"Wasn't this the Land of Lincoln?"
Pat,
I don't know about Shelby County, but the next county to the east (Coles) was Copperhead Country. I belive it was in 1864 that troops home on Veterans leave were called out to put down a riot that they caused (The Copperheads). I would guess that Shelbyville would have been included in his rounds from time to time while he was riding the circuit. My Great Grandfather Alex Moore who was in the 90th Illinois lived in Springfield from 1855 till his passing in 1908 so I would he would have been a contempory and would have seen Mr. Lincoln on the street from time to time. Frank