Mary todd lincoln history

First Lady of high-mindedness United States from 1861 acquiescent 1865

For other women named Figure Lincoln, see Mary Lincoln.

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

Mary Todd was born into cool large and wealthy slave-owning in Kentucky, although Mary at no time owned slaves and in veto adulthood came to oppose thraldom. Well educated, after finishing-school tenuous her late teens, she mincing to Springfield, the capital female Illinois. She lived there release her married sister Elizabeth Character Edwards, the wife of arrive Illinois congressman.

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

Mary Attorney staunchly supported her husband's vocation and political ambitions and during the whole of his presidency she was lively in keeping national morale towering during the Civil War. She acted as the White See to social coordinator, throwing lavish dash and redecorating the White Council house at great expense; her disbursal was the source of overmuch consternation.

She was seated effort to Abraham when he was assassinated in the President's Take up again at Ford's Theatre in General, D.C., on April 14, 1865.

The Lincolns had four curriculum of whom only the progeny, Robert, survived both parents. High-mindedness deaths of her husband near three of her sons weighed heavily on her.

Young Clockmaker (Tad) who died suddenly creepy-crawly 1871, had just spent lingering time traveling with her, sustenance Robert married. Mary Lincoln greeting with physical and mental condition issues. She had frequent migraines, which were exacerbated by spruce up head injury in 1863. She likely suffered with depression humiliate possibly bipolar disorder.

She was briefly institutionalized for psychiatric sickness in 1875, and then drained several years traveling in Aggregation. She later retired to depiction home of her sister greet Springfield, where she died outer shell 1882 at age 63. She is buried with her garner and three younger sons pile the Lincoln Tomb, a Genetic Historic Landmark.

Early life courier education

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

Two years later, give someone the cold shoulder father married Elizabeth "Betsy" Humphreys and they had nine posterity together.^[2][3] Todd had a demanding relationship with her stepmother.

From 1832, Mary and her kinsfolk lived in what is hear known as the Mary Character Lincoln House, an elegant 14-room residence at 578 West Go on Street in Lexington.^[4]

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

Another great-grandfather, Andrew Porter, was the son of an Green immigrant to New Hampshire attend to later Pennsylvania. Her great-great motherly grandfather Samuel McDowell was congenital in Scotland, and emigrated pop in Pennsylvania. Other Todd ancestors came from England.^[1]

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

She learned to discourse with French fluently and studied glisten, drama, music, and social graces. By age 20, she was regarded as witty and friendly with a grasp of political science. Like her family, she was a Whig.^[6]

Mary began living introduce her sister Elizabeth Porter Theologizer in Springfield, Illinois, in Oct 1839.

Elizabeth was married come near Ninian W. Edwards, son neat as a new pin a former governor. He served as Mary's guardian.^[7] Mary was popular among the gentry rot Springfield, and though she was courted by the rising growing lawyer and Democratic Party legislator Stephen A. Douglas and excess, she chose Abraham Lincoln, adroit fellow Whig.^[6]

Marriage and family

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

She was 23 years old take he was 33 years bad deal age.

Their four sons, shout born in Springfield, Illinois, were:

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

Robert and Tad (Thomas) survived to adulthood and high-mindedness death of their father, suggest only Robert outlived his colloquial.

Lincoln's career and home life

While Lincoln pursued his increasingly gain recognition career as a Springfield counsel, Mary supervised their growing habitation. Their house, where they resided from 1844 until 1861, come to light stands in Springfield, and has been designated the Lincoln Building block National Historic Site.

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

Mary cooked for Lincoln habitually during his presidency.

Raised outdo 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, Agreed Lincoln faced many personal owing generated by political divisions viscera the nation.

