County of Marker: Pike County
Location of Marker: 750 W. Perry St., Pittsfield
Marker Erected by: Abe Lincoln's Pike County
The Person:
William Grimshaw was born in Philadelphia in 1813 and was educated as a lawyer, passing the bar at age 19. He migrated to Pike County Illinois in 1833 when the area was still on the frontier of the American West. There he became prominent in politics and civic affairs, including representation of Pike County at the Illinois 1847 Constitutional Convention. William also enjoyed close and lengthy professional relationship with Abraham Lincoln. William was the oldest son of William Grimshaw, the noted historical author, and his first wife, Harriet Elizabeth Milligan.
"William migrated west to Illinois in 1833 and was joined there by other family members, including siblings Harriet and Jackson, and a cousin, John Usher Grimshaw. John was William Arthur’s cousin (son of his father’s brother, Thomas, and Elizabeth [Blizard] Grimshaw). William’s second wife, Margaret Grimshaw, was the daughter of John U. Grimshaw.
"William Arthur was a successful lawyer in Illinois and served in many civic positions, including President of the State Board of Charities. William’s highly successful career is described in the following biography in Chapman’s History of Pittsfield." ~ Grimshaw Origins and History
Historical Marker on Site:
"Grimshaw was admitted to the bar in Philadelphia, PA, and came to Pike County in 1833. A prominent local attorney, he was adjutant of the 17th Ill. Militia and a delegate to both state constitutional conventions as a Whig Party member. He authored the provision against dueling in the 1847 state constitution. Grimshaw participated in several court cases with Lincoln in Pike County and hired Lincoln to represent him in a federal court case in Chicago. Grimshaw's office was in one of he front rooms of his home. He was a delegate to the Republican National Convention in Chicago in 1860, which nominated Lincoln for President." ~ Looking For Lincoln, Lincoln's Pike County
The Place:
"One of the most significant historic homes in Pike County was built in 1842 by William A. Grimshaw. Born in 1813, Grimshaw grew up in Philadelphia, completed his legal training and became a lawyer when he was only nineteen years old. In 1832 he immigrated to Atlas and moved to Pittsfield in 1833, the year it was established as the county seat. He was quite successful and built a beautiful home which still stands today. It has a Georgian-style center hall and Greek revival details. The house is now owned by Fred Grote and has remained in his family since its construction. William A. Grimshaw is the great grandfather of Fred and his brothers, James (Jim) and Steve Grote.
"The original house had five rooms on the first floor with two being Grimshaw's law office. There were four rooms upstairs. In 1904 Fred's grandparents, Paul and Almarina Grote, added a two story porch across the front of the house in the Colonial Revival style. Almarina lived her entire life in the house. She was born there in 1881, married Paul Grote, Fred's grandfather, in the south parlor, gave birth to two sons in the same bedroom where she was born and, in 1980, died there at the age of ninety-nine. Fred and Pam were also married in the south parlor." ~ Facebook page for the Pike County Historical Society
"William Grimshaw lived at 750 West Perry. This stately home was built in 1847, and is still in the Grimshaw family. Recently restored, it is an early Illinois showpiece of history and period furniture.
"The Grimshaw House at 750 W. Perry St. was the site of Wm. Grimshaw’s law office. He and Lincoln worked on several cases together and later had Lincoln represent him in federal court." ~ Grimshaw Origins and History