Robert Todd Lincoln --The vitals

[kerry]

(01-25-2018 05:01 AM)RJNorton Wrote:  It seems a little strange to me that Matheny didn't mention the Browne incident until the mid-1880s. Herndon interviewed Matheny in 1866, and the wedding was discussed but zero mention of Browne's comment.

Many sources say Lincoln chose Matheny as his best man because he was a "close friend." To me, this is somewhat of a strange choice. As far as I know, the only time Matheny really enters the Lincoln saga in a major way is November 4, 1842. Much is written about the Lincoln/Speed friendship, but IMO not a lot about Lincoln/Matheny. Matheny apparently wasn't asked to be best man until the day of the wedding. (IMO, Dr. Temple's theory is possible...that Mary and Abraham feared Mary was pregnant, and this led to the rushed wedding.)

Can anyone give some examples of the "close" friendship between Lincoln and Matheny other than the wedding?

When I was looking for the source, I reread a lot of Herndon's interviews. Several times people name Matheny as the best person to analyze Lincoln or write a biography. They say he's the only one besides Herndon and Speed who could attempt it. So they were perceived as close, especially when younger. But then someone, I think Whitney, comments that Matheny keeps telling everyone Lincoln had no melancholy, and everyone thinks that is weird. Matheny mentions they discussed religious beliefs a lot when younger, so it seems like for a time Lincoln was very close with him.

Herndon says of Matheny, "he knew Lincoln as well as I did I think." Herndon also has an interview in which Matheny says Lincoln was very melancholy as he aged. So I don't know why he was telling others otherwise.

He says they were friends 1834-1860. "Matheny further Says — as to Lincolns Religion — that when Lincoln first Came to Springfield in 1837 — Matheny being clerk — and Lincoln's office in the same building and Lincoln & Jim being friends"