What would you ask?

[cirvine]

Hello, I'm the person referred to above as contacting Roger Norton about Mary Lincoln's travels to Lake Superior. She did in fact travel on a steamer up from Chicago to Bayfield, WI, in the late summer of 1867. I wrote an article about this trip which was published in the Summer 2012 issue of the Wisconsin Magazine of History. It is not yet available online at their website but will soon be. I do have some photocopies of the article if anyone is interested. It was very interesting uncovering details about this little known chapter in her life and I'm indebted to several librarians and archivists without whom I wouldn't have had enough info to create an article. But yes, according to newspaper accounts of the time, she did make this trip, accompanied by Tad, and did visit several Wisconsin and Michigan towns along the way. I'm still interested in researching more about her so find this discussion group very interesting. So thank you Roger for inviting me to join this group!
Cyndy Irvine

[LincolnMan]

Hi Cyndy: this is Bill. Thanks for updating on the status of the availability of the article on-line. Will you let us know? Thank you for your work on it-and welcome to the Discussion Board!

[RJNorton]

Hi Cyndy and welcome to the discussion site. I know several people who are going to love this new information! Kudos on all your research! Based on what you said, I am assuming the article will be online at a future date. I hope you will post the link when it is available. Many thanks!

(Sorry, Bill, I think I was writing my post when you posted yours. It looks like I almost copied your post!)

[BettyO]

Welcome aboard Cyndy! I'm anxious to read about your studies and findings!

[Jim Garrett]

(08-18-2012 12:36 PM)L Verge Wrote:  Thank you, Donna, for such a well-thought-out answer to both questions. As you may or may not know, Surratt House Museum and its wonderful volunteer affiliate, the Surratt Society, undertook the project of marking Elizabeth Keckly's grave in National Harmony Cemetery in 2010. Mrs. Keckly's remains had been removed to this new cemetery in the 1950s, but her tombstone did not come with her.

For years, we thought that she might be in a mass grave, in an unknown plot, or whatever - until Rich Smyth of this forum found a cooperative staff member at National Harmony who found the paperwork. He approached us, and the fundraising ($6000) began. We got support not only from our Society members, but also the Lincoln Forum and the Black Women United for Action of Fairfax, Virginia.

In the meantime, the research librarian at Surratt House did a monumental job of nailing down correct history on Mrs. Keckly. That effort has subsequently led to Surratt House nominating and winning recognition for Mrs. Keckly in the Network to Freedom Initiative of the National Park Service based on her help in feeding and clothing the contraband who poured into Washington during and after the war. Our help has also been sought recently by the proposed new Smithsonian museum on African American history as they prepare exhibits. Mrs. Keckly will be featured in the field of fashion design -- the route that bought her freedom and friendship within the Lincoln White House.

One more question: I believe that Mrs. Lincoln requested Keckly's presence at the Petersen House on the night of the assassination, but the courier could not find the lady's home. There was another friend of Mrs. Lincoln who did come, I think, but I can't remember her name. Who was she and what was her friendship like with Mary Lincoln?

Hi Laurie: MTL had requested Elizabeth Keckley who, did go to the White House looking for Mrs. Lincoln. Ms. Keckley didn't know where to find MTL, but when she finally went to the Petersen House, she couldn't either get near the house because of the crowd, or was not allowed admittance.

MTL was comforted by Elizabeth Dixon, wife of Sen. James Dixon of Connecticut and her sister, Mary Kinney. I think it was probably futile to try to comfort MTL. I believe she was almost catatonic by the time Mrs. Dixon and her sister arrive. MTL, by this time, had more grief than she could possibly begin to tolerate. I find her the most tragic first lady. At that moment, she was isolated from all, for the rest of her life.

[cirvine]

(10-15-2012 01:10 PM)RJNorton Wrote:  Hi Cyndy and welcome to the discussion site. I know several people who are going to love this new information! Kudos on all your research! Based on what you said, I am assuming the article will be online at a future date. I hope you will post the link when it is available. Many thanks!

(Sorry, Bill, I think I was writing my post when you posted yours. It looks like I almost copied your post!)

---

Hello Roger and all,
Here is the link to my article about Mary Lincoln and her Lake Superior travels, which appeared in the Wisconsin Magazine of History last summer. I'd be interested to hear anyone's comments, am always anxious to hear anything about Mary Lincoln. I'm just learning how this symposium and the postings work so hope this comes through okay.

http://content.wisconsinhistory.org/cdm/...1050/rec/3

Cyndy Irvine

[RJNorton]

Cyndy, kudos on your research and article! As far as I know you have uncovered information on a trip that no Mary Lincoln biographer mentions. I remember you wrote me in 2010, and I told you I could find no mention of such a trip. Your perseverance is incredible, and you can be proud of all your original research that no one else that I know of has ever written about!

[Matt Macoubrie]

Why didn't you just go to Grover's theatre that night?!?!?!? In all seriousness, I would ask her if she was interested in psychology (whatever it was at the time - or ask her about psychology today and see if it would interest her)

[HerbS]

Hi and welcome Cyndy! I would ask Mary if she wanted help and I would be more than willing to LISTEN to her.

[LincolnMan]

Cyndy: great work! Those places in Michigan are where I go every summer two or three times. Its cool knowing the Lincoln connection. My computer is down right now but when it revives-I would like to make a posting on my Lincoln blog about your article. Again, great work.

[cirvine]

(04-09-2013 08:19 AM)LincolnMan Wrote:  Cyndy: great work! Those places in Michigan are where I go every summer two or three times. Its cool knowing the Lincoln connection. My computer is down right now but when it revives-I would like to make a posting on my Lincoln blog about your article. Again, great work.

Thank you Bill. I love your Lincoln blog, it's wonderful. I'd be honored to be mentioned there.
Cyndy

[LincolnMan]

Will do!

[LincolnMan]

I completed a very brief posting on my Lincoln blog regarding Mary Lincoln's Lake Superior region travels as detailed in Cyndy's article. Please see: http://abesblogcabin.org/did-mary-lincol...ior-region
Thanks again Cyndy!

[HerbS]

Great Blog-Remember, that I went to Western Michigan University and have many friends from Muskegon to the UP.Michigan is my adopted state!-Herb

[LincolnMan]

Herb: I love your Michigan connection! I guess we can call each other "homies."