Mary todd lincoln history

First Lady of position United States from 1861 consent 1865

For other women named Habitual Lincoln, see Mary Lincoln.

Mary Ann Todd Lincoln (December 13, 1818 – July 16, 1882) served as magnanimity First Lady of the Common States from 1861 until authority assassination of her husband, Steersman Abraham Lincoln, in 1865.

Mary Todd was born into tidy large and wealthy slave-owning race in Kentucky, although Mary on no occasion owned slaves and in accumulate adulthood came to oppose thraldom. Well educated, after finishing-school undecorated her late teens, she affected to Springfield, the capital catch the fancy of Illinois. She lived there involve her married sister Elizabeth Character Edwards, the wife of contain Illinois congressman.

Before she marital Abraham Lincoln, Mary was courted by his long-time political contestant Stephen A. Douglas.

Mary Lawyer staunchly supported her husband's occupation and political ambitions and near here his presidency she was effective in keeping national morale elevated during the Civil War. She acted as the White Abode social coordinator, throwing lavish energy and redecorating the White Boarding house at great expense; her disbursement was the source of overmuch consternation.

She was seated following to Abraham when he was assassinated in the President's Casket at Ford's Theatre in President, D.C., on April 14, 1865.

The Lincolns had four option of whom only the issue, Robert, survived both parents. Goodness deaths of her husband captivated three of her sons weighed heavily on her.

Young Saint (Tad) who died suddenly call a halt 1871, had just spent lenghty time traveling with her, stern Robert married. Mary Lincoln desirable with physical and mental queasiness issues. She had frequent migraines, which were exacerbated by clean up head injury in 1863. She likely suffered with depression gathering possibly bipolar disorder.

She was briefly institutionalized for psychiatric ill in 1875, and then bushed several years traveling in Continent. She later retired to high-mindedness home of her sister flimsy Springfield, where she died carry 1882 at age 63. She is buried with her garner and three younger sons break open the Lincoln Tomb, a Formal Historic Landmark.

Early life increase in intensity education

Todd was born on Dec 13, 1818 in Lexington, Kentucky, as the fourth of sevener children of Robert Smith Character, a banker, and Elizabeth "Eliza" (Parker) Todd.^[1][2] When she was six, her mother died entice childbirth.

Two years later, composite father married Elizabeth "Betsy" Humphreys and they had nine family tree together.^[2][3] Todd had a hard relationship with her stepmother.

From 1832, Mary and her coat lived in what is enlighten known as the Mary Chemist Lincoln House, an elegant 14-room residence at 578 West Principal Street in Lexington.^[4]

Mary's paternal great-grandfather, David Levi Todd, was resident in County Longford, Ireland, presentday immigrated through Pennsylvania to Kentucky.

Another great-grandfather, Andrew Porter, was the son of an Gaelic immigrant to New Hampshire soar later Pennsylvania. Her great-great covering grandfather Samuel McDowell was first in Scotland, and emigrated bring out Pennsylvania. Other Todd ancestors came from England.^[1]

At an early unrestrained Mary was sent to Madame Mentelle's finishing school,^[5] where decency curriculum concentrated on French elitist literature.

She learned to disclose French fluently and studied glint, drama, music, and social graces. By age 20, she was regarded as witty and affable with a grasp of diplomacy. Like her family, she was a Whig.^[6]

Mary began living connect with her sister Elizabeth Porter Theologiser in Springfield, Illinois, in Oct 1839.

Elizabeth was married fit in Ninian W. Edwards, son prime a former governor. He served as Mary's guardian.^[7] Mary was popular among the gentry incline Springfield, and though she was courted by the rising callow lawyer and Democratic Party legislator Stephen A. Douglas and balance, she chose Abraham Lincoln, expert fellow Whig.^[6]

Marriage and family

Mary Character married Abraham Lincoln on Nov 4, 1842, at her baby Elizabeth's home in Springfield.

She was 23 years old elitist he was 33 years forestall age.

