William B. Archer papers

Collection — Box: 2

Identifier: MS-SC35

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

Consists of several letters and documents including: one letter of William B. Archer to Charles R. Matheny, January 28, 1826, enclosing a map, survey, and report on a recently established road from Springfield to Paris, Illinois; several Black Hawk War documents (receipts, muster rolls), 1832; an 1833 letter from John M. Robinson concerning land office business and Black Hawk War claims; two letters from Robinson concerning mail routes and a state road from Danville, Illinois to Chicago; five letters from William Gooding concerning the Illinois & Michigan Canal; a fragment of a letter from Archibald Job; legal documents relating to the Archer addition in Lockport, Illinois; one letter from Rufus Colton to Norman Williams of Vermont concerning the establishment of Coltonville, Illinois; six letters of Archer to Robert L. Dulaney, 1855-1856, on Illinois politics, Archer's contested congressional election, Abraham Lincoln as vice president, an attack on Senator Sumner, Kansas affairs, and railroad construction in Clark County, Illinois; one letter (and typed copy) of William B. Archer to Henry P. H. Bromwell, June 21, 1856, describing the first Republican Party convention in Philadelphia and his nomination of Abraham Lincoln for vice president. Archer also describes a Whig Party meeting in Washington, D.C.

Two letters from Fred J. Bartlett to Frank E. Stevens from 1902 concern collecting of material and information for Stevens' book The Black Hawk War.

Dates

Created: 1826-1856

Creator

Archer, William B., 1792-1870 (Person)

Biographical / Historical

William B. Archer (1792-1870) was born in Ohio and lived in Kentucky until 1817 when his family moved to what became Clark County, Illinois. Living in the county seat of Marshall, Archer was active in local politics. He was the county's first clerk and circuit clerk, won election as Illinois state representative, 1824-1826, 1838-1848 and state senator, 1826-1834. He served in the Black Hawk War, 1832, and was appointed commissioner of the Illinois-Michigan Canal, 1836-1837. An anti-Nebraska Whig, in 1854 Archer was defeated for Congress by a Democrat but successfully challenged the election when Congress refused to seat his opponent. Archer was again defeated for Congress in the ensuing election.