Springfield, Illinois. William Butler was a native of Kentucky, being
born in Adair County, that State, December 15, 1797. In the war of
1812, he carried important despatches from the Governor of Kentucky
to General Harrison in the field, travelling on horseback. He went to
Sangamon County, Illinois, in 1828. In 1836 he was appointed clerk of
the Circuit Court by Judge Logan, whom he had known in Kentucky. In
1859 he was appointed by Governor Bissell State treasurer of Illinois,
to fill a vacancy, and in 1860 was elected to that office. He
was married to Elizabeth Rickard, December 18, 1863. He died in
Springfield, January 11, 1876. Soon after becoming a resident of
Springfield, Lincoln went to William Butler's house to board. There
he was like a member of the family. He lived with Mr. Butler until
his marriage in 1842. The two men were ever the warmest personal and
political friends.]


SOCIAL LIFE IN VANDALIA IN 1836 AND 1837.

The Tenth Assembly was important to Lincoln not only in its
legislation; it greatly increased his circle of acquaintances. The
character of the work of the session called to Vandalia numbers of
persons of influence from almost every county in the State. They were
invariably there to secure something for their town or county, and
naturally made a point of getting acquainted. Game suppers seem to
have been the means usually employed by visitors for bringing people
together. The lobbyists were not the only ones in Vandalia who gave
suppers, however. Not a bill was passed nor an election decided that
a banquet did not follow. Mr. John Bryant, the brother of William
Cullen, was in Vandalia that winter in the interest of his county, and
he attended one of these banquets, given by the successful candidate