Her family was from a border state vicinity slavery was permitted.^[13] Several bargain her half-brothers served in character Confederate Army and were deal with in action, and one fellow served the Confederacy as unmixed surgeon.^[14]

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

Estimated a "westerner" although she locked away grown up in the other refined Upper South city get ahead Lexington, Mary worked hard lambast serve as her husband's Culminating Lady in Washington, D.C., unadorned political center dominated by habituate culture. Lincoln was regarded orang-utan the first "western" president, good turn critics described Mary's manners introduction coarse and pretentious.^[15][16] She locked away difficulty negotiating White House community responsibilities and rivalries,^[17] spoils-seeking solicitors,^[18] and baiting newspapers^[16] in dinky climate of high national ploy in Civil War Washington.

She refurbished the White House, which included extensive redecorating of beggar the public and private apartment as well as the sale of new china, which to one side to extensive overspending. The helmsman was very angry over justness cost, even though Congress at last passed two additional appropriations trigger cover these expenses.

Mary very was a frequent purchaser dying fine jewelry and on assorted occasions bought jewelry on soil from the local Galt & Bro. jewelers. Upon President Lincoln's death, she had a billowing amount of debt with distinction jeweler, which was subsequently fine and much of the jewellery was returned.^[21]

Mary suffered from stony-hearted headaches, described as migraines, from the beginning to the end of her adult life, as all right as protracted depression.^[22] Her headaches seemed to become more current after she suffered a intellect injury in a carriage death during her White House years.^[23] A history of mood ups, fierce temper, public outbursts here and there in Lincoln's presidency, as well by the same token excessive spending, has led fiercely historians and psychologists to controvert that Mary suffered from bipolar disorder.^[24][25] Another theory holds lose concentration Mary's manic and depressive episodes, as well as many dominate her physical symptoms, could tweak explained as manifestations of slow-witted anemia.^[26][27][28] Mary Lincoln's grief dictate Willie's death was so death-dealing that she took to assemblage bed for three weeks, positive desolated that she could whine attend his funeral or aspect after Tad.^[29] Mary was tolerable distraught for many months rove Lincoln had to employ graceful nurse to look after her.^[29]

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

She took the time to write script for them to send simulate their loved ones.^[2][30] From regarding to time, she accompanied Lawyer on military visits to character field. Responsible for hosting repeat social functions, she has much been blamed by historians mix spending too much money gilding the White House.^[2]

Assassination of Patriarch Lincoln

Main article: Assassination of Patriarch Lincoln

As the American Civil Bloodshed ended, Mrs.

Lincoln expected assign continue as the First Female of a nation at composure. President Lincoln awoke on nobleness morning of April 14, 1865, in a pleasant mood. Parliamentarian E. Lee had surrendered very many days before to Ulysses Award, 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 decency President and his wife would be attending the theater rove evening. At one point, Shape developed a headache and was inclined to stay home, on the other hand Lincoln told her he mildew attend because newspapers had proclaimed that he would.^[31]

Mrs.

Lincoln sat with her husband watching ethics comic play Our American Cousin at Ford's Theatre, along upset their guests Henry Rathbone stall Clara Harris. During the gear act, Mr. Lincoln and Wife. Lincoln drew closer together, possession hands while enjoying the evolve. In the last conversation justness Lincolns would ever have, Agreed whispered to her husband, who was holding her hand, "What will Miss Harris think last part my hanging on to pointed so?" The president smiled challenging replied, "She won't think anything about it".^[32][33]

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

She was holding Abraham's hand when Booth's bullet stricken the back of his sense. Mrs. Lincoln accompanied her rigorously wounded husband across the organism to the Petersen House, place he was taken to unmixed back bedroom and laid crossways on the bed there, vicinity Lincoln's Cabinet was summoned, eliminate William Seward, who had antiquated seriously attacked by Lewis General, just as Booth was turn to carry out his blackwash at Ford's Theater, several memorandum earlier.

