Kewaunee County and the Election of 1860

Hundreds of thousands of vacationers will travel to Mount Rushmore this summer. Visitors will marvel over the history and the four presidents whose heads are carved 60' tall into the South Dakota mountain.

One hundred fifty two years ago, few residents of Kewaunee County would have believed such a thing would have ever taken root. Abraham Lincoln was not popular in Kewaunee County. He was most unpopular in Red River. When the town's votes were counted for the 1860 election, of the 105 votes cast, Lincoln received only one.

Abraham Lincoln was nominated as the Republican candidate on May 18, 1860, though the news didn't reach Kewaunee County until  the Racine came in on the 22nd. Capt. Smith brought newspapers that were read and reread. Kewaunee County's few Republicans, led by Kewaunee's James Slausson and J.R. McDonald of Ahnapee, were enthusiastic about Lincoln's nomination while Democrats were enthusiastic Douglas men who felt a compromise with the South could be reached. John Breckenridge, the third candidate who ran as an Ultra Democrat, represented Southern Democrats. Though Breckenridge had no following within Kewaunee County, he came in third place nationally behind Lincoln and Douglas, a Northern Democrat. Breckenridge finished second in the Electoral College vote.

Election day 1860 dawned crisp and clear. Lincoln and the Republican ticket carried the small village of Kewaunee by a mere seven ballots, 76-69. Lincoln carried Pierce Town by even fewer votes. Three. However, it was his opponent Stephen A. Douglas who swept the county of 5,530 persons - most of whom were women and children - by 362 votes. Little did county residents know until a week later that Lincoln had been elected. Then they thought of the great internal conflict facing the country.

When Congress met in Washington on December 3, 1860, South Carolina had already passed an ordinance of secession following the confirmation of Lincoln's election. President James Buchanan's cabinet was in a state of flux while the citizens of Kewaunee County nervously awaited steamers bringing newspapers. It was February when South Carolina's ultimatum demanding all federal property in the state be turned over to the state government.

Members of both political parties attended the Union meetings that were held in some of the larger cities. "Save the Union at all hazards" was the slogan.  As Lincoln was inaugurated on March 4, Kewaunee County Republicans and Democrats gathered to celebrate in Kewaunee. When Editor Garland wrote about the event, he said it was "a scene of beauty and splendor never before seen in this part of the state.* Eight days later, county residents were able to read President Lincoln's inaugural address when Ahnapee merchant David McCummins brought a copy of the Evening Wisconsin from Milwaukee.

When Algoma's John Densow died in October 1916, he had the distinction of being the last county person on the ticket that included Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln was at the head of the ballot while Densow was at the bottom. He was running for coroner.

*Kewaunee County was  2 months short of its 9th anniversary when Garland made the comment.