Mary Todd Lincoln by Jean Baker

[Donna McCreary]

(09-26-2019 07:12 PM)Gene C Wrote:  

(09-26-2019 09:36 AM)L Verge Wrote:  Until Gene pointed it out, I had forgotten about the reference to Mary Harlan Lincoln having a drinking problem. I don't ever remember reading that anywhere else; did I miss it in Giant in the Shadows? I've always wanted to see something in depth about Mary Harlan, mainly because I suspect she was one of the problems that contributed to how Robert handled his mother's situation.

I looked through Jason Emerson's Giant In the Shadows and was unable to find any reference to Mary Harlan and a drinking problem.

There is a footnote in Baker's book about Mary
"The evidence for Mary Harlan Lincoln's alcoholism is circumstantial, although strong. Her husband never specifically names it, although he does refer obliquely to it in a number of ways. The stories about Mary Lincoln's wanting to kidnap her granddaughter, Mamie, were partly the result of the grandmother's desire to get her away from a drunken mother."
(page 405, note 88)

I disagree with Baker's assumption that Mary Harlan Lincoln was an alcoholic. As a devote member of the Christian Science faith, she most likely followed the rules of her faith - which included non-use of alcohol. We do not know how closely MHL followed the teachings of her church, but she was devote enough to bequeath a large portion of the Lincoln estate to the church.

Several years ago, I spoke with one of the curators at Hildene who assured me the accounting books are intact. No where could he find a receipt for alcohol other than a special beer that one of their guests enjoyed. It was only purchased when that particular guest came to visit. (My memory may not be accurate on this, but I think the guest was Howard Taft.)

There is one reference to MHL serving pink champagne at a party in Mount Pleasant, Iowa. A newspaper article referenced that they drank too much pink champagne at a soiree. However, that does not mean that MHL drank it, only that it was served. There is also no indication that the newspaper reporter was correct in his comment.

The comment about "grandma's whiskey bottles in the attic" came years after MHL had passed away. Even this comment, given in haste, has to be carefully evaluated, for a disgruntled grandchild who was basically cut from the will may be inclined to say anything disrespectful about the one who did the cutting.