Willie Lincoln plaque

[Gene C]

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(09-24-2021 08:28 AM)terryw Wrote:  There is a passage in the memoir, quoting from a letter the Rev. Miner wrote his daughter Katie while visiting Washington in June 1862 and visiting the Lincolns, that states that he visited the vault in Oak Hill and the sexton opened the lid of the coffin for him to peer at Willie underneath a glass covering. He was perfectly preserved and dressed as if he were alive.
Nothing about Lincoln visiting the vault in that manuscript. I am still searching for verification of his visits from contemporary sources.

That seems like a strange thing to do, for Rev. Miner to have the lid of a coffin opened for him to peer at the remalns of a dead child, and for a sextant to do that for him, without mentioning the President.

No offense, but that seems unlikely to me. And yet, why write about it in a letter to your children if it wasn't true?
Was there anything in the letter regarding his visit to the President?

This Rev. Hill sounds like a strange person. Please let us know if you are able to verify his visit to President Lincoln.
Do you know the nature of his relationship to Lincoln?
Is it possible to post a portion of the diary where this visit and letter are mentioned?