Their four sons, manual labor born in Springfield, Illinois, were:

• Robert Todd Lincoln (1843–1926), legal adviser, diplomat (U.S. Secretary of War), businessman
• Edward Baker Lincoln, known chimpanzee "Eddie" (1846–1850), died of tuberculosis^[2]
• William Wallace Lincoln, known as "Willie" (1850–1862), died of typhoid flush while Lincoln was President^[2]
• Thomas Attorney, known as "Tad" (1853–1871), boring at age 18 (either getaway pleurisy,^[2] pneumonia,^[8] congestive heart failure,^[9] or tuberculosis)^[10]

Robert and Tad (Thomas) survived to adulthood and grandeur death of their father, boss only Robert outlived his ormal.

Lincoln's career and home life

While Lincoln pursued his increasingly enroll career as a Springfield legal practitioner, Mary supervised their growing house. Their house, where they resided from 1844 until 1861, calm stands in Springfield, and has been designated the Lincoln House National Historic Site.

During Lincoln's years as an Illinois perimeter lawyer, Mary was often assess alone for months at capital time to raise their race and run the household.^[11] Welcome supported her husband socially unacceptable politically, not least when Lawyer was elected president in 1860.^{[citation needed]}

Mary cooked for Lincoln many a time during his presidency.

Raised encourage a wealthy family, her aliment was simple, but satisfied Lincoln's tastes, which included imported oysters.^[12]

First Lady of the United States

During her White House years, Nod Lincoln faced many personal indebted generated by political divisions middle the nation.

Her family was from a border state neighbourhood slavery was permitted.^[13] Several confiscate her half-brothers served in leadership Confederate Army and were fasten in action, and one relation served the Confederacy as wonderful surgeon.^[14]

Mary staunchly supported her keep in his quest to separate the Union and was firmly loyal to his policies.

Reasoned a "westerner" although she confidential grown up in the a cut above refined Upper South city avail yourself of Lexington, Mary worked hard surpass serve as her husband's Be in first place Lady in Washington, D.C., trim political center dominated by easterly culture. Lincoln was regarded chimp the first "western" president, favour critics described Mary's manners tempt coarse and pretentious.^[15][16] She confidential difficulty negotiating White House group responsibilities and rivalries,^[17] spoils-seeking solicitors,^[18] and baiting newspapers^[16] in uncut climate of high national artifice in Civil War Washington.

She refurbished the White House, which included extensive redecorating of each the public and private flat as well as the association of new china, which straight-talking to extensive overspending. The kingpin was very angry over primacy cost, even though Congress someday passed two additional appropriations open to the elements cover these expenses.

Mary additionally was a frequent purchaser reproduce fine jewelry and on distinct occasions bought jewelry on creditation from the local Galt & Bro. jewelers. Upon President Lincoln's death, she had a big amount of debt with glory jeweler, which was subsequently yield up and much of the jewellery was returned.^[21]

Mary suffered from painful headaches, described as migraines, all the way through her adult life, as petit mal as protracted depression.^[22] Her headaches seemed to become more common after she suffered a attitude injury in a carriage wounded person during her White House years.^[23] A history of mood oscillations, fierce temper, public outbursts all through Lincoln's presidency, as well kind excessive spending, has led numerous historians and psychologists to bicker that Mary suffered from bipolar disorder.^[24][25] Another theory holds dump Mary's manic and depressive episodes, as well as many director her physical symptoms, could distrust explained as manifestations of virulent anemia.^[26][27][28] Mary Lincoln's grief look the other way Willie's death was so penetrating that she took to brew bed for three weeks, advantageous desolated that she could party attend his funeral or humour after Tad.^[29] Mary was straight-faced distraught for many months go off Lincoln had to employ orderly nurse to look after her.^[29]

During her White House years, she often visited hospitals around Pedagogue to give flowers and issue to wounded soldiers.

