Lincoln and Ann Rutledge

[Rob Wick]

Bill,

It was in an interview that Cogdal gave to Herndon.

I Knew Abe Lincoln the first week he came to Salem in 1831 — June or July. He Kept Store for Offutt in Salem in 1831 & 2. — Saw Offutts goods opened — Lincoln boarded with Jas Rutledge at the time he was a Clk of Offutt. Rutledge lived in Salem — Kept tavern — small frame one story house made of Clap boards — fronting south and on the Main street — which East & west — but one Street in town — house had 4 rooms. The house was on the north side of the Main Street — fronting South [1] The first book I ever Saw in L's hand was Blackstone — in 1832 — He surveyed for Calhoun & Neal — one in 1834 to 1836 — the other from 1836 to 1838, I think — Salem was a great place for fighting and Lincoln was called the Peace Maker: he always interfered. He became acquainted with Miss Ann Rutledge in 1831 — 2, & 3: he courted her — and after he was Elected Presdt. he said to me one day — "Ike Call at my office in the State house about an hour by sun down. The Company will then all be gone"

Cogdale went according to request & Sure Enough the Company dropt off one by one — his, Ls, Clerk included.

"I want to enquire about old times and old acquaintances" Said Lincoln. He then said — "When we lived in Salem there were the Greens, Potters Armstrongs — & Rutledges. These folks have got scattered all over the world — some are dead. Where are Rutledges — Greens — &c."

"After we had spoken over old times — persons — Circumstances — in which he showed wonderful memory I then dare to ask him this question —

May I now in turn ask you one question Lincoln Said Cogdale Most assuredly. I will answer your question if a fair one with all my heart. then it was that he answered — as follows [2]

Abe is it true that you fell in love with & courted Ann Rutledge" Said Cogdale. Lincoln said, "it is true — true indeed I did. I have loved the name of Rutledge to this day. I have Kept my mind on their movements ever since & love them dearly" — said L

Abe — Is it true — Said Cogdale, that you ran a little wild about the matter:

I did really — I run off the track: it was my first. I loved the woman dearly & sacredly: she was a handsome girl — would have made a good loving wife — was natural & quite intellectual, though not highly Educated — I did honestly — & truly love the girl & think often — often of her now."

Bakers praire comes up — on the East side of the river just Even with Salem — a little north — The forest on the hill eastward joins Bakers prairie and is East & South of Salem — The Able [3] house was a frame house — it is the same house under the hill now: it was once on the top of the hill — fronted East — looked into Bakers Prairie —

Library of Congress: Herndon-Weik Collection. Manuscript Division. Library of Congress. Washington, D.C. 3856 — 57; Huntington Library: LN2408 1:469 — 71

Tripp called Cogdal's recollections fraudulent. J.G. Randall said that he didn't believe them either, saying that Lincoln disliked being called "Abe" and that no one would have done so.

Best
Rob

[LincolnMan]

Rob: very interesting account! Are you inclined to accept it as true? It sounds legit to me, who knows...

[Rob Wick]

Bill,

I imagine Cogdal "spruced up" the commentary a little, but I don't really see any thing to sustain Tripp's calling it "fraudulent."

Best
Rob

[Ashley Norman]

I'm way behind on this one but I don't doubt that Ann was a real fling but her involvment wit hAbraham may be one to question. It's possible that it happened the way they say and i would love to see more of tha story if ever found. It only makes me wonder the depth of the realtionship they had.

[GARY POPOLO]

I have read a number of books that have told the story of Lincoln and Miss Rutledge. I don't know why this story draws so much attention. Lincoln was human just like the rest of us. Haven't we all had that one person when we were young that we feel in love with believing this was the one we would spend the rest of our life with? I would like to believe that Lincoln did have such a relationship. Think of the way things would have turned out for Lincoln had Miss Rutledge not died!

[Gene C]

(11-22-2012 01:48 PM)GARY POPOLO Wrote:  Haven't we all had that one person when we were young that we feel in love with believing this was the one we would spend the rest of our life with?

And they call it "puppy love"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyXzwtIlZyg

thanks Donny!

Fido

[LincolnMan]

Gene: I prefer the Paul Anka version of Puppy Love. I was already a teenager when Donny Osmond did the cover- but was into FM Radio stuff-which, at the time, was cutting edge!

Fido: Is that your favorite tune? Or is it Gonna Buy Me A Dog by the Monkees?

[LincolnMan]

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Fido: Here you go!

Dig those crazy bell-bottoms. Man, I bet Donny can't believe he wore those!

[Laurie Verge]

I cana't believe that I once wore hip hugging bell bottoms!!!

[Ashley Norman]

(07-18-2012 04:38 PM)Rob Wick Wrote:  Just curious as to what members here think of the Ann Rutledge story?

1. I think it's a nice story, but no real proof so I think it's spurious.
2. I think it likely happened the way it's been reported.
3. I'm not sure.
4. No one will ever know.

Best
Rob

I think there is some truth to it I Know there was for sure an Anne Rutledge< not weather or not it was exactly how the media published was another issues but I do think that there was a relationship between the two.

[Thomas Thorne]

#2-It likely happened the way it was reported
Tom

[Liz Rosenthal]

I believe the Ann Rutledge story.

We do know that it first appeared in a newspaper in 1862, before Herndon had done any snooping around.

And the people that Herndon interviewed about it seemed pretty certain, particularly members of the Rutledge family.

Of course Lincoln must have had at least a crush on someone before he met Mary Todd - or before he met Mary Owens! This sort of thing happens to everybody.

(I haven't read Tripp's book, but he apparently preferred to discount anything that didn't tend to "prove" that Lincoln was gay. And Randall apparently was skeptical of evidence gathered through oral histories. As Douglas Wilson pointed out, oral histories have finally been recognized as vital to understanding the past; sometimes they are our only link to the past!)

The only thing I am skeptical about is Herndon's assertion that Ann Rutledge was Lincoln's only true love. That is a conclusion he reached independently of the facts he gathered and may have been colored by his dislike of Mary Todd Lincoln.

[RJNorton]

Congratulations to forum member Tom Emery on his latest published article. This one is about Abraham Lincoln and Ann Rutledge and is online here.

[Rob Wick]

Excellent overview of both sides, Tom. First class!

Best
Rob

[LincolnMan]

Well done Tom- and nice mention of our own Mr. Norton!