The Young Father Who Risked His Warehouse for Freedom of the Press

Winthrop Gilman had good reasons to stay out of Elijah Lovejoy’s troubles. He was a successful businessman in Alton. He was married, and his infant son was only a few months old. Gilman and his wife, Abia, had already suffered the death of their first child.

He had a family to protect. He also had property to protect. Yet when the controversy surrounding Lovejoy’s printing press grew more dangerous, Gilman stepped directly into it.

Gilman had become a friend of Elijah Lovejoy. He was also present when the Antislavery Society of Illinois was organized in Upper Alton. When the question arose of where another printing press could be safely kept, Gilman volunteered the use of a stone warehouse he owned with two other businessmen, Enoch Long and Godfrey. Gilman believed the stone building would stand up better if it were attacked.

Think about that decision. The press wasn’t his. The controversy wasn’t something he had created. And the warehouse wasn’t his alone. By offering it for the press, Gilman was risking property belonging to his business partners and other merchants as well as himself. Enoch Long apparently shared that commitment. He later joined in the defense of the building.

Gilman also understood that this could become dangerous for his family. When the press arrived, he sent Abia and their baby to her father’s home for safety. Then Gilman stayed behind.

Gilman wasn’t looking for a fight. Quite the opposite. He repeatedly appealed to Alton’s mayor, John Krum, asking the authorities to protect the property. He wanted William Harned placed in charge of a militia and wanted an organized force capable of maintaining order. Gilman believed the law should work.

That makes him particularly interesting character in Lincoln Seeks Justice for Elijah Lovejoy. He wasn’t simply choosing between abolitionists and their opponents. He was confronted with a more personal question: What do you do when you believe something is right, the people you care about may be in danger, and the authorities you expect to protect you may not act?

Gilman made his choice. He remained with the warehouse.

History is full of famous men making famous speeches. But sometimes courage looks much quieter than that. Sometimes it is a young father standing beside a friend and hoping the law will still mean something when it is needed most.

Current Projects

• My Book: Continuing revisions of Lincoln Seeks Justice for Elijah Lovejoy, my historical mystery featuring a young Abraham Lincoln and the real people whose choices shaped the crisis unfolding in 1830s Illinois.
• Edward Bryant: Continuing preparations for future publication of stories by my friend Edward Byrant.

Thanks for walking alongside me.