John Henry Brown was a painter of portrait miniatures, living and working in Philadelphia. He had met Lincoln in August of 1860 when he was commissioned to paint Lincoln’s portrait for a supporter, but although Brown liked Lincoln personally, he did not agree with Republican policies.
Transcript:
Mrs. Gibson sat a short time this morning.
The telegraph briefly tells us that, on Saturday last, the convention of Louisiana, passed an ordinance of secession from the Union of States. The vote stood—ayes 113, nays 17. This makes the sixth star that, has thus far fallen from the azure field of the American flag, in regular order thus—South Carolina, Dec: 20. Mississippi, Jan: 9, Florida Jan 10, Alabama,11. Georgia, 191. Louisiana, Jan:26.
Citation: John Henry Brown (1818-1891), autograph journal/account book. Philadelphia, 1844-1890. AMs 574/14.1
President Elect Lincoln is busy working on his Inaugural address and preparing to leave Springfield, Ill.
Louisiana militia seize Fr. Macomb near New Orleans.
January 30–Alabama seizes the US Revenue Cutter “Lewis Cass”.
Lincoln leaves Springfield to have a farewell visit with his stepmother, Sarah Bush Lincoln who is living is Coles County Illinois. Of their final meeting the New York Times says:
There are several versions of their final goodbye, which each probably knew would be their last. Like him, she was haunted by visions of the future. A letter written by one of her kinsmen recorded the scene, complete with grammatical inexactitudes: “She embraced him when they parted and said she would never be permitted to see him again that she felt his enemies would assassinate him. He replied no no Mama (he always called her Mama) they will not do that. Trust in the Lord and all will be well We will see each other again.”
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/01/29/lincolns-other-mother/?src=twrhp
So far as we know she never saw him alive again.
January 31–The seizure of Federal property continues throughout the South.
February 1–Texas secedes. Seven states have now left the Union.