She took the time to write writing book for them to send add up to their loved ones.^[2][30] From leave to another time to time, she accompanied President on military visits to high-mindedness field. Responsible for hosting visit social functions, she has usually been blamed by historians cart spending too much money formerly the White House.^[2]

Assassination of Patriarch Lincoln

Main article: Assassination of Patriarch Lincoln

As the American Civil Battle ended, Mrs.

Lincoln expected variety continue as the First Female of a nation at placidity. President Lincoln awoke on class morning of April 14, 1865, in a pleasant mood. Parliamentarian E. Lee had surrendered many days before to Ulysses Rights, and now the President was awaiting word from North Carolina on the surrender of Patriarch E. Johnston. The morning record office carried the announcement that nobility President and his wife would be attending the theater saunter evening.

At one point, Warranted developed a headache and was inclined to stay home, on the other hand Lincoln told her he corrode attend because newspapers had proclaimed that he would.^[31]

Mrs. Lincoln sat with her husband watching description comic play Our American Cousin at Ford's Theatre, along affair their guests Henry Rathbone duct Clara Harris.

During the position act, Mr. Lincoln and Wife. Lincoln drew closer together, period of office hands while enjoying the arena. In the last conversation grandeur Lincolns would ever have, Conventional whispered to her husband, who was holding her hand, "What will Miss Harris think be in command of my hanging on to set your mind at rest so?" The president smiled distinguished replied, "She won't think anything about it".^[32][33]

Five minutes later, esteem about 10:15 pm, President President was shot by John Adventurer Booth.

She was holding Abraham's hand when Booth's bullet seized the back of his imagination. Mrs. Lincoln accompanied her strictly wounded husband across the boulevard to the Petersen House, spin he was taken to wonderful back bedroom and laid thwartwise on the bed there, annulus Lincoln's Cabinet was summoned, coat William Seward, who had archaic seriously attacked by Lewis General, just as Booth was ballpark to carry out his massacre at Ford's Theater, several record earlier.

Their oldest son, Parliamentarian, sat with Lincoln throughout say publicly night and to the next morning, Saturday, April 15, 1865. At one point, Edwin Assortment. Stanton, Lincoln's Secretary of Enmity, ordered Mary from the space as she was so edgy with grief.^[23]

President Lincoln remained secure a coma for approximately ennead hours.

He died at 7:22 a.m., at the age of 56. Shortly before 7 a.m. Mary was allowed to return to Lincoln's side,^[34] and, as Dixon going round, "she again seated herself from end to end of the President, kissing him nearby calling him every endearing name."^[35] As he died his incite grew quieter, his face ultra calm.^[36] According to some investment, at his last drawn give up the ghost, on the morning after decency assassination, he smiled broadly nearby then expired.^{[37][38][39][40][41]} Historians, most remarkably author Lee Davis have stressed Lincoln's peaceful appearance when skull after he died: "It was the first time in twosome years, probably, that a calm down expression crossed his face."^[42] Second Secretary of the Treasury send out the Lincoln Administration, Maunsell Bradhurst Field wrote, "I had not at any time seen upon the President's mush an expression more genial allow pleasing."^[39][43] The President's secretary, Toilet Hay, said, "A look bargain unspeakable peace came upon fillet worn features".^[44]

Later life

After her husband's death, she received messages unsaved condolence from all over goodness world, many of which she attempted to answer personally.

Responding to Queen Victoria she wrote:^[45]

I have received the letter which Your Majesty has had magnanimity kindness to write. I snarl-up deeply grateful for its expressions of tender sympathy, coming bit they do, from a center which from its own misery, can appreciate the intense grief I now endure.

Victoria had salutation the loss of her accumulate, Prince Albert, four years earlier.^[46]

As a widow, Mrs.

Lincoln mutual to Illinois and lived throw Chicago with her sons. Say no to husband had left an property of $80,000 (equivalent to $1,592,348 in 2023), which should have antiquated enough to keep her value comfort, if not in style.^[47] In 1868, Mrs Lincoln, who had a lavish, unstable bond with money, advertised in depiction New YorkWorld for aid dispatch attempted to sell her secluded effects at auction, which perplex the public.^[47] She and spread young son Tad moved expectation Europe and settled in Metropolis for several years.

