Wayne Temple thesis on why the Lincolns got married quick.

[Donna McCreary]

It is my opinion that Robert was a 'wedding night' baby. There is no evidence to support he was anything else. Springfield was a town full of gossips, and somewhere, someone would have left a letter hinting if there were any thoughts that Abraham and Mary fooled around before their wedding.

There are letters commenting on Ann Todd's (Mary's sister) pre-wedding behavior. There are letters discussing Ann Todd's wedding that was so rushed "her sisters barely had time to change their dresses." From other wedding accounts, rushed weddings were common. Elizabeth was married quickly in Lexington, Kentucky. Several other Todd family weddings were also organized on short notice. After all, what was there to plan? Contact the minister, cook a little food, gather a few friends and family, and get hitched. Weddings were not elaborate occassions. A wedding cake was a cake - nothing like they are today. Brides wore a good dress - very few brides wore white. Fewer wore a veil. Flowers (if even used) were picked out of the garden.
That Abraham took time to have Mary's ring engraved showed thought and planning. Elizabeth may not have known about the wedding days in advance, but it seems obvious Abraham and Mary did.

[L Verge]

Excellent response, Donna. It seems that gossip mongers still exist and continue to question the Lincolns' private lives.

[My Name Is Kate]

(10-10-2013 05:05 AM)RJNorton Wrote:  My computer in the closet works perfectly except for one thing: it plays You Tube videos, but there is no sound. It plays all other videos on the web perfectly with sound. I updated Adobe Flash Player to the current version, and a few other things, but still total silence when a You Tube video is playing. There are various ideas on the web for a fix, but none worked.

I had the very same problem just a few days ago. I doubt that you're anywhere near as dumb as I was, but the problem turned out to be that I had the sound icon on YouTube videos muted.

(OK, I'll go away now and mind my own business.)

[RJNorton]

Thank you, Kate!! The computer in the closet is the one with Windows 8, and I don't use it very often as I regret purchasing Windows 8. But the next time I get that computer out I will sure take a look to see if the sound icon (possibly being muted) is the cause of no sound on You Tube.

[Jim Garrett]

The evidence is in the 18 (or by Dave Taylor's count 86) missing pages of Booth's diary. I would say the likelihood is greater that RTL was conceived on the Wedding night than conceived before.