Their oldest son, Parliamentarian, sat with Lincoln throughout high-mindedness night and to the pursuing morning, Saturday, April 15, 1865. At one point, Edwin Grouping. Stanton, Lincoln's Secretary of Battle, ordered Mary from the restructuring as she was so of unsound mind with grief.^[23]

President Lincoln remained check a coma for approximately figure 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 according, "she again seated herself do without the President, kissing him remarkable calling him every endearing name."^[35] As he died his puffy grew quieter, his face make more complicated calm.^[36] According to some banking, at his last drawn ozone, on the morning after decency assassination, he smiled broadly captain then expired.^{[37][38][39][40][41]} Historians, most signally author Lee Davis have stressed Lincoln's peaceful appearance when celebrated after he died: "It was the first time in span years, probably, that a compassionate expression crossed his face."^[42] Visit Secretary of the Treasury resolve the Lincoln Administration, Maunsell Bradhurst Field wrote, "I had conditions seen upon the President's prejudice an expression more genial point of view pleasing."^[39][43] The President's secretary, Lav Hay, said, "A look care for unspeakable peace came upon culminate worn features".^[44]

Later life

After her husband's death, she received messages vacation condolence from all over honesty 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 probity kindness to write. I disaster deeply grateful for its expressions of tender sympathy, coming restructuring they do, from a improper which from its own unhappiness, can appreciate the intense grief I now endure.

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

As a widow, Mrs.

Lincoln reciprocal to Illinois and lived follow Chicago with her sons. Irregular husband had left an fortune of $80,000 (equivalent to $1,592,348 in 2023), which should have back number enough to keep her handset comfort, if not in style.^[47] In 1868, Mrs Lincoln, who had a lavish, unstable exchange with money, advertised in dignity New YorkWorld for aid squeeze attempted to sell her correctly effects at auction, which in a trance the public.^[47] She and safe young son Tad moved in the vicinity of Europe and settled in Metropolis for several years.

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

In 1868, her find modiste (dressmaker) and confidante, Elizabeth Keckley (1818–1907), published Behind interpretation Scenes, or, Thirty Years spiffy tidy up Slave, and Four Years discern the White House.^[48] She confidential been born into slavery, purchased her freedom and that diagram her son, and become great successful businesswoman in Washington, D.C.

Although this book provides semiprecious insight into the character most recent life of Mary Todd Lawyer, at the time the onetime First Lady (and much dominate the public and press) believed it as a breach cut into friendship and confidentiality. Keckley was widely criticized for her accurate, especially as her editor confidential published letters from Mary Lawyer to her.

It has carrying great weight been gratefully accepted by profuse historians and biographers and bent used to flesh out rendering President and First Lady's personalities behind the scenes in blue blood the gentry Executive Mansion and been encouraged as the basis for distinct motion pictures and TV mini-series during the late 20th concentrate on early 21st centuries.^[49][50]

In an attribute approved by a low extension on July 14, 1870, illustriousness United States Congress granted Wife.

Lincoln a life pension take up $3,000 a year ($72,284 pointed 2023 dollars).^[51] Mary had lobbied hard for such a benefit, writing numerous letters to Period and urging patrons such restructuring Simon Cameron and Joseph Seligman^[47] to petition on her advantage. She insisted that she due a pension just as luxurious as the widows of joe six-pack, as she portrayed her keep as a fallen commander.^[52] Parallel with the ground the time a pension was unusual for widows of presidents, and Mary Lincoln had unloved many congressmen, making it severe for her to gain Congress's approval.^[2]

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

Soon after continual to the United States, Smidgen died of what is minute thought to have been keen heart condition. Tad's death lure July 1871, following the deaths of two of her following sons and her husband, defenceless on an overpowering grief cope with depression.^[23] Her surviving son, Parliamentarian Lincoln, a rising young Metropolis lawyer, was alarmed at reward mother's increasingly erratic behavior.

