Where did the Lincolns live after the Globe Tavern?

[Rob Wick]

Well, I think you're all going to be disappointed.

I got the letters from the Beveridge Papers, and all that Burlingame wrote is pretty much all that's in the letter.

Jacob C. Thompson was the assistant superintendent of Springfield schools. He and Beveridge wrote to each other numerous times. I had my researcher scan all the letters, and they total over 90 pages. Here is the letter in its entirety.

May 19, 1925

Hon. Albert J. Beveridge
Indianapolis, Indiana

Dear Beveridge:

I am returning chapter vi to you in separate cover. The chapter is not only entertaining but well balanced throughout. I have made some marginal notes and beg leave to submit the following:

Page 25. It was Speed's mother, not his wife as is generally understood, who gave the Oxford bible to Mr. Lincoln. Speed was unmarried at this time. Your text is right and a foot-note will make the matter clear if you think it is deserved.

Page 63. James H. Matheny and Beverly Powell (if I have the name right) stood up with Lincoln while Julia Jayne and Anne Rodney acted as bride's maids. Anne Rodney was the sister of the wife of congressman May. There were in fact but 2 bride's maids, altho half a dozen bride's maids have died since I came to Springfield.

Page 64. Mr. and Mrs. Lincoln remained at the Globe Tavern for only a short time after Bob was born August 1, 1843. Bob cried so much he annoyed the other boarders. The Lincolns then moved to a small 1 story frame house at 214 South 4th street, where the Argus Hotel now stands where they remained until they moved into the Lincoln home at 8th and Jackson streets sometime in May 1844. Bowen's Home of Lincoln; statement of George Helme to the writer. The little 1 story frame house stood very near the street; so does the home at 8th and Jackson; this was done to give more room on the lots for vegetable gardens.

Please accept the foregoing for whatever it may be wroth and believe me to be

Yours sincerely
J.C. Thompson

How little the house mattered to Beveridge is shown by the fact that he does not respond to Thompson's mention of it.

Bowen's Home of Lincoln that Thompson referenced was a paper presented to the Lincoln Centennial Association by A.L. Bowen on February 12, 1925. Here is a link to that article. Be aware, however, that several pages are missing. I found nothing that mentioned specifically the Fourth Street house.

It seems to me from this evidence that either Thompson or Helme was Barton's source for the information that appeared in his biography. I would almost think Helme would be the likely candidate. Of course, the only way to be certain would be to look at Barton's correspondence from about 1922 up to 1925 when he was working on the Lincoln book. Despite my hunch, it could very well be someone completely different.

Best
Rob

[Steve]

Hopefully sometime in the future, the University, wealthy Lincoln enthusiasts, or a kickstarter campaign will digitize the Barton papers for ease of use/access for researchers ...but don't expect that to happen anytime this century.

[Rob Wick]

That would be nice, although I wouldn't hold my breath. I once asked a librarian there what the likelihood would be that the University would digitize them, and he replied it would be very unlikely. The demand just isn't there. However, the library did digitize some thirteen boxes of what it calls "Lincoln Miscellaneous Manuscripts 1587-1924" from Barton's papers. It's possible there could be something in there.

As an aside, one is left to wonder how many documents in this collection were purchased by Barton compared to the number stolen by him. The Lucy Hanks marriage document WAS stolen by Barton. He once told noted Lincoln collector Daniel Fish, who had declined to purchase a copy of a book that Barton filched from a theological seminary library, that if he had any scruples against stealing something from a theological seminary, Fish would never become a serious Lincoln collector.

Here's the link to the U of C collection.

Best
Rob

[Steve]

(05-22-2018 10:03 AM)Rob Wick Wrote:  That would be nice, although I wouldn't hold my breath. I once asked a librarian there what the likelihood would be that the University would digitize them, and he replied it would be very unlikely. The demand just isn't there. However, the library did digitize some thirteen boxes of what it calls "Lincoln Miscellaneous Manuscripts 1587-1924" from Barton's papers. It's possible there could be something in there.

