Christmas with the Conklings

[Susan Higginbotham]

In keeping with the festive spirit here, I thought you might enjoy this excerpt from a letter written on December 28, 1862, by Mercy Levering Conkling (Mary Lincoln's friend in Springfield) to her son Clinton, then a student at Yale:

"And when Christmas night came our tree was in full bloom with hues of all colors, not fruit or flowers, but very many beautiful articles, and gifts that gladdened the hearts of the little ones. Yes! And old ones too. . . . On the top of the tree I placed a large doll nicely dressed as the Goddess of Liberty, holding in her hand that beautiful flag you got at Baltimore, around her were scattered various devises, in the form of book marks etc." (Source: Conkling papers in the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library).

[RJNorton]

Thank you for posting this, Susan!

Unless an earlier letter has been found since the publication of the Turners' book, the earliest existing letter in Mary Lincoln's hand is a letter to Mercy Ann Levering dated July 23, 1840. It's obvious in the letter that Mary considered "Merce" a very close friend, and a person with whom she could share innermost thoughts. She never mentions Lincoln by name, but there are hints of her attachment to him.

[Thomas Kearney]

Interesting find Susan. That title reminds me of a movie. Gene, I bet you thought I was going to say song:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0388419/

[Eva Elisabeth]

Very nice and perfectly "Seasonal" Susan, thanks!