that would be just to ALL
w, D. ToMPkINS-Voted for Lincoln
in 1860 at Urbana. H., and again in
1864 in what is now Champaign H.
Seventyfour years of age. Resides at
327 Walnut street
w. w. PAOOOck-voted for Lincoln
in 1860. at Mankato and in 1864 At
tended his funeral at Springfield, H..
April 25, 1865 Is eighty years and three
months.
HORACE 8ARNES-voted for Lin
coin i'm 1864 at Fort Smelling. At that
time was private i'm Company |, Second
Minnesota cavalry. Sixty four years old
Resides at 2l9 Minnesota street.
r, r. DAviS-Voted for Lincoln in
1864 at Mt. Vernon, Ohio Resides at
233 lincoln street. Mr.. Davis is in
structor in the Owen Business, univer-
Sity.
j. E. BROWN-I take pleasure in in
forming you that | voted for Abraham
Lincoln in 1860, at Ripon. Wis, and in
1864, at Mankato. Age seventy seven
years, two months and nineteen days,
ana cnallenge any man in the county
of that age for fight or foot-race
Present occupation, snow shoveer Resi-
dence, Amboy.
J. S. PARkS-Cast my first ballot
for Lincoln at Plattsburgh N Y. in
1860 and again i'm 1864 at Pleasant |
Mounds. Blue Earth county Minnesota |
and have cast my ballot for every re-
publican presidential candidate since