As an aside, one is left to wonder how many documents in this collection were purchased by Barton compared to the number stolen by him. The Lucy Hanks marriage document WAS stolen by Barton. He once told noted Lincoln collector Daniel Fish, who had declined to purchase a copy of a book that Barton filched from a theological seminary library, that if he had any scruples against stealing something from a theological seminary, Fish would never become a serious Lincoln collector.

Here's the link to the U of C collection.

Best
Rob

Thanks for the link. I had never heard about Barton stealing documents before! I wonder what those whom he preached to as a minister would think if they knew.

[Gene C]

(05-22-2018 12:39 PM)Steve Wrote:  Thanks for the link. I had never heard about Barton stealing documents before! I wonder what those whom he preached to as a minister would think if they knew.

Not to be confused with Lauriston Bullard, antique book thief, Pulitzer Prize winner, Lincoln scholar and author, and former minister (He resigned when the thefts were discovered).
https://quod.lib.umich.edu/j/jala/262986...w=fulltext

We all make mistakes. Some are just a bit more public than others.

[Steve]

(05-22-2018 01:26 PM)Gene C Wrote:  Not to be confused with Lauriston Bullard, antique book thief, Pulitzer Prize winner, Lincoln scholar and author, and former minister (He resigned when the thefts were discovered).
https://quod.lib.umich.edu/j/jala/262986...w=fulltext

Bullard and Barton both wrote books on the Bixby letter, as well.

[Rob Wick]

Although I can't speak for Bullard's reputation (the only negative thing I've heard about him, in addition to the book thievery, was Carl Sandburg calling him a "fuddy duddy"), Barton was intensely disliked by several in the Lincoln community. Paul Angle had very few kind things to say about Barton privately, and after the Wilma Minor affair, had even less Positive things to say. Sandburg had little use for Barton. Even Ida Tarbell, who rarely had anything negative to say about anyone, acknowledged that Barton wasn't her favorite person, although she did so in a much kinder fashion that most. If you read what happened to Barton after his wife died regarding Wilma Minor, it would give you a much different picture of the good reverend.

Best
Rob

[Gene C]

Burton's wife of 40 years had passed away about three years prior to his first meeting Wilma. It is my understanding she liked to flirt.

This exert from American Heritage Magazine - "Lincoln's Lost Love Letters by Don Ferenbacher
https://www.americanheritage.com/content...ve-letters

Meanwhile, Dr. Barton was making a trip to California, and on November 12, by prior arrangement, he met Miss Minor for an hour in the Los Angeles train station. Each found the other charming. Barton welcomed her to the fellowship of Lincoln writers and said nothing about the doubts he had expressed to Sedgwick. He also invited her to visit him at his summer home in Massachusetts. Wilma, in turn, told him how much she had relied upon his books and presented him inscribed photostats of some of her Lincoln letters. A lonely man since the death of his wife three years earlier, Barton scribbled an affectionate note to Wilma soon after boarding the eastbound Sunset Limited. “What a lively little adventure we had,” he exclaimed. “It was very pleasant to meet you as the train pulled in this morning and to have an hour’s visit and to learn all the interesting news you had to tell me! And you are going to write me ever so many love-letters and I shall inlay them in your book later. And when you are in Boston in the summer you are to call me up at Foxboro, only twenty-five miles out, and come and sleep under my pines and see my Lincoln material and swim in my little lake. Tell your mother I made love to you and hope to do it again. And write me very soon and often. …”

In spite of this foolishness, Barton was no fool where Lincoln documents were concerned. On the trip back to Nashville, he made a careful study of the photostats given him by Miss Minor and concluded that the letters were spurious. Yet, in writing to Sedgwick on November 15, he continued to balance his misgivings with a cordial hope that the collection would prove to be authentic.