First slave freed by Lincoln buried in Peoria
Phil Luciano Journal Star
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A large sign with the name of 48 Civil War veterans hangs on a fence in Peoria. The area is believed to be the final resting place of the veterans and others, including Nance Legins-Costley, the first slave legally freed by Abraham Lincoln.Matt Dayhoff | Journal Star (AP)
PEORIA (AP) This 1892 undertaker’s report by the Peoria Health Department records the April 6 death of Nance Legins-Costley, about halfway down the page on the left. The entry has several errors, including her name listed as “Nancy Costly.” Also, though she was born in Kaskaskia in 1813, the ledger lists her birthplace as Maryland and her death age as 104.
It's not easy to trace the amazing story of Nance Legins-Costley. It doesn't fill history books, and even her gravesite is unmarked. But her role in history is significant,.
PEORIA â If the world were just, the name of Nance Legins-Costley would resonate amid the likes of Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass and other abolitionist rebels.
But her story is hardly known. Not in Illinois, where â despite anti-slavery laws â she was born into bondage. Not in Pekin, where â despite anti-Black attitudes â she became a beloved community figure. And certainly not in Peoria, where â despite her impressive life â she is buried in ignominy.
Perhaps her story is more subtle than those of high-profile abolitionist leaders, yet her fortitude was astounding. Barely a teen, she first stood up for her civil rights in a court of law that was stacked against Black people. Even amid legal defeats, she kept seeking the most basic of rights: freedom.
First slave freed by Lincoln buried under Peoria pavement Tire tracks in the snow arc around a paved lot around 3915 SW Adams, Jan. 28, 2021, in Peora, Iall. The area is believed to be the final resting place of 48 Civil War veterans among others, including Nance Legins-Costley of Illinois, the first slave legally freed by Abraham Lincoln. The area was once known as Moffatt Cemetery. (Matt Dayhoff/Journal Star via AP) Associated Press A large sign with the name of 48 Civil War veterans hangs on a fence in the area around 3915 SW Adams, Jan. 28, 2021, in Peora, Iall. The area is believed to be the final resting place of 48 Civil War veterans among others, including Nance Legins-Costley of Illinois, the first slave legally freed by Abraham Lincoln. The area was once known as Moffatt Cemetery. (Matt Dayhoff/Journal Star via AP)