Lincoln Discussion Symposium

Written by (former?) member Dr. Neil Gale from Oct., 2018

https://drloihjournal.blogspot.com/2018/...-life.html

I found the section about Mary's life after the White House the most interesting, such as
"10 days after Tad's death, Robert left for the Rocky Mountains, where he remained in seclusion for a month. The locale was a favored place for men who were suffering from "nervous" disorders. Robert would later express that he'd been "all used up" after his brother's death.

and "Soon, Mary was no longer welcome in Robert's house—it may have been because she learned of her daughter-in-law's struggle with alcoholism.

There is also a very nice colorized photo of Mrs Lincoln

Is there any tangible evidence that MTL's daughter-in-law was an alcoholic?

I think I've seen a lot of books which say "may have been," but I don't recall reading a book which answers this definitively.

(01-20-2024 02:53 PM)mbgross Wrote: [ -> ]Is there any tangible evidence that MTL's daughter-in-law was an alcoholic?

In a talk given by Jason Emerson several years ago in Springfield, IL, he stated that Mary's daughter in law was almost certainly NOT an alcoholic. His case was very well made. I wish now that I could remember more details.

If I remember correctly, I think the assertion that Mary Harlan Lincoln was an alcoholic came primarily from Jean Baker's biography of Mary Todd Lincoln.

If memory serves correctly, the assertion did come from Jean Baker's biography.
Years, ago I contacted the historian and Hildene to discuss whether Mary Harlan Lincoln had a problem with liquor. Their financial records show no purchases of alcoholic beverages with the exception of a particular brand of beer that one of their guests enjoyed. There is also a newspaper article from Mt. Pleasant, Iowa which stated Mrs. Lincoln served too much pink champagne at a party. This could have been a one time event.

I am not sure how her religious beliefs would have influenced her choice to drink alcohol. Members of that denomination have told me that their church preaches against the use of alcoholic beverages and any type of recreational drug. However, I am not finding anything written to support those comments. Since I do not attend services for that denomination, I am unfamiliar with their beliefs. If anyone knows the teachings of the Christian Scientist Church concerning alcohol consumption, please share the information.