Lincoln Discussion Symposium
What is in a name? - Printable Version

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What is in a name? - Donna McCreary - 06-21-2013 11:21 PM

Currently, I am once again reading Mrs. Abraham Lincoln: A Study of Her Personality and Her Influence on Lincoln by W. A. Evans which was publishsed in 1932. I noticed he makes a distinction between using the names "Mary Todd" (for when she was single) and "Mrs. Lincoln" (after she was married) He never used the name "Mary Todd Lincoln." However, William Barton wrote "Mary Todd Lincoln" in his 1927 book, The Women Lincoln Loved.
Honore Willsie Morrow's Mary Todd Lincoln, An Appreciation was published in 1928.

Since Mary never signed, or used the name "Mary Todd Lincoln," I am wondering who was the first author to refer to her as such? Obviously, by the 1920's it was more common to use "Mary Todd Lincoln."

RE: What is in a name? - RJNorton - 06-22-2013 03:59 AM

I am not sure about the first author, but I found this article from 1910. The article is from the Charleston, S.C. News and Courier dated Monday, March 7, 1910.

[Image: oldarticle.jpg]


RE: What is in a name? - Donna McCreary - 06-24-2013 11:45 PM

Thanks Roger. Newspaper articles I have read from the time of her trial refer to her only as "Mrs. Lincoln." The obituaries I have searched used "Mrs. Abraham Lincoln."

RE: What is in a name? - LincolnMan - 06-25-2013 06:04 AM

Its interesting that even today she is more apt to be referred to as Mary Todd Lincoln rather than Mary Lincoln.

RE: What is in a name? - RJNorton - 06-25-2013 06:49 AM

Isn't the same essentially also true for Robert? He never referred to himself as Robert Todd Lincoln; rather it was Robert T. Lincoln or just Robert Lincoln. When I was growing up my teachers always called him Robert Todd Lincoln.

RE: What is in a name? - Donna McCreary - 06-25-2013 11:09 AM

(06-25-2013 06:49 AM)RJNorton Wrote:  Isn't the same essentially also true for Robert? He never referred to himself as Robert Todd Lincoln; rather it was Robert T. Lincoln or just Robert Lincoln. When I was growing up my teachers always called him Robert Todd Lincoln.

Most of his documents are signed "Robert T. Lincoln," but I have found several letters, especially those addressed to family members signed "Robert Todd Lincoln."

RE: What is in a name? - RJNorton - 06-25-2013 11:20 AM

Thanks, Donna. I never realized he did that.

RE: What is in a name? - Donna McCreary - 07-13-2013 01:09 PM

In 1912, Mr. J. M. Spencer, the president of Sayre School in Lexington, Kentucky wrote a letter to Robert Todd Lincoln regarding a proposed memorial to honor Mary. The letter is written on letterhead for the "Mary Todd Lincoln Memorial." The committee formed to build the memorial included some very familar names including: Gov. John A. Dix, General Frederick D. Grant, Col. Henry Watterson, Major-General Daniel E. Sickles (who served as committee president), William O. Stoddard, and several others.

The memorial (which was never built) was to have been located on the campus of Sayre School. I think they began their work in 1910 - but not sure. Fund raising plans were made, but never finished. These plans included selling a "Mary Todd Lincoln" doll and publishing what would have been the first biography of Mary's life.

Since the memorial was to have been in Lexington, it is natural the committee included Mary's maiden name. I am still not sure if this group helped make it a common practice to add it, or if it was already the standard when referring to the First Lady.

RE: What is in a name? - LincolnMan - 07-14-2013 04:54 AM

(06-21-2013 11:21 PM)Donna McCreary Wrote:  Currently, I am once again reading Mrs. Abraham Lincoln: A Study of Her Personality and Her Influence on Lincoln by W. A. Evans which was publishsed in 1932. I noticed he makes a distinction between using the names "Mary Todd" (for when she was single) and "Mrs. Lincoln" (after she was married) He never used the name "Mary Todd Lincoln." However, William Barton wrote "Mary Todd Lincoln" in his 1927 book, The Women Lincoln Loved.
Honore Willsie Morrow's Mary Todd Lincoln, An Appreciation was published in 1928.

Since Mary never signed, or used the name "Mary Todd Lincoln," I am wondering who was the first author to refer to her as such? Obviously, by the 1920's it was more common to use "Mary Todd Lincoln."

We also refer to Robert Lincoln as "Robert Todd Lincoln." Did he sign his name that way, I wonder?

RE: What is in a name? - RJNorton - 07-14-2013 07:42 AM

Hi Bill. It appears he mostly signed Robert T. Lincoln, but Donna found several letters signed Robert Todd Lincoln.

RE: What is in a name? - Donna McCreary - 07-15-2013 04:55 PM

This question now has a firm answer . . or as firm as history can be.
The first time "Mary Todd Lincoln" appeared in print was her obituary published in the Springfield newspaper. It appears to be the only newspaper (or the only one we can find) that did this. All others said either "Mrs. Lincoln" or "Mrs. Abraham Lincoln."
We are not sure why the Springfield newspaper chose to do this -- perhaps because Robert was the Sec. of War - perhaps because so many Todd family members lived in Springfield.

Then in the late 1880's, Mary's sister, Emilie Todd Helm (who did use "Todd" in her signature) wrote a magazine article and used "Mary Todd Lincoln." Still, everyone else was using "Mrs. Lincoln" or "Mrs. Abraham Lincoln."

In 1910, the committee for the Mary Todd Lincoln Memorial was founded. They printed several phamplets and mailed them to various individuals who were considered potential donors. (see above post)
Following this campaign, newspaper articles and authors began to use "Mary Todd Lincoln." It took several years for the name to be considered 'common' , and it was never adopted by everone. It is interesting to note that Ruth Painter Randall, who used her own maiden name, did not use Mary's when writing about her.

Dr. Cornelius and I had a discussion about this topic today. He feels (as do I) that it is time to give Mary back her rightful name. She signed her name 13 different ways - and not one of her signatures include "T" or "Todd."

RE: What is in a name? - tblunk - 07-19-2013 12:00 PM

Would the addition of "Todd" be to differentiate Mrs. Abraham Lincoln from Mrs. Robert Lincoln?

RE: What is in a name? - LincolnMan - 07-19-2013 06:47 PM

Great work Donna!

RE: What is in a name? - Donna McCreary - 08-17-2013 09:27 PM

An odd signature Mary used was “Mary Ann Cuthbert.” She was actually a housekeeper at the White House. Historians believe Mary may have used this pseudonym as early as the fall of 1864 to hide some of her bills.

I have heard, but have not seen orginial documentation, that Mary used a pseudonym when living in France.

RE: What is in a name? - RJNorton - 08-18-2013 03:54 AM

Jean Baker writes that she used the pseudonym "Mrs. Tundall" while attending a séance in Boston.