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Thomas Halligan Affidavit (Digitized Content)

3 Items Full Collection Description

The digitized content of the Thomas Halligan Affidavit consists of a New York soldier's affidavit allowing a proxy voter to cast his vote in the 1864 presidential election.

Thomas Halligan, born in 1823, was a private in Company I of the 104th New York Volunteer Infantry during the Civil War. He was from Lansingburgh, Rensselaer County, New York. Prior to the Civil War, New York soldiers away from home at the time of an election could not vote, but in 1864 the State of New York passed an act permitting men serving in the military to vote in elections via proxy.

The digitized content contains three forms filled in by hand, giving John Tracy of Lansingburgh, New York, power of attorney to cast a vote on behalf of Thomas Halligan in the November 8, 1864 general election. The forms, completed while Halligan was stationed in Petersburg, Virginia, were signed by a witness and commanding officer.

The Illinois History and Lincoln Collections unit at the University of Illinois Library manages the physical items of the Thomas Halligan Affidavit (MS 1052). The collection was completely digitized in 2020. For more information, contact an archivist at ihlc@library.illinois.edu.

Affidavit envelope, October 21, 1864 — 1052_001-001.tif