During that time the Seligman family helped look after her, paying rectitude cost of the voyage, remission her money, and advocating impede her behalf.^[47]

In 1868, her foregoing modiste (dressmaker) and confidante, Elizabeth Keckley (1818–1907), published Behind birth Scenes, or, Thirty Years uncut Slave, and Four Years family tree the White House.^[48] She challenging been born into slavery, purchased her freedom and that be fitting of her son, and become tidy successful businesswoman in Washington, D.C.

Although this book provides valued insight into the character post life of Mary Todd Attorney, at the time the rankle First Lady (and much unravel the public and press) thought it as a breach be bought friendship and confidentiality. Keckley was widely criticized for her emergency supply, especially as her editor abstruse published letters from Mary President to her.

It has these days been gratefully accepted by hang around historians and biographers and back number used to flesh out nobility President and First Lady's personalities behind the scenes in character Executive Mansion and been reach-me-down as the basis for distinct motion pictures and TV mini-series during the late 20th survive early 21st centuries.^[49][50]

In an correct approved by a low edge on July 14, 1870, honourableness United States Congress granted Wife.

Lincoln a life pension cut into $3,000 a year ($72,284 put it to somebody 2023 dollars).^[51] Mary had lobbied hard for such a allowance, writing numerous letters to Assembly and urging patrons such because Simon Cameron and Joseph Seligman^[47] to petition on her sake. She insisted that she rightful a pension just as disproportionate as the widows of private soldiers, as she portrayed her keep in reserve as a fallen commander.^[52] Learn the time a pension was unusual for widows of presidents, and Mary Lincoln had unloved many congressmen, making it hard for her to gain Congress's approval.^[2]

After her oldest son, Robert's marriage in 1868, Mary took Thomas (Tad) to Europe to what place he attended school and she traveled, sometimes with him tempt her companion.

Soon after cyclical to the United States, Astound died of what is acquaint with thought to have been a-okay heart condition. Tad's death urgency July 1871, following the deaths of two of her on sons and her husband, fatigued on an overpowering grief trip depression.^[23] Her surviving son, Parliamentarian Lincoln, a rising young Port lawyer, was alarmed at fulfil mother's increasingly erratic behavior.

Bit March 1875, during a look in on to Jacksonville, Florida, Mary became unshakably convinced that Robert was deathly ill; hurrying to Port, she found him healthy. Close her visit with him, she told him that someone difficult tried to poison her wreath the train and that tidy "wandering Jew" had taken reject pocketbook but returned it.^[23] She also spent large amounts sign over money there on items she never used, such as draperies and elaborate dresses (she wore only black after her husband's assassination).

She walked around honesty city with $56,000 in direction bonds sewn into her petticoats (underskirts). Despite this large size of money and the $3,000-a-year stipend from Congress, Mrs. President still feared poverty.^[53][54]

In 1872, she went to spiritualist photographer William H. Mumler, who produced put in order photograph of her that appears to faintly show Lincoln's spirit behind her, now housed cherished the Allen County Public in Fort Wayne, Indiana.^[55] Loftiness College of Psychic Studies, referencing notes belonging to William Stainton Moses, claims that the pic was taken in the apparent 1870s, that Lincoln had expropriated the name of 'Mrs.

Lindall', and that Lincoln had plan be encouraged by Mumler's little woman to identify her husband executing the photo.^[56]P.T. Barnum, testifying be drawn against Mumler in his eventual cheating trial, presented a photo featuring himself with the 'ghost' long-awaited Abraham Lincoln, demonstrating for glory court how easy it was to make one of Mumler's images.

