Lincoln Funeral Train in Erie PA

President Abraham Lincoln died on April 15, 1865 several hours after he was fatally shot by John Wilkes Booth. A train bearing the president's remains toured the country on its way from Washington, D.C. to Springfield, IL. The Lincoln Funeral Train stopped in Erie, Pennsylvania on Friday, April 28, 1865.

The people of Erie, PA knew the train was going to travel through Erie on its way from Buffalo, NY to Cleveland, OH, but due to a mix-up, they were told that the train was not going to stop here.

Erie Mayor Fernando F. Farrar wrote a letter which was published in the Erie Weekly Observer:
"While acknowledging with profound humiliation the absence of a proper demonstration of respect on the part of this city to greet the remains of President Lincoln on their arrival here last Friday morning, justice to our citizens who have ever delighted to honor the lamented patriot while living, and who have second to none in heartfelt devotion to the memory of the distinguished dead, requires publicity of the fact that in the midst of preparations for the mournful occasion they were informed by a Superintendent of the Cleveland & Erie railroad that the funeral escort had made a special request that no public demonstration be made at his place, in order that their committee might have rest and repose. Acquiescing with this unauthorized request is therefore the true cause of the apparent national discredit attributed to this city.
(Signed) F. F. Farrar, Mayor."

Telegraphed reports in the Erie Daily Dispatch accounted for every stop made along the route of the Lincoln Funeral Train. When the train reached the New York/Pennsylvania border at 1:32 a.m. on April 28, 1865, a contingency from Erie, Pa boarded the train to escort President Lincoln's remains to the station at Erie. The escorts included: Erie Mayor F. F. Farrar; George W. Starr, the president and one of the founders of the Erie Forge Company; Bethuel B. Vincent (father of Col. Strong Vincent); businessman E. P. Bennett and Jacob F. Walther; and Lt. Commander Francis A. Roe from the U.S.S. Michigan. 

The train reached Erie, PA at 2:50 a.m. on April 28th. "There was no particular demonstration at this place. The employees running this train are the same who were on the train that brought the late president to this point."

The Erie Weekly Gazette later reported: "Under the auspices of Major Scott, a demonstration was made at the Lake Shore Depot in Erie, on the arrival of the funeral cortage of President Lincoln about 2 o'clock on Friday morning. The city bells were tolled, minute guns were fired, etc. A much larger number of persons would have been present but for a misunderstanding with prevented timely notice."

Lincoln stopped in Erie,  PA on February 16, 1861 on the way to his first inauguration in Washington, D. C. http://oldtimeerie.blogspot.com/2012/11/abraham-lincoln-in-erie-pa-1861.html

Abraham Lincoln in Erie, PA 1861

Abraham Lincoln stopped in Erie, Pennsylvania at the bequest of the Erie County Republican Club in 1861. 

The club wrote a letter to Lincoln on February 1, 1861, which stated:

Hon. A. Lincoln, President Elect
Dear Sir,
As it is announced that your route to Washington will be through Cleveland & Buffalo, and consequently through this place we address you to ascertain if it would be convenient for you to make a short stay at Erie. Our city is connected with the interior of the State by the Sunbury & Pittsburg Railroads, thus enabling the people at the lines of those Roads an opportunity of meeting you which they could not have at any other point. Your reception here would not be partisan in its character, though the political sentiment of this part of the State is largely Republican- As the trains change engines here, you would be necessarily detained and if you could prolong your stay sufficiently to enable our citizens to pay their respects to you as the President elect, you would place them under many obligations. 

Please inform as whether this would be agreeable, and at what time you would reach here.

Very respectfully yours

R. F. Gaggin [Richard F. Gaggin]

A. M. D. Lyon [Alexander McD. Lyon, Yale graduate]

A. H. Caughey [Andrew H. Caughey]"

Citation: The Abraham Lincoln Papers at the Library of Congress. Series 1. General Correspondence. 1833-1916. Erie Pennsylvania Republican Club to Abraham Lincoln, Friday, February 01, 1861 (Invitation) 

Lincoln arrived in Erie, PA on February 16, 1861, on his way to his first inauguration, which took place on March 4, 1861. Erie Mayor Sherburn Smith was the chairman of the welcoming committee. The old Union Depot on Peach Street was decorated with flags. An arch was built over the railroad tracks and evergreens were wrapped around the pillars. 

"The train bearing Mr. Lincoln and suite and the Erie committee arrived at twenty minutes past twelve, announced by the booming of cannon and huzzas from the assembled multitude. Great enthusiasm was manifested as he passed from the car he occupied to the depot dining room." -Erie Observer, December 20, 1876.

Lincoln stopped in three communities in Erie County, PA.

"At Girard station several baskets of splendid fruit and flowers were presented to the Presidential family. No little sensation was produced at this point by the unexpected apparition on the train of Horace Greeley, equipped with a valise and his well known red and blue blankets. He was at once conducted into the car of the President, who came forward to greet him. He got off again at Erie, after traveling about twenty miles with the company.

At Erie quite a scene occurred, by the breaking down of a roof on which a large number of curious republicans had gathered. The sudden appearance of the whole group, and the scramble among the ruins, was most ludicrous. Fortunately no one was seriously hurt.

After dinner at Erie Mr. Lincoln addressed the people, excusing himself for not expressing his opinions on the exciting questions of the day. He trusted that when the time for speaking should come he should find it necessary to say nothing not in accordance with the constitution together with the interests of the people of the whole country.

At North East station a flag, inscribed 'fort Sumter,' was carried right up to where Mr. Lincoln stood, but he did not seem to take the hint, and made no allusion to it in his remarks. At the same station Mr. Lincoln took occasion to state that during the campaign he had received a letter from a young girl of this place, in which he was kindly admonished to do certain things, and among others to let his whiskers grow, and that, as he had acted upon that piece of advice, he would now be glad to welcome his fair correspondent, if she was among the crowd. In response to the call, a lassie made her way through the crowd, and was helped on the platform and kissed by the President." -New York Herald, February 17, 1861.

Lincoln's Funeral Train passed through Erie, PA on April 28, 1865 at 3 a.m. on its way from Buffalo, NY to Cleveland, OH.

Click here to read about the old Union Depot railroad station in Erie, PA.

President William Taft visited Erie, PA in 1911.

Enjoy more fascinating facts about the history of Erie, Pennsylvania at: Old Time Erie