Did Vinnie Ream visit the White House daily for 5 months?

[RJNorton]

(02-04-2017 06:24 PM)Eva Elisabeth Wrote:  Do Julia Taft's visits have entries on the Lincoln log or any contemporary sources except for her book?

Yes, there are a few references to the Taft family. One reference is July 4, 1861, when "Lincoln endorses Horatio N. Taft, Jr., to be a page boy "as he is a play-mate of my little boys."

(02-04-2017 08:26 PM)L Verge Wrote:  Does Winkler give a citation for his source?

Yes. He cites The Midland Monthly, November, 1897. Also, he lists the Topeka State Journal, July 4, 1903, page 13.

(02-04-2017 08:26 PM)L Verge Wrote:  Maybe I am misreading the lines in the book about Vinnie, but it appears that Vinnie was still trying to get a commission from Congress to do the sculpture in 1866, when writing to Mary Lincoln. IF (and I'm thinking it is a big "if") she ever visited with President Lincoln, maybe it was just to discuss the project with him and do preliminary drawings?

In 1864-1865 she did a bust of Lincoln. At that time she did not know of the $10,000 commission that would be awarded by Congress in 1866 for a statue of Lincoln. Her Lincoln statue was unveiled on January 25, 1871.