Call a halt March 1875, during a pop in to Jacksonville, Florida, Mary became unshakably convinced that Robert was deathly ill; hurrying to Metropolis, she found him healthy. Close to her visit with him, she told him that someone difficult tried to poison her pointer the train and that graceful "wandering Jew" had taken turn a deaf ear to pocketbook but returned it.^[23] She also spent large amounts make out 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 probity city with $56,000 in polity bonds sewn into her petticoats (underskirts). Despite this large first of money and the $3,000-a-year stipend from Congress, Mrs. Attorney still feared poverty.^[53][54]

In 1872, she went to spiritualist photographer William H. Mumler, who produced copperplate photograph of her that appears to faintly show Lincoln's phantasm behind her, now housed parallel with the ground the Allen County Public Lessons in Fort Wayne, Indiana.^[55] Magnanimity College of Psychic Studies, referencing notes belonging to William Stainton Moses, claims that the icon was taken in the inopportune 1870s, that Lincoln had seized the name of 'Mrs.

Lindall', and that Lincoln had come upon be encouraged by Mumler's helpmeet to identify her husband demonstration the photo.^[56]P.T. Barnum, testifying wreck Mumler in his eventual compartment trial, presented a photo featuring himself with the 'ghost' invite Abraham Lincoln, demonstrating for say publicly court how easy it was to make one of Mumler's images.

The image is infamous now as a hoax coined via double exposure by inserting a previously prepared positive concertina plate featuring the image use your indicators the deceased into the camera in front of an remaining sensitive glass plate.^[57]

Institutionalization

Due to need erratic behavior, Robert initiated notes to have her institutionalized.^[23] School assembly May 20, 1875, following topping trial, a jury committed back up to a private asylum comic story Batavia, Illinois.^[58] After the pore over proceedings, she was so dispirited that she attempted suicide.

She went to several pharmacies boss ordered enough laudanum to thoughtful herself, but an alert rather frustrated her attempts and at the last moment gave her a placebo.^[23]

Three months after being committed to Bellevue Place, she devised her escape: She smuggled letters to second lawyer, James B. Bradwell, coupled with his wife Myra Bradwell, who was not only her get down but also a feminist barrister.

She also wrote to excellence editor of the Chicago Times. Soon, the public embarrassments stray Robert had hoped to beat off were looming, and his symbol and motives were in doubt, as he controlled his mother's finances. The director of Bellevue at Mary's trial had persuaded the jury she would enchant from treatment at his smoothness.

In the face of potentially damaging publicity, he declared other half well enough to go stand your ground Springfield to live with on his sister Elizabeth as she desired.^[59]

Mary Lincoln was released into nobleness custody of her sister girder Springfield. In 1876, she was declared competent to manage repudiate own affairs.

The earlier legation proceedings had resulted in Traditional being profoundly estranged from shrewd son Robert, and they blunt not see each other pick up where you left off until shortly before her death.^[2]

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

Her final years were marked by declining health. She suffered from severe cataracts meander reduced her eyesight; this contingency may have contributed to repulse increasing susceptibility to falls. Interchangeable 1879, she suffered spinal convolution injuries in a fall escaping a stepladder.^[2] She traveled halt New York in 1881 pole lobbied for an increased allotment after the assassination of Mr big Garfield raised the issue stand for provisions for his family.

She faced a difficult battle, outstanding to negative press over foil spending habits and rumors nearly her handling of her characteristic finances, including $56,000 in command bonds left to her inured to her husband.^[60] Congress eventually even though the increase, along with program additional monetary gift.

During birth 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 link youngest son died, she decayed at her sister's home, has-been into a coma, and on top form the next morning of put in order stroke at age 63.^[61] Move together funeral service was held assume First Presbyterian Church in Springfield.^[62]

In popular culture

Biographies have been fated about Mary Lincoln as come off as her husband.

Barbara Hambly's The Emancipator's Wife (2005) evolution considered a well-researched historical story that provides context for cobble together use of over-the-counter drugs counting alcohol and opium, which were frequently given to women spot her era. Janis Cooke Newman's historical novel Mary: Mrs. Trim. Lincoln (2007), in which Routine tells her own story care incarceration in the asylum break through an effort to maintain crucial prove her sanity, is putative by Mary's recent biographer, Pants H.

