Lincoln Dining Room Chair

[RJNorton]

Tom, forum member Susan Higginbotham once posted a link you might be interested in:

http://blogs.dickinson.edu/hist-288pinsk...d-in-1860/

In Appendix C of Lincoln's Springfield Neighborhood by Bonnie E. Paull and Richard E. Hart it says (in a listing of German families living in the Lincoln neighborhood):

"Barbara Dingle (Dinker, Dinkel, Dinckel), a 35-year-old widow and native of Wurtemburg, Germany, lived on the south side of Edwards between Eighth and Ninth Streets. Living with her were eighty-eight-year-old John M. and sixty-two-year-old Margaret Margenthaler (Merguthole), also natives of Wurtemburg, Germany."

In By Square & Compass: Saga of the Lincoln Home Dr. Wayne Temple talks about the home in 1860 and mentions Mary Johnson as one roomer. He then mentions Phillip Dinkel as the second roomer.

Dr. Temple writes:

"The second roomer was Phillip Dinkle, a lad of about 15 and born in Illinois. He perhaps helped the Hon. A. Lincoln, Presidential candidate, with the household chores. Mary tended to put on airs with her elevated position, although the Presidential race changed Abraham but little.

Young Phillip's mother - Barbara Dinkel - was a widow and resided at No. 54 on the south side of Edwards Street, between Eighth and Ninth, and must have needed an additional income. She lived near enough for Mary to have learned of her misfortune and to have assisted her. Mrs. Lincoln possessed a large and kind heart.

Barbara Dinkel, in 1860, was approximately thirty-five years of age and claimed Württemberg, Germany, as her native land. In addition to Phillip, she had two younger children at home with her: George, 13, born in Illinois, and Mary, 11, also of Illinois. Two elderly relatives lived with her, too. They stemmed from Württemberg, the same as Barbara did.

Where Phillip Dinkel went after the Lincolns departed for Washington is unknown. We do know that he died in Springfield on October 25, 1865, with consumption, the same dangerous disease which had snuffed out the life of little Eddie Lincoln in 1850 and probably caused the demise of Willie Lincoln on February 20, 1862, and even Tad Lincoln later. Phillip had been the eldest son of Mrs. Dinkel and worshipped at the First Baptist Church."