Lincoln Discussion Symposium

Full Version: Presidents and First Ladies Trivia
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Excellent, Steve! Indeed George Clinton was the Vice-President when Abraham Lincoln was born.
Two ex-Presidents viewed Abraham Lincoln's funeral train as it wended its way to Springfield. Who were they?
Fillmore and Van Buren
Bill, you got one correct - Fillmore. The other was not Van Buren. Can you, or anyone, name the other one?
Based on the train's route and this ex-President's home state, I'll say Buchanan.
Young Teddy Roosevelt in New York - there's a photo of him watching it from a window. (Ops, not the train though, just the procession.)
Steve, you are correct. Buchanan waited in his carriage for the train in Lancaster, PA., and Fillmore awaited the train as it arrived in Batavia, NY.

Eva, you are commended for your reply, but the question asked for ex-Presidents, not future ones.
Many thanks to Bill Binzel for submitting this trivia question:

What was the name of the physician who is believed to have assisted in the birth of Mary Ann Todd, the future Mrs. Lincoln, and beyond the delivery of his wife, how was the physician associated with President Lincoln?
(11-17-2022 02:59 PM)RJNorton Wrote: [ -> ]Many thanks to Bill Binzel for submitting this trivia question:

What was the name of the physician who is believed to have assisted in the birth of Mary Ann Todd, the future Mrs. Lincoln, and beyond the delivery of his wife, how was the physician associated with President Lincoln?

Roger got the answer to the first part of the question, and Eva found the answer to the second part. I am not going to post them for a couple of days in the event that others want to attempt to find them as well.
Again, kudos to Roger and Eva who found the answers to this very tough trivia question.

Elisha Warfield, Jr., is attributed to be the physician who attended the birth of Mary Ann Todd in 1818; and his connection to President Lincoln is that his daughter, Mary Jane Warfield, married Cassius Marcellus Clay, a political friend of Lincoln's, and whom Lincoln appointed U.S. Minister to Russia.
Dr. Elisha Warfield Jr., was married to Mary "Marie" Barr. Her sister married Judge David Todd, the older brother of Robert Smith Todd who was the father to Mary Lincoln. This made Dr. Warfield, Jr. an uncle by marriage to Mary. Thus, Mary Jane Warfield was not only a close childhood friend of Mary's, but also her cousin.
When Lincoln appointed Mary Jane's husband, Cassius Marcellus Clay, U.S. Minister to Russia, he was just keeping it all in the family.

It's too bad that Cassius Clay could not maintain family relationships. He had an affair in Russia which resulted in the birth of his son, Henry L. Clay. After 45 yeas of marriage, Cassius and Mary Jane were divorced. She was no longer willing to tolerate his extra-marital affairs.
I think I read they made people Minister to Russia when they wanted to get rid of them.
But, but -- Wasn't Cassius Marcellus Clay a leading figure? A Republican from Kentucky - Did he work hard on the 1860 campaign? Was he genuinely 'due' a position?

Just to share, The True American is available online.
Abigail Adams wrote the following about a man:

"I found him social, but not talkative, and when he spoke something useful dropped from his tongue; he was grave, yet pleasant, and affable."

She was writing about whom? (not her husband)
Thomas Jefferson
Alexander Hamilton ?
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