Another attraction to our beautiful Village Square was added on Saturday, August 22, 2009, when life-sized bronze statues of Abraham Lincoln and Melissa Goings were unveiled. This concluded a fundraising effort by the Woodford County Historical Society.
A goal of $102,000 was reached and the event in celebration of the Bicentennial of Abraham Lincoln’s birth was planned. The day began with the Farmers Market at 8 a.m.
At noon the Central Illinois Civil War Dance Society danced on the brick street before the historic Metamora Courthouse. Live bluegrass music played from 1 to
2:30 p.m. At 2:45 p.m. the American Legion Honor Guard assembled in the park. The Metamora High School Band with the Color Guard marched to the bandstand and played a Sousa medley. At 3 p.m. Woodford County Historical Society president James Fyke led the Pledge of Allegiance and then introduced Jean Myers, Lincoln Statue Project chairperson. Jean Myers introduced Curt and Anita Rowden who sang a medley of America the Beautiful and God Bless America. Guest speakers Senator Dale Risinger, Representative David Leitch, Glenn Rauh, and Sculptor John McClarey spoke briefly followed by the MTHS Marching Band playing Copeland’s “Fanfare for the Common Man”. At 3:30 p.m. WCHS President presented the statues to Metamora Mayor William Belshaw. Then another selection “Bach to the Future” was played by the MTHS Marching Band. The unveiling of the statues followed before a large crowd of people attending. All assembled around the statues for a group photo. This photograph will be placed in a time capsule later.
At 4:30 p.m. Max and Donna Daniels presented “An Evening with the Lincolns” in the courtroom of the Metamora Courthouse. Beginning at 7 p.m. a period dance was held in the south gymnasium of the Metamora High School with live music from Banjolele and performances from the Central Illinois Civil War Dance Society Performers.
The day’s event was planned with the cooperation of the Woodford County Historical Society Lincoln Statue Committee, the Village of Metamora and the Metamora Courthouse State Historic Site.
The Looking for Lincoln wayside station looking north past the statues toward the Metamora Courthouse tells the story of the well-known case of Lincoln and Melissa Goings. It reads:
Melissa Goings a 70 year old woman accused of killing her abusive husband, 77 year old Roswell, earlier that spring. Roswell died from a blow to the back of his head, which Melissa was alleged to have inflected with a piece of firewood. Town legend claims that many felt sorry for Melissa and did not want to prosecute her. While in the custody of the sheriff though she somehow was able to escape. A bailiff accused Lincoln of chasing her off, but in one version of the story, he told the Judge, YOUR HONOR, I DID NOT RUN HER OFF. SHE WANTED TO KNOW WHERE SHE COULD GET A GOOD DRINK OF WATER, AND I TOLD HER THERE WAS MIGHTY GOOD WATER IN “TENNESSEE”. No effort was made to bring her back.
This was the last case Lincoln tried on October 10, 1857, at the Metamora Courthouse.
History and photo submitted by Shirley A. Adams.
