Today I am starting a new section in the Trivia category. I hope it catches on...we'll see. Teachers often ask their students extra credit questions on tests, in homework, or even over a weekend...."your answer must be in by Monday at 8:00 A.M." type of situation.

In other words the questions here might not involve the detail of what Joe may ask in his Stump the Yankee column or what I have been asking in the Trivial Trivia category.

Anybody can ask a question here.

I will start out with:

Name the city and circumstances where Abraham Lincoln first met Edwin Stanton.

Cincinatti during the trial against a railroad company. Lincoln was one of the lawyers on the case. But, he was snubbed by Stanton and the other lawyers as a country bumpkin.

You are correct, Roger. They first met in Cincinnati. It was an 1855 case involving McCormick vs. Manny.

Where is the original Logan County Courthouse located now (that Lincoln had practiced law in at times)?

Is it in Lincoln, Illinois, but the original building burned and was replaced by one that was demolished and parts used in other buildings???

I'm not up on Lincoln history, but I remember someone saying something like this years ago. Maybe Ed Steers or Joan Chaconas, both of whom have traversed the Lincoln Trail.

P.S. Ed is so dedicated to the Lincoln Trail that, when he built a retirement home in West Virginia, he got to name his street and named it Lincoln Trail.

Nope. The original building was purchased by none other than Henry Ford (who also has the Lincoln rocker from Ford's). Ford had it brought to his Greenfield Village in Dearborn, Michigan where it stands today for public visitation. Another item of interest is that Ford also has a cabinet inside the courthouse built by Lincoln's father. There is no connection between the courthouse and the cabinet other than the Lincoln connection to both.

It's too bad that we don't have more philanthropists like those who earned their money by free enterprise and then helped to save our heritage, increase our knowledge through the building of libraries and schools, etc.

Yes, agree totally. You would love Mr. Ford's Greenfield Village and Museum. You've not been there?

No. It was always in my plan to make it there. Then came a divorce, raising my daughter by myself, working three jobs for awhile, and then working and taking my mother to live with me until her death at 94 in 2009. Since then, arthritis (and my fear of knee replacements) have really curtailed my traveling. I have even given up going to The Lincoln Forum in Gettysburg each year and a lot of events in D.C. that I would love to attend.

My enjoyment now is holding Surratt House together and blogging like crazy on this great forum. How's that for a sob story? Actually, my life story is pretty similar to a lot of folks who intend to do things and then get waylaid.

Luckily, before I got married, I left my fiance behind and spent two months traveling through about nine countries in Europe. Loved every minute of it and am so glad that I got that chance. I was even teaching at the time and could use some of the expenses on my income tax!

The correct answer to this one could possibly be disputed, but I will explain my thinking when the correct answer is given.

Name all the states east of the Mississippi River that Abraham Lincoln never was in during his life.

Hint #1: Florida is one of them.

Fl, GA, Mississippi, Alabama, SC, NC, TN, WV, DE, Wisconsin & Maine (he may have crossed through WV on a train)

Gene, you have lots correct, but also a few mistakes. Excellent first try, though.

Hint #2: Lincoln was in Delaware one time. On June 10, 1848, Lincoln addressed a meeting of Whigs in Wilmington.

I'll try again...
FL, GA, Mississippi, Alabama, SC, NC, TN, WV, Maine & Vermont

Can we get a hint as to how many states Mr. Lincoln skipped?