ISHS Block Presidential Documents Exhibit

Your Obedient Servants:
The Presidential Papers Collection of Joseph and Lucille Block

For over 60 years, Joseph and Lucille Block collected presidential letters, portraits, and other ephemera and displayed them on the walls of their downtown Chicago home. Upon their deaths in 2005, the Blocks bequeathed the documents to the Illinois State Historical Society and the Chicago Museum of History. After an inspection and treatment to repair minor tears and other irregularities, the ISHS requested and received funding from the Illinois Humanities Council to prepare the ISHS portion of the documents for display at local history museums.

The ISHS Block documents include photographs, cartoons, and documents signed by 13 US Presidents from Madison to Coolidge, including six from Abraham Lincoln.

Political campaign artwork by Currier & Ives.

A signature card signed by Lincoln and his Cabinet.

Block Exhibit Schedule:

§ November 2005: Lincoln Home National Historic Site

§ December 2005: Society’s twenty-sixth annual Illinois History Symposium

§ March to May 2006: Bloomington

§ August to September 2006: Harrisburg

§ October to December 2006: Oak Park/River Forest

§ February to March 2007: Danville

§ April to May 2007: Decatur

§ June 2007: Alton

§ September to October 2007: Lockport

James Madison President from 1809-1817	Washington, Department of State November 26, 1801 Sir, Wm Willis, of Connecticut, is stated to have been impressed into the British Ship of War, Tremendous, and to have been detained therein, at the Cape of Good Hope, when this Intelligence was sent hither. I request you therefore to give the publicity in this case which you have heretofore done in others of the same kind:-and you will be also good enough to add the names of Abijah Stedson and John Predy, who are represented to have been in a like situation at the same place, but whose places of Birth or usual above in the United States are unknown at this Department. I am, respectfully, Sir, your Obed’ Servant- James Madison
James Monroe President from 1817-1825	Oak Hill, September 13, 1820 Dear Sir We arrived here on Monday last, much fatigued by the great heat of the weather, our health is however good, tho’ I hear that on the river, there is much sickness. Be so good as to request Mr. Grant to send me some paper, 2 wafers, 2 wax, a small supply will answer urgent need for us. We shall be glad to see you when con-venient. I hope that the public buildings, & improvement about the P.(?), have gone on well, & that the father (?) and those under him have given you satisfaction. With gratify (?) and yours James Monroe I shall probably be down on a short visit next week and of that I say nothing.
Andrew Jackson President from 1829-1837	Hermitage, June 21, 1842 Genl J. B. Plauche, My Dear Genl, I see from the New Orleans papers, that some of your Banks are in trouble, and amonghst [sic] those the Citizens Bank, in which you wrote us, that your second discount for us had benefited. Fearing that you and your partner may be suffering on our account, I now address you, that should this be the case, I pray you to inform us, and we will by anticipating our cotton crop, which at this time on our place on the Mississippi as well as here, promises well. I hope your other banks will ride out the storm triumphantly and meet all demands in specie—This will give confidence in them, when these Banks can again begin to discount and relieve the merchants. Hoping that we will hear from you soon, I remain sincerely your friend. Andrew Jackson

	John Tyler President from 1841-1845	Washington, February 27, 1842 Dear Sir, W. La Branche expresses (?) so earnest a desire for the resto-ration of the Surgeon Generals office to Donaldsonville, that altho’ I was at the time entirely satisfied that it ought to be located at Baton Rouge, but I desire it to be re-engrained (?) into—will you withhold (?) in any degree committing yourself upon the subject, say to W. La Brance that you will look into it anew and report to me—we are obliged to be firm in our responses ~~best~~ and under alL circumstances to do justice— J. Tyler W. Spencer (in pencil on top & bottom: Mr. President U. States—afterward a Traitor to the country/ a weak & unprincipled man)
Millard Fillmore President from 1850-1853		Buffalo, August 15, 1849 A. Dickens, Esq. My Dear Sir, Please send me the names & Addresses of the members of the House elect, so far as known and their politics. And the same of the Senate. Truly Yours, Millard Fillmore
Franklin Pierce President from 1853-1857		Washington, September 2, 1836 My Dear Sir- Your agreeable note with the pretty sketch of the “Old Stone house” came yesterday— Accept my thanks for you kind remembrance. Yr. friend, Franklin Pierce Charles Sanman, Esq. Norwich Conn.
James Buchanan President from 1857-1861		Private December 17, 1847 Washington My dear Sir, Dr. Reynolds, who has well deserved “a little” favor at our hands is exceedingly anxious for peculiar reasons that Wm. Edwards should make out the papers for a few discharged soldiers. He has promised them to deliver these papers into their hands on Christmas day. I sincerely desire that you should bestow upon the Doctor this small favor as it cannot prove injurious to the public interest. May I ask it of you as a personal kindness? From your friend, very respectfully, James Buchanan Hon. Wm. L. Marcy

Abraham Lincoln President from 1861-1865	Hon. Sec. of Navy, please give the bearer, Mr. Hammond, a short interview. A. Lincoln
	May 28, 1860 Andrew J. Crossman, Esq. Dear Sir You request an autograph, and here it is. Yours truly, A. Lincoln
	April 9, 1864 Major General Meade Army of the Potomac Suspend execution of private William Collins, Co. B, 69^th N.Y.Vols. Irish Brigade, and claim him with other suspended cases. A. Lincoln
	January 5, 1865 Let this man take the oath of Dec. 8. 1863 & be recharged (?) A. Lincoln
	February 1865 Hon. Sec. of War, Dear Sir, Complaint is made to me that on recruiting officers at and in vicinity of of [sic] Mayville, KY are forcing negroes into the service. Please inquire into this & stop it if true. Yours truly, A. Lincoln
	April 1, 1865 5:45 p.m Lieut. General Grant, Yours showing Sheridan’s suc-cess of to-day is just received, v. highly appreciated. Having no great deal to do here, I am still sending the substance of your dispatches to the Secretary of War. A. Lincoln
Grover Cleveland President from 1885-1889, 1893-1897	December 10, 1898 Rev. E. G. Strickland Dear Sir: Those who know what a home is should never forget the friendship. It will be a sad day for humanity when appeals in behalf of a “Home for the Friendless” are made in vain. Yours very truly, Grover Cleveland