Here's a very interesting article, well worth reading:

https://www.courier-journal.com/story/ne...670424007/

Article by Guy Fraker dated 12-01-21 from Lincoln Lore

https://www.friendsofthelincolncollectio...lem-years/

My wife and I visited in June 2019. I haven't visited many Lincoln sites, just his Springfield home, his tomb, and the library and museum in Springfield. But this courthouse visit was quite an experience, to stand where Lincoln stood. Not approximately as at other sites but precisely where he was. And there were no other visitors at the time of our visit.
Luckily, we are only 3 hours away by car, and 2 1/2 to Springfield. But a visit to this courthouse is very highly recommended.

I came across this interesting article discussing Abraham Lincoln's relationship with his father which I thought some might find interesting:

https://www.sj-r.com/story/news/2022/01/...268907002/

This podcast has a few dry sections to it, but it also has some interesting insights into the influence Robert Burns may have had on Lincoln's heart and mind.
It's about 28 minutes long.

Near the end, there are some comments I found interesting regarding Mary's visit to Scotland after Lincoln's death.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lctUx4CP-Cs
(The 1600 Sessions Podcast)

In looking at the Allegheny College collection of Tarbell documents, I noticed they uploaded some more, many of which deal with Lincoln. One of the documents is a 39 page manuscript that are recollections of a sister of Ann Rutledge, Nancy Cameron Rutledge Prewitt. In addition, there are reminisces of William Beck, son of Sarah Evans Beck, who was the proprietress of the Globe Tavern in Springfield Illinois, where Lincoln and Mary Todd Lincoln lived for the first two years of their marriage.

The document, which I will link to at the end, is handwritten. It looks to me to be part of Tarbell's research for her McClure's series on Lincoln, which became Tarbell's first book on Lincoln, The Early Life of Abraham Lincoln.

I've just started reading the manuscript, but five pages in, I came across something that I've never heard before. Admittedly, I haven't read everything on Ann, but this is the first time I've even heard this suggested.

There's a great many things written on Annie that are not true. One of them is that her death was caused by [unintelligible] about a former lover named McNeill. She had broken entirely with McNeill before he left New Salem and her heart was centered upon Lincoln.

In doing some quick internet research, I came across this on the Find-A-Grave website about Nancy.

Daughter of James Rutledge*, a miller at New Salem, Il. The Rutledge family were friends with Abraham Lincoln and the older daughter Ann Rutledge was rumored to be a close friend of Abraham Lincoln as well.

Nancy Rutledge spent her early years in White County in Illinois and at New Salem in Menard County, Illinois. She came to Van Buren county in Iowa with her mother, Mary Ann Rutledge, in 1836 or so.

In 1846 or so she married Anthony T Prewitt. She was the mother of four children, of which two were surviving as of 1901: Rev. A.M. Prewitt at Downey, California and Will S Prewitt in Fairfield, Iowa. She also helped raise four children that were born to her husband during his first marriage.

Nancy Prewitt was a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church and lived closely by its teachings.

The Rev. H.O. Spelman had charge of the funeral services, and was assisted by Rev. J.F. Magill.


There is more to this, if someone is so inclined.

When I first read this, I thought that it was suggesting that Ann was murdered. Further reading, though, makes me realize that she is talking about Ann dying of a broken heart over McNeill. I have edited my post and changed the headline to reflect this.

Best
Rob

https://dspace.allegheny.edu/handle/10456/48749

Via the World Wide Internets, came across a very interesting topic –

'What can we learn about Abraham Lincoln from his taste in music?'
https://www.kennedy-center.org/education...and-music/

Not too lengthy, researched content, insightful, etc. (I think organized by Tamara Keith from NPR)

This watch is soon to be auctioned by Heritage Auctions. It tells quite a story about Lincoln's engagement breakup to Mary and other false history.

https://historical.ha.com/itm/political/...ion-071515

Here is an interesting copy of notes from an interview with Mrs. Josiah Crawford about a young Abraham Lincoln, from the Indiana Historical Society.
Her husband loaned Lincoln the book "Weems Life Of Washington", which was damaged while Lincoln had it. Josiah had him work for three days to compensate for the damage.

It was interesting to learn that Josiah appears to have been only 7 years older than Abraham.

https://images.indianahistory.org/digita...006/id/62/

A photo of Elizabeth Crawford is on her Find A Grave website
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/4705...h-crawford

The Newsletter of the Abraham Lincoln Association, "For the People" Winter 2020,
has an article by Guy Fraker titled "Lincoln's Curious String of New Salem Romances"

https://abrahamlincolnassociation.org/wp...0-2021.pdf page 7


In the article it mentions " Recent research by Kathy Bazzoli of the
Sharpsteen Museum in Calistoga, California, suggests a subsequent romance
with another New Salem charmer, Susan Reid. It provides evidence of the
extended reach of the story of Lincoln’s early life.......

"The courtship that ensued included horseback rides, and attendance at
church and Sunday school together. She noted Lincoln’s honesty and lack of guile, but said he was “homely,” “very awkward,” and “very bashful.” She
also called him a “queer fellow,” because he was so “superstitious.” Lincoln proposed to her twice, but she quickly rejected both.

So what's the source of this interesting detail of Lincoln's personal life?
An interview with Susan by the San Francisco Call in May 22, 1897.
She was 82 by that time. The only other newspaper that picked up the news was the Iowa Register on June 4. No other newspaper seemed to reprint the story.
(I'm wrong about the other newspapers - see Steve's post)

And according to Guy Fraker..."Contemporary evidence confirms that
they did know each other. Lincoln and Boyce had fought side-by-side in the
Black Hawk War. Later they joined in signing petitions related to roads in the
area. In July 1837, Lincoln represented Susan’s father, Louis Reed (sic), in the
case of Reed v. Fleming, in which Reed sought money damages. The case ended in a hung jury. Both Susan Boyce and William P. Boyce were listed as witnesses
(Susan had married William on June 18, 1837)
Mr. Fraker does not reveal what the contemporary evidence is.

I was skeptical about this part of his article. How could this important detail about Lincoln's life have remained hidden for so long. So I turned to our New Salem expert, the author of "New Salem - A History of Lincoln's Alma Mater" written by forum member Joe Di Cola. Joe noticed she's not mentioned in 'Herndon's Informants", nor is she mentioned in Benjamin Thomas's book "Lincoln's New Salem." Joe didn't mention her or her parents either in his book.

I checked "Lincoln Day By Day" by William Baringer for July, 1837 and the law case of Reed vs Fleming isn't mentioned. That may not mean much, but it would have been nice had it been listed.

I also noticed the newspaper refers to Susan 'Reid', but Gut Fraker refers to her father as Louis 'Reed (sic)'

So I've gone from being skeptical to highly skeptical.
I'm still open minded to listen to something that might verify the newspaper's story interview.
Maybe someone can find the newspaper article that the researcher Kathy Bazzoli found, the one Guy Fraker refers to.
What's your opinion on this?