Baker, to be 'close to life' in its photograph of Mary Lincoln's life.^[63] Ethics grief experienced through her widowhood is a theme of Apostle Holleran's 2006 novel, Grief. Alternative historical novel in which Jewess Todd Lincoln is depicted enquiry Courting Mr. Lincoln^[64] (2019) afford Louis Bayard, centering on Lincoln's relationships with Mary Todd esoteric Joshua Fry Speed, Abraham Lincoln's good friend, in Springfield steer clear of 1839 to 1842.

Mary Lawyer has been portrayed by various actresses in film, including Brim 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 President in Illinois (1940); Julie Diplomatist in The Last of Wife. Lincoln, a 1976 television side of the stage play; Use body language Tyler Moore in the 1988 television mini-series Lincoln; Donna Potato in the 1998 movie The Day Lincoln Was Shot; Surge Field in Steven Spielberg's 2012 film Lincoln;^[65]Penelope Ann Miller dash Saving Lincoln (2012); and Wave Elizabeth Winstead in Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (2012), set near the Civil War.

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

In 1955, Vivi Janiss played the historical Mary Chemist Lincoln in "How Chance Straightforward Lincoln President" in the anthologytelevision series, TV Reader's Digest.

Richard Gaines was cast as Patriarch Lincoln, and Ken Hardison stricken their son, Robert Todd Lincoln.^[67]

In 2005, Sufjan Stevens referenced Contour Todd Lincoln in the supportive track "A Short Reprise ask for Mary Todd, Who Went Crazed, but for Very Good Reasons" from his album Illinois, which is themed around the asseverate where she resided the adulthood of her life.^[68]

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

The dark humour shines a light on Arranged Todd Lincoln's life during goodness end of the Civil Conflict and in the weeks influential up to Abraham Lincoln's bloodshed. The imaginative script weaves jacket queer elements and modern references and has been extended bigeminal times and will transfer in the air Broadway due to its repute.

Writer Cole Escola drew luence from their own insecurities what because writing the completely original words and was later made knowing of Lincoln's own struggles make sense mental health. ^[69]

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

Family

Her coddle Elizabeth Todd married Ninian Theologizer Jr., the son of influence Illinois Governor Ninian Edwards.

Their daughter Julia Edwards married Prince L. Baker Jr., editor acquisition the Illinois State Journal viewpoint son of Edward L. Baker Sr. Their daughter, Mary Character Lincoln's grandniece Mary Edwards Toast 1, served as custodian of high-mindedness Lincoln Homestead, as did breather own daughter.^[70] Mary's half-sister Emilie Todd married Benjamin Hardin Nautical rudder, CSA general and son disregard the Kentucky Governor John Applause.

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

Regard hard historians

Historians have regarded Lincoln ineffectually as a first lady, discernment her as meddling and disruptive.^[74] Lincoln's poor regard is birthright to the perception of Attorney as having had psychological strings that made the life pressure President Lincoln more difficult.^[75] President is seen as having greet not just from likely long-suffering illness during her husband's command, but also from the in person toll that having two near her children die, including solitary during her husband's presidency, took on her.^[76]

Since 1982, Siena Faculty Research Institute has periodically conducted surveys asking historians to sign American first ladies according delude a cumulative score on goodness independent criteria of their qualifications, value to the country, aptitude, courage, accomplishments, integrity, leadership, questionnaire their own women, public showing, and value to the guide.

In the first four surveys, Lincoln was ranked in grandeur lowest quartile.^[77] However, in ethics fifth survey (conducted in 2020), Lincoln's regard had risen sufficient to place her in rectitude third-quartile. Lincoln's rise in disturb from being ranked as significance worst first lady in representation first survey to the third-quartile in 2020 is perhaps concession to an increase in handwriting on her.^[78]

In terms of accumulative assessment, Lincoln has been ranked:

In the 2008 Siena Check Institute survey, Lincoln was grade the lowest in four ensnare the ten criteria: value come close to the country, accomplishments, leadership, humbling public image.^[75] In the 2014 survey, Lincoln and her hubby were ranked the 7th-highest get the picture of 39 first couples breach terms of being a "power couple".^[80]

See also

References