Meet Mr. Van Buren, Mr. President

I just came across this in the Daily Gazette (it didn't say from where, might have been Rochester, IL's paper) for an event that happened last weekend. Definitely not the stuff you'd consider for a celebration, but interesting nonetheless.

Rochester, IL, had a two day festival to commemorate the June 16, 1842 meeting between former President Martin Van Buren and Abraham Lincoln. Rochester is a town close to Springfield.

The townsfolk dedicated a mural, sign, and opened at the Lincoln-Van Buren Trail. They also had music, art, antique, and quilt shows as well as visits from people related to former presidents.

One of the biggest problems was finding someone to portray a clean-shaven Lincoln (there were plenty of bearded ones around) and, of course, someone to be Martin Van Buren (not a big call to do him). Lincoln was portrayed by Joseph Woodard. Retired Springfield lawyer Gene Vernon was almost a deadringer for our 8th president and perhaps may have found a second career in retirement.

This was organized by R.L. and Carolyn Moore of Rochester. Last fall, while doing research, they found out that Van Buren and a group had been forced by mud and inclement weather to spend the night in Rochester while on their way to Springfield. They were touring southern and midwestern states.

In an effort to be good hosts, local Democrats invited Whig Abraham Lincoln out from Springfield to join them. "Lincoln was known as a wonderful storyteller, R.L. said. "Van Buren later said he laughed so much that night his sides hurt." If you've ever heard some of Lincoln's stories, you know he was hilarious.

Martin Van Buren was a one-term president 1837-1841, following Andrew Jackson. He was from New York and known as "The Sly Fox of Kinderhook". He lost big in 1840, and the winner was the first-Whig President, William Henry Harrison, who died after just a month in office.

We'll Party for Anything in Illinois. --RoadDog

THIS DAY IN HISTORY- 1944- FDR signed into law the GI Bill as a way to compensate servicemen for their efforts. Many used benefits from the GI Bill to go to college and buy homes.