Harlan-Lincoln House celebrated Presidents’ Day with Lincoln expert

MT. PLEASANT — The Harlan-Lincoln House sponsored a Presidents Day event entitled “Conversations with a Lincoln Collector” that delighted two audiences on Feb. 19 at the historic Union Block in downtown Mt. Pleasant.

A President Abraham Lincoln artifact collector and enthusiast, 21-year-old Ethan Afshani from Buffalo, New York, who began collecting at just 17, shared his passion for Abraham Lincoln and collecting items that Lincoln touched. He shared presentations at noon and in the evening both to full houses.

According to Afshani, today there are approximately 100 collectors of Lincoln memorabilia. Including his very distinguished mentor James Cornelius, the former curator at the Lincoln Presidential Museum and Library, in Springfield, Illinois. Cornelius has guided the young man about how to research and evaluate Lincoln artifacts that are for sale and verify their authenticity.

Afshani’s first purchase was a chair that the Abraham Lincoln family used in the dining room at the White House. He has the paperwork and a photograph to prove it. Most recently, he purchased a pair of Abraham Lincoln’s eyeglasses. His research included finding out what Lincoln’s eye prescription was and an affidavit from the last surviving Lincoln descendant.

During his presentations, Afshani, a junior at Canisius University in Buffalo, explained how items related to the 16th President were sought as souvenirs immediately after his death. The room at the Petersen House where Lincoln died was stripped of wallpaper, bloody bandages, and pieces of the President’s clothing upon his death.

After touring the Harlan-Lincoln House, Afshani praised the amount of family artifacts in the House and said with so many furnishings and items having belonged to the family, the House presents an air of authenticity. Thanks to his expert eye and time going through the Harlan-Lincoln House, a pair of formerly unidentified eyeglasses were revealed to have belonged to Robert Todd Lincoln.

Not only did Afshani provide information about Lincoln and identify the eyeglasses at Harlan-Lincoln House, but he also donated a strand of Mary Todd Lincoln’s hair to add to the museum collection.

Afshani’s father, sister, and girlfriend traveled with him from Buffalo for a weekend event in Springfield and on to Iowa. In addition to touring the Harlan-Lincoln House, they were able to see the Hanks family Bible at Henry County Heritage Trust and tour the Lewelling Quaker Museum in Salem.

The Harlan-Lincoln House is a 501 [c] (3) nonprofit organization. Regular hours will begin in March on Wednesdays and Saturdays, 2—4 p.m. Special appointments may be made through the website www.harlanlincoln.org