Lincoln and his father-in-law

[kerry]

(05-20-2018 09:34 AM)Susan Higginbotham Wrote:  

(05-20-2018 02:39 AM)kerry Wrote:  I believe in "House of Abraham" by Stephen Berry, there is mention that Lincoln wrote to Robert Todd to ask for Mary's hand instead of going through Ninian, and he wrote to Ninian "Who is Abraham Lincoln?" It may be a different book. The document does not exist - it was family lore. Always thought that was kind of interesting.

It is a different book. There's nothing in Berry that I can see about Lincoln writing to Robert Todd; indeed, Berry has Lincoln and Mary reconciling in Jacksonville and marrying five weeks later only "two hours after their decision to wed." (He's also in the camp that Lincoln married out of guilt for breaking their engagement, not for love.)

Hmm can't find the book I read that in. I was confusing the mention in Berry's book of the letters from Ninian "from before your marriage" that he seemed to be blackmailing Lincoln with during the War - that was quite an odd passage.

Not to belabor the endless discussion of marrying for honor versus love, but I believe Speed told Herndon he married for honor, which to me seems at odds with their whole exchange. Speed confirms that he's happily in a loving marriage to Fanny, so Lincoln suddenly marries for honor? He could have done that without any such reassurance.