Fithian House - Danville, IL
Posted by: 
adgorn
N 40° 07.651 W 087° 38.147
16T E 445830 N 4442104
Quick Description: A home built by pioneer physician William Fithian, who in his time, served as prairie legislator, horseback doctor, Civil War surgeon and personal friend of Abraham Lincoln.
Location: Illinois, United States
Date Posted: 11/20/2009 11:43:34 AM
Waymark Code: WM7PYN
Views: 0
Long Description:From (
visit link)
Dr. Fithian and Lincoln became friends when they both served in the
Illinois legislature in 1834 and the association continued until
Lincoln's death. Lincoln first came to Danville to represent
Fithian in a court case.
Fithian hosted Lincoln many times when he visited Danville and
supported him both financially and with speeches when Lincoln ran
for office. In September of 1858, Lincoln gave a speech from the
south balcony of the Museum when he was campaigning for the U. S.
Senate. The balcony, the window Lincoln stepped out and the bedroom
Lincoln used on his visits remain as they were that autumn day in
1858. The bed in the Lincoln room is the bed the tall statesman
slept in when he visited Fithian. There is also an original
newspaper announcing Lincoln's candidacy, a photograph of him taken
in Danville and a hand-written note from Lincoln to Secretary
Risley written just a few months before his assassination.
From
(visit link)
In this two-story brick house lived Dr. William Fithian, one of the
first settlers of Danville and a pioneer physician in that part of
Illinois. He was a close friend of Lincoln's. In fact, the "Rail
Splitter" served as Dr. Fithian's attorney for a number of years,
representing him in several legal cases and advising him as a
counselor and mentor. The two maintained their close friendship
even after Lincoln became President.
From available data, Dr. Fithian built his house some time in
the 1830's. It is of record that he came to Danville in 1830 when
the city was nothing more than a settlement of frame and log
houses, with a few grist mills and general stores.
As Danville grew, Dr. Fithian's practice expanded and in time he
began acquiring tracts of land in the county. He entered other
fields — the mercantile business, banking, politics. He served one
term as state senator and two terms as state representative. When
railroads appeared, he was instrumental in getting several of the
leading roads to pass through Danville and Vermilion County. The
town of Fithian, west of Danville, is named after him.
Dr. Fithian died April 5, 1890. Since then his house has been
changed only slightly. A new roof has been added, as well as a new
and larger front porch. But the ornamental, cast-iron balcony at
the south end remains as it was when Lincoln stood on it almost a
hundred years ago and addressed the crowd in the yard.