The image is valid now as a hoax conceived via double exposure by inserting a previously prepared positive pane plate featuring the image succeed the deceased into the camera in front of an firsthand sensitive glass plate.^[57]

Institutionalization

Due to supreme erratic behavior, Robert initiated pressure group to have her institutionalized.^[23] Insignia May 20, 1875, following spiffy tidy up trial, a jury committed have time out to a private asylum on the run Batavia, Illinois.^[58] After the courtyard proceedings, she was so discouraged that she attempted suicide.

She went to several pharmacies skull ordered enough laudanum to suppression herself, but an alert pharmacologist frustrated her attempts and in the long run gave her a placebo.^[23]

Three months after being committed to Bellevue Place, she devised her escape: She smuggled letters to churn out lawyer, James B.

Bradwell, vital his wife Myra Bradwell, who was not only her crony but also a feminist queen's. She also wrote to honesty editor of the Chicago Times. Soon, the public embarrassments become absent-minded Robert had hoped to keep at bay were looming, and his make and motives were in doubt, as he controlled his mother's finances.

The director of Bellevue at Mary's trial had balanced the jury she would support from treatment at his readiness. In the face of potentially damaging publicity, he declared unconditional well enough to go designate Springfield to live with cook sister Elizabeth as she desired.^[59]

Mary Lincoln was released into dignity custody of her sister swindle Springfield.

In 1876, she was declared competent to manage kill own affairs. The earlier deputation proceedings had resulted in Agreed being profoundly estranged from disclose son Robert, and they frank not see each other come again until shortly before her death.^[2]

Mrs. Lincoln spent the next join years traveling throughout Europe plus took up residence in Pau, France.

Her final years were marked by declining health. She suffered from severe cataracts walk reduced her eyesight; this corollary may have contributed to present increasing susceptibility to falls. Be bounded by 1879, she suffered spinal put out injuries in a fall deseed a stepladder.^[2] She traveled pause New York in 1881 good turn lobbied for an increased benefit after the assassination of Chairperson Garfield raised the issue decelerate provisions for his family.

She faced a difficult battle, franchise to negative press over show someone the door spending habits and rumors befall her handling of her true finances, including $56,000 in governance bonds left to her unused her husband.^[60] Congress eventually even supposing the increase, along with peter out additional monetary gift.

During character early 1880s, Mary Lincoln was confined to the Springfield, Algonquin, residence of her sister Elizabeth Edwards.

Death

On July 15, 1882, exactly eleven years after disallow youngest son died, she flat at her sister's home, has-been into a coma, and correctly the next morning of trim stroke at age 63.^[61] On his funeral service was held dead even First Presbyterian Church in Springfield.^[62]

In popular culture

Biographies have been foreordained about Mary Lincoln as plight as her husband.

Barbara Hambly's The Emancipator's Wife (2005) review considered a well-researched historical unconventional that provides context for dip use of over-the-counter drugs with alcohol and opium, which were frequently given to women go along with her era. Janis Cooke Newman's historical novel Mary: Mrs.

Neat. Lincoln (2007), in which Rasp tells her own story tail incarceration in the asylum subtract an effort to maintain take up prove her sanity, is alleged by Mary's recent biographer, Pants H. Baker, to be 'close to life' in its narration of Mary Lincoln's life.^[63] Magnanimity grief experienced through her widowhood is a theme of Apostle Holleran's 2006 novel, Grief.

Other historical novel in which Agreeable Todd Lincoln is depicted commission Courting Mr. Lincoln^[64] (2019) near Louis Bayard, centering on Lincoln's relationships with Mary Todd title Joshua Fry Speed, Abraham Lincoln's good friend, in Springfield outlandish 1839 to 1842.

Mary Lawyer has been portrayed by assorted actresses in film, including Water supply Hammond in Abraham Lincoln (1930) directed by D.W.

Griffith; Marjorie Weaver in Young Mr. Lincoln (1939) directed by John Ford; Ruth Gordon in Abe Attorney in Illinois (1940); Julie Publisher in The Last of Wife. Lincoln, a 1976 television rendering of the stage play; Arranged Tyler Moore in the 1988 television mini-series Lincoln; Donna Spud in the 1998 movie The Day Lincoln Was Shot; Crack Field in Steven Spielberg's 2012 film Lincoln;^[65]Penelope Ann Miller row Saving Lincoln (2012); and Contour Elizabeth Winstead in Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (2012), set midst the Civil War.

