Lincoln and Ann Rutledge

[Eva Elisabeth]

David, regarding Robert's service, as for the President I agreed. No, I wouldn't understand ANY mother who carried and bore a child and brought it up, whose FIRST INHERENT thought was not to protect her child, whether First Lady or not. (And, as I also said, I'm quite sure if she had instantly agreed it would have been turned against her, too.)

Eva, I wanted to know if you are going to provide an analysis of the relationship of William S. Wood and Mary Lincoln, wife of the President of the United States, sometime soon.

David, in my post I already gave the answer:

I've never read this, nor expected such. Would you believe such ("possibly more") ever happened? In other words: Did Mary ever have an affair or was seriously "in danger of"? What was (in your opinion) her mindset like in this regard?

...no, I was looking for opinions.

I just asked her if she found anything to suggest a "meaningful" relationship with Mrs. Lincoln. She emphatically said, "NO!" There were references to their being friends, but nothing deeper.

Thanks Laurie. David, you make a relationship out of "possibly more", so far nothing but a baseless rumor, without giving any proof!
David, also please look at post #78. There I already quoted AND commented exactly this:

"It is true -- true indeed I did," Lincoln replied, if Cogdal's memory can be trusted. "I loved the woman dearly and soundly: she was a handsome girl -- would have made a good loving wife. . . . I did honestly and truly love the girl and think often -- often of her now."

Seemingly this discussion starts to go in circles. And I wish you had commented on Abraham Lincoln's own, written words in his letter to Mary which I quoted in post #98 as I think they are more reliable than any accounts by others. (And I was really curious about your personal thoughts, not a quote, expicitly on this letter).
However, as I said it seems starting to go in circles, and I second what Laurie worded so well (as I agree on her entire post!!!):

I still maintain that no author of yore or of today can adequately get into the minds of either Abe or Mary to figure out what made their marriage tick. And little snippets of gossip, family thoughts, etc. are not going to give a clear picture. No matter which side of the coin you toss -- love or hate -- it's all going to be based on speculation. Let the dead rest in peace.

...and add once more "in dubio pro reo".