An unlikely link between an assassinated US president and a Weald village has been uncovered after a letter was sent to a parish council.

The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum posted a copy of a 150-year-old four-page correspondence – sent to the United States by John Jull in the wake of Lincoln’s assassination – to Staplehurst Parish Council.

The letter expresses the community’s condolences following Mr Lincoln’s death on April 14, 1865.

Mr Jull, a well-known local figure, also chaired a meeting held on May 1 at the Congregational Lecture Room in High Street during which national newspaper stories on the incident were read out to an audience in mourning.

The centre’s director Daniel Stowell addressed the letter to parish council chairman Rory Silkin.

Video: Staplehurst's link to the assassination of Abraham Lincoln

While parish councils did not exist at the time, Mr Silkin is as close to a predecessor as Mr Jull has in the village and to mark the 150th anniversary of the assassination was asked to reply to the Illinois museum, explaining what impact Lincoln’s life has had on Staplehurst.

In his response Mr Silkin enclosed details of the meeting and said: “I think it is safe to say that the majority of our village have always been against slavery and in favour of democracy, the twin pillars of president Lincoln’s avowed convictions.

“The Atlantic ties go further, in that Staplehurst residents emigrated to the United States to found Staplehurst, Nebraska, and, of course, in two world wars citizens of both states fought together for democracy.”

The letter, along with Mr Silkin’s response will go on permanent display at the library’s online archive.