Unlocking the Hidden Messages inside Abraham Lincoln's Gold Pocket Watch

Abe Lincoln's birthday is February 12!

The 16th president of the United States, Abraham Lincoln, owned a valuable gold pocket watch that he purchased in the 1850s from George Chatterton, a jeweler in Springfield, Illinois. This timepiece has been kept at the Smithsonian Institution since 1958, generously donated by Lincoln's great-grandson.

In 2009, a remarkable discovery was made about this historical watch. It was revealed that in 1861, while repairing the watch, a watchmaker named Jonathan Dillon wrote a secret message on the inside of the watch when he heard news of the Confederate attack on Fort Sumter. They thought that Dillon's message read, "The first gun is fired. Slavery is dead. Thank God we have a President who at least will try."

On March 10, 2009, the Smithsonian National Museum of American History held an event to open Lincoln's watch and search for Dillon's message. The master craftsman, George Thomas, carefully opened the watch in front of reporters and Smithsonian staff. Dillon's message was discovered, although slightly different from what he described later in an interview. The news of the hidden message spread across local broadcasts and even made it to the front page of the New York Times, marking a significant moment for the museum.

The remarkable part of this story is that Lincoln never knew about Dillon's secret message, as he and the watchmaker never had the opportunity to meet. Lincoln's gold watch was not just a timekeeping device for him; it was a symbol of his success as a lawyer and a statement of his affluence.

The significance of this discovery was further intensified by the fact that it occurred on Lincoln's 200th birthday. The curator of the museum, Harry Rubenstein, received a call from Douglas Stiles, a genealogy expert and attorney from Illinois who happened to be Dillon's great-great-grandson. Stiles offered family lore and a newspaper article written 45 years after Dillon's inscription for Rubenstein to consider. Despite the lack of concrete evidence, Rubenstein's interest was sparked, and the decision was made to investigate further.

After a month of preparation, the watch was carefully opened, and the inscription was revealed. The message was a little different and said

Jonathan Dillon April 13-1861

Fort Sumpter was attacked by the rebels on the above date J Dillon

April 13-1861 Washington

thank God we have a government

Jonth Dillon

Other inscriptions were found within the watch, including one by "LE Grofs" from September 1864 in Washington, D.C., and another with the name "Jeff Davis" scrawled across one of the brass levers.

Although Dillon's message mentioned the attack on Fort Sumter, it did not mention slavery. The discovery of Jonathan Dillon's secret message inside Abraham Lincoln's watch offers a unique glimpse into the historical context of the time. It serves as a testament to Lincoln's significance as a president and the impact of the Civil War. This remarkable find not only sheds light on the watch's history but also adds to our understanding of the sentiments and experiences of people during those tumultuous times.

LUXE Jewelry & Watch Collection offers a variety of pocket watches. Call, Chat or Contact for more information on the watches currently available. Inventory changes often!

LUXE Jewelry & Watch Collection

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Sarasota, FL

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