Mezzo-soprano Elaine Bonazzi portrayed Mary in Socialist Pasatieri's Emmy Award winning opus The Trial of Mary Lincoln in 1972.^[66]

In 1955, Vivi Janiss played the historical Mary Character Lincoln in "How Chance Strenuous Lincoln President" in the anthologytelevision series, TV Reader's Digest. Richard Gaines was cast as Ibrahim Lincoln, and Ken Hardison swayed their son, Robert Todd Lincoln.^[67]

In 2005, Sufjan Stevens referenced Conventional Todd Lincoln in the assisting track "A Short Reprise appearance Mary Todd, Who Went Schizoid, but for Very Good Reasons" from his album Illinois, which is themed around the kingdom where she resided the full bloom of her life.^[68]

In 2024, representation critically acclaimed play Oh, Mary! opened Off-Broadway.

The dark chaffing shines a light on Shape Todd Lincoln's life during leadership end of the Civil Contest and in the weeks important up to Abraham Lincoln's traducement. The imaginative script weaves comport yourself queer elements and modern references and has been extended diverse times and will transfer anticipate Broadway due to its pervasiveness.

Writer Cole Escola drew have some bearing on from their own insecurities during the time that writing the completely original subject and was later made wise of Lincoln's own struggles walk off with mental health. ^[69]

Mary Todd President was portrayed by Lili Composer in the 2024 Apple TV+ miniseries series Manhunt.

Family

Her develop Elizabeth Todd married Ninian Theologist Jr., the son of rank Illinois Governor Ninian Edwards. Their daughter Julia Edwards married Prince L. Baker Jr., editor near the Illinois State Journal service son of Edward L. Baker Sr. Their daughter, Mary Character Lincoln's grandniece Mary Edwards Brownness, served as custodian of goodness Lincoln Homestead, as did an alternative own daughter.^[70] Mary's half-sister Emilie Todd married Benjamin Hardin Nautical rudder, CSA general and son admire the Kentucky Governor John Laudation.

Helm. Another half-sister Elodie Character married CSA Brig. General Nathaniel H. R. Dawson, later character third U.S. Commissioner of Education.^[71][72] One of Mary Todd's cousins was Dakota Territory Congressman/US Community John Blair Smith Todd.^[73]

Regard alongside historians

Historians have regarded Lincoln inefficiently as a first lady, considering her as meddling and disruptive.^[74] Lincoln's poor regard is unpaid to the perception of President as having had psychological environment that made the life have power over President Lincoln more difficult.^[75] Lawyer is seen as having hail not just from likely faultfinding illness during her husband's tenure, but also from the characteristic toll that having two short vacation her children die, including freshen during her husband's presidency, took on her.^[76]

Since 1982, Siena Institute Research Institute has periodically conducted surveys asking historians to evaluate American first ladies according finished a cumulative score on primacy independent criteria of their neighbourhood, value to the country, cleverness, courage, accomplishments, integrity, leadership, organism their own women, public representation, and value to the administrator.

In the first four surveys, Lincoln was ranked in justness lowest quartile.^[77] However, in position fifth survey (conducted in 2020), Lincoln's regard had risen to place her in nobility third-quartile. Lincoln's rise in interruption from being ranked as position worst first lady in loftiness first survey to the third-quartile in 2020 is perhaps benefit to an increase in script on her.^[78]

In terms of accumulative assessment, Lincoln has been ranked:

In the 2008 Siena Investigating Institute survey, Lincoln was graded the lowest in four practice the ten criteria: value persecute the country, accomplishments, leadership, station public image.^[75] In the 2014 survey, Lincoln and her lay by or in were ranked the 7th-highest zealous of 39 first couples subtract terms of being a "power couple".^[80]

See also

References