Lincoln House Fire ?

[Gene C]

I was reading Katherine Helm's book, "True Story of Mary, Wife of Lincoln" and I came across this on page 106-107.

"Mr. and Mrs. Lincoln went to a large party at the
Ridgleys leaving everything apparently secure at home
with a maid to watch the children. The party was very
delightful, but Mary grew restless and anxious, and
finally said 'Mr. Lincoln, we must go home.' (Mary
never called her husband by his first name, Abraham
or Abr'am, but always formally 'Mr. Lincoln.' I never
heard her speak to him in any other way except in talking
to her children, when she would say, 'Father said'
thus and so.) We must go home, Mr. Lincoln,' she
repeated, but he was reluctant and suggested that they
stay a while longer. She insisted, however, that she
must go and told him she would get someone to take her
home that he might stay and enjoy himself. With his
unfailing kindness, he said, 'I will take you home. We
will find everything all right and then we can come
back and enjoy the rest of the evening.' They did not
come back, however, as they found the house on fire,
the maid fast asleep, and the children's lives in danger.
Mr. Lincoln said he was glad he had a wife who could
'sniff fire a quarter of a mile away.'
https://archive.org/details/truestoryofm...m/mode/2up

I've never heard of this before, so I wrote Joe Di Cola and Dave Grimm about it.
Joe says it's not in "By Square & Compass" by Wayne Temple, and nothing in Lincoln Day By Day. Dave has never heard of it before either.

Any one ever heard of this?

[Steve]

The incident is mentioned in Daniel Mark Epstein's 2009 book The Lincolns: Portrait of a Marriage:

https://books.google.com/books?id=s2zlNz...22&f=false

[RJNorton]

I am pretty sure Helm's book is Epstein's source; as far as I know Mary - Wife of Lincoln is the sole source for this.

[LincolnMan]

Was there a date in the book when this incident was said to have occurred?

[Gene C]

No specific date in Katherine Helms book

[RJNorton]

Here is what expert Donna McCreary said about Katherine Helm:

"The problem is that Helm sometimes stretched the truth to make a better story."

https://rogerjnorton.com/LincolnDiscussi...m#pid67522

Personally I find the story somewhat suspect because Dr. Temple did not include it in his book on the history of the house.

[Gene C]

In the Epstein book "The Lincolns Portrait of a Marriage" cited by Steve,
on page 174-175, Epstein indicates Mary's favorite sister, Emilie, came to Springfield and visited for about six months in 1854-1855. It seems the "fire" occurred during this time period.
"I saw Mary Lincoln every day during my six months visit to Springfield".
In the book by Katherine Helm, she makes no mention of Abraham putting the fire out.

While Emilie was considered a very attractive woman,
so is her daughter Katherine, who's photo's are on Find A Grave. Katherine was also a talented painter.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/8878...erine-helm

[LincolnMan]

It’s an interesting story but like Roger I find it somewhat suspect.

[Gene C]

Me too. I suspected as much. Perhaps (don't we just love that term in dealing with history)
something in the kitchen was left on the stove, never caught fire, but filled the house up with smoke?

Which reminds me of a song. You may be more familiar with the how the Platters sang it,
but I like this version from 1942 by Connee Boswell - Smoke Gets In Your Eyes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_m1b8BYmhA

[Amy L.]

(04-16-2020 09:19 AM)Gene C Wrote:  In the Epstein book "The Lincolns Portrait of a Marriage" cited by Steve,
on page 174-175, Epstein indicates Mary's favorite sister, Emilie, came to Springfield and visited for about six months in 1854-1855. It seems the "fire" occurred during this time period.
"I saw Mary Lincoln every day during my six months visit to Springfield".
In the book by Katherine Helm, she makes no mention of Abraham putting the fire out.

Goodness! Was everyone related to everyone?
I quite randomly come across a connection between the Lincolns and the Todds.

Emilie Pariet Todd Helm's husband was the great-great grandson of one -
Mary Brook Rathbone, who supposedly helped Nancy Hanks Lincoln (served as midwife) in the birth of her son. https://de.findagrave.com/memorial/59686...y-rathbone
(Ben Helm -> John Helm -> Rebecca LaRue Helm -> Mary Rathbone)

There must surely be other connections between the Lincolns and all the big wigs (Whigs!) in Springfield. ... Funny how Kentuckians spread themselves across the Prairie.

(If I can share, I get excited when I see 'Lexington Cemetery', as for five years my kitchen looked out over it. (The Todd House was also directly in view; it's sort of across from the cemetery.) (And I had a date with my husband in the cemetery! But that disgresses a digression.))