Mormon History convention in Illinois

An estimated 500 members of the Mormon History Association will travel by plane, train and automobile — from all parts of the world — for their annual conference next week.This year, it will be held in Springfield , Ill., during the bicentennial celebration of the birth of Abraham Lincoln, the U.S. president who in 1862 signed the Merrill Anti-Bigamy Act, making illegal the Mormon practice of polygamy at the time, according to a Signature Books Library Web site.The association, which includes members of all faiths and those of no faith who have interests in Mormon history, has held a conference somewhere in the world each year since it was organized 43 years ago.\"The Mormon History Association is not affiliated with any other religious group. We're just people interested in Mormon history,\" said Patricia Lyn Scott, an executive director of the Salt Lake City-based group. \"We're always excited for the conference.\"Scott said discussions about Abraham Lincoln will be a central theme at the event.