Echoes From Hospital and White House

[Susan Higginbotham]

(12-05-2017 06:14 AM)RJNorton Wrote:  

(12-04-2017 10:39 PM)kerry Wrote:  The nurse Maria Hall says she was there for a while until Pomeroy arrived, but it seems like Pomeroy arrived right after Willie's death. I can't quite figure out that timeline. It doesn't appear they were doing shifts, and Pomeroy stayed 14 weeks.

Kerry, I have never heard the name Maria Hall before. I do not believe I've seen her name in any book I own. Do you (or anyone on the forum) know if there is any independent verification that she tended to Tad other than her own word in "Lincoln Cheers his Sick Boy?" I have no reason to believe that she made her story up - just wondering if anyone else saw her at the White House or mentioned her in memoirs. Rebecca Pomroy is mentioned in lots of books; I cannot say the same for Maria Hall (Mrs. Lucas Richards).

I have a transcript of an unsigned letter dated March 27, 1862, furnished to me by Harvard University's library that is supposed to have been written by Rebecca Pomroy, but I believe it to have been written by someone else. First, the writer states, "Miss Dix spoke to him of me. said I looked young to take charge of Tad. etc., but that she had more confidence in me than in some twice my age. etc." That would not be Mrs. Pomroy, who was well into middle age. Second, an earlier letter is dated from Indiana Hospital, which as far as I know was not Pomroy's hospital. Third, the writer did stay only a short time: "I left on Saturday morning the 22nd. and stayed at home all day and Sunday, being quite worn out with my two Vigils. Monday.I went back again--saw Willie shrouded for the grave and laid covered with flowers for the last sad offices of earth. Then I stayed until Thursday about noon and as the boy was much better and indeed was never willing to have ~one but "pa" or "Aunt Mary" [a White House servant] do anything for him. I left him." I think this could very well be Maria Hall.