John Greene Shastid House ~ Pittsfield, IL
Posted by: Groundspeak Premium Member YoSam.
N 39° 36.552 W 090° 48.108
15S E 688711 N 4386692
John Greene Shastid and his family entertained Lincoln during his numerous visits to Pittsfield.
Waymark Code: WM84PR
Location: Illinois, United States
Date Posted: 01/27/2010
Published By:Groundspeak Charter Member Stunod
Views: 1

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.

County: Pike County

Historical Society: Abe Lincoln's Pike County

Location: 326 E. Jefferson St., Pittsfield

Website: [Web Link]

Dedication Date: Not listed

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