Lincoln Home Historic Furnishings Report

SECTION D: EVIDENCE OF ORIGINAL FURNISHINGS (continued)

FLOOR COVERINGS

The Leslie's Illustrated drawings of the sitting room and front and back parlors show wall-to-wall floral carpeting and hearth rugs in each room. The Lincolns' store accounts in Springfield show only one carpet-related purchase: On April 12, 1851, Mrs. Lincoln bought one piece of carpet binding for $.31. [104] A letter from Lincoln to the J.C. Louderman Company, however, reveals that the Lincolns purchased carpeting in St. Louis on at least one occasion and may have purchased all their carpeting in St. Louis. St. Louis, a larger, older city than Springfield, had a greater variety of carpets as well as a more fashionable selection. Several St. Louis establishments frequently placed advertisements in the Springfield papers to draw mail order customers, such as Mr. Lincoln. Mr. Lincoln wrote:

Springfield, Illinois
March 14, 1852

Gentlemen:

Mr. Binn has returned to Springfield, saying he took the sample of our carpet to you, and afterwards forgot to give the matter further attention. He also says he handed you your own letter to us, with a memorandum of mine at the bottom of it. I must now ask the favor of you to send us back the sample, (as, to lose it, will spoil the carpet we have) and with it, if it matches the quantity, or number of yards (35, I believe) of the new, mentioned in the memorandum. The expense, at all events, and the price of the new carpet, if it matches and you send it, I will pay promptly to your order -- and shall feel under great obligation besides. Very respectfully. [105]

A. Lincoln

Strip carpeting at mid-century was usually 27 inches wide; therefore, 35 yards would be enough for one room of a size approximately 240 square feet.

The rear parlor measures 232 square feet, so the carpet may have been intended to match the carpet in the front parlor.

When the Lincolns moved to Washington in 1861, one of the household items they advertised for sale was carpeting. S.H. Melvin, according to his bill of sale signed by A. Lincoln, bought 9-1/2 yards of stair carpet at the Lincoln auction. (See p. 45 for complete bill of sale.) Another purchaser at the auction was Allen Miller who bought a "plush" hearth rug from the Lincolns. This hearth rug eventually became a part of the Lincoln Memorial Collection, but its location is now unknown. [106]