John Greene Shastid House - Pittsfield, IL - Abraham Lincoln on Waymarking.com

Marker Erected by: Abe Lincoln's Pike County.
County of Marker: Pike County.
Location of Marker: 326 E. Jefferson St., Pittsfield.

Marker Text:

John Greene Shastid House
Built 1838
Built by John Greene Shastid of New Salem where he and Abraham Lincoln became close friends. Shastid moved to Pittsfield in 1836. Lincoln consistently visited when he came to town as an attorney. Thomas Hall Shastid recalls many stories of his grandparents visits with Lincoln in the book, "My Second Life." "On one such occasion it happened Grandfather (John) Shastid had just come in from the country,...and had bagged a dozen pigeons. Wild meat was on that day...the only meat this family had. Grandfathers numerous progeny stood about, hungry wide-eyed, waiting for the pigeons to finish boiling. All at once, as the custom was then, somebody pushed the door open without knocking. And behold! there stood Abraham Lincoln. Abe was offered the place of honor at the head of the table and the platter of pigeons was placed before him. Abe talked vivaciously, then fell completely silent and started eating voraciously as pigeons disappeared into the vast Lincoln reservoir. A gesture from my grandmother kept all the rest from calling for pigeon. After a short time Abe, still abstracted, reached out his fork for the last pigeon, took it to his own plate, and began to eat it. Then my father, Tommy, who at this time was still very young, burst suddenly into tears, and cried out 'Abe Lincoln, you're an old hog.'"

Owned by the Pike County Historical Society.

Location Type: Historic Marker Property Type: Private Location Notes: Access to the interior, please go to the East School Museum, and make arrangements to tour. URL for Additional Information: [Web Link] Date of Event: Not listed

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