Lincoln Discussion Symposium

This should be a difficult one, so I will give you a clue to begin with. This person has something to do with Ida M. Tarbell. Who is he?



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Best
Rob

Second clue.

He was a lawyer, but not Tarbell's lawyer.

Best
Rob

She was in the textbook I used when I taught 8th grade. My memory is fading; it's been over 15 years now. Did Rockefeller and Standard Oil fight her in court? Is this a lawyer for Rockefeller?

Roger,

Good guess, but no. He had nothing to do with Standard Oil or John D. Rockefeller. He does have something to do with Lincoln.

Best
Rob

Clue three.

Although he knew Tarbell for several years, his greatest importance came when she was writing her Lincoln articles for McClure's Magazine.

Best
Rob

Any excuse to thumb through Merrill Peterson's excellent book is always enjoyable. I may have missed it, but I still couldn't find the answer specifically. But I see the name J. McCan Davis mentioned, so I will guess him.

You are correct Roger. You win a year's free legal service provided by Mr. Davis. His office is now located in beautiful Oak Ridge Cemetery.

From the 1904 History of Sangamon County:

Mr. Davis has achieved distinction by his contributions to the literature pertaining to Abraham Lincoln. His newspaper writings on this subject, based on original research, attracted the attention of McClure's Magazine, which was then (1895) about to undertake the publication of a series of Lincoln papers under the editorial direction of Miss Ida M. Tarbell of New York, and he was invited to prepare several papers touching the early life of the Great Emancipator, more particularly the six years which he had spent at the pioneer village of New Salem. A change in the plan and scope of the work necessitated the use of Mr. Davis' material, in a more or less fragmentary way, throughout the series. The larger part of the Illinois material was contributed by him. In the course of the work he made many important discoveries, particularly of Lincoln documents and letters hitherto unpublished. In 1900 the Century Magazine published from his pen an article based on information furnished by the late Governor Richard J. Oglesby, giving for the first time the true history of the "rail movement" of 1860, which was so important a factor in the nomination and election of Lincoln to the presidency. In 1901 he brought out "A. Lincoln - His Book" - a most unique publication, being a reproduction in facsimile of a diminutive scrapbook made up by Lincoln, with annotations in his own handwriting, for the use of Captain James N. Brown, a candidate for the legislature in 1858.

Good job, Roger!

Best
Rob

Thanks, Rob. The last time I was at that cemetery was 1994 with 240 screaming 8th graders. This sounds more pleasant and less likely to raise the ol' blood pressure.

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Who is this fellow who has a connection with Ida Tarbell?

Best
Rob

(09-01-2012 09:42 AM)Rob Wick Wrote: [ -> ]

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Who is this fellow who has a connection with Ida Tarbell?

Best
Rob

An older Lincoln Steffens?

Good guess Joe, but it's not Steffens.

Best
Rob

Chic Sale who was in The Perfect Tribute, but I don't know the connection to Ida Tarbell.

Geesh, Roger. You're the master.

It is indeed Chic Sale. His connection with Tarbell came with his dramatization of her book "He Knew Lincoln." Sale had the most successful run of the play doing the Billy Brown stories.

Here is a picture of Sale as he normally looked.



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How did you know it was Sale, Roger?

Best
Rob

I think Bill would agree with me that we both have the advantage of having answered folks' questions through our Lincoln websites. I had seen the picture you posted when someone once wrote and asked about The Perfect Tribute which was a 1930's movie based on the book by Mary R. Shipman Andrews. Andrews' book was once used in schools, but I don't think it is anymore. Anyway when I was researching the movie and Chic Sale I came across the same picture you posted.

Way to go Roger. You're the king!

Best
Rob

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OK, since Roger nailed that one, here's another one, although it has nothing to do with Lincoln.

Tarbell was often lauded for being a pioneer where women are concerned. What was the irony here?

Best
Rob