"Herndon was born mediocre"

[Mike B.]

(11-29-2012 11:50 AM)Rob Wick Wrote:  

Quote:I'm inclined to believe there was not a romance between Lincoln and Ann Rutledge, because I'm just not sold on the evidence available

Tom,

Just curious as to your point of view on the Menard Axis evidence?

Best
Rob

The 1862 Menard Axis article I think by itself proves that Herndon did not make up the romance. Also, Holland's informants also told of the romance to Lincoln before Herndon began his interviews.

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(11-29-2012 11:50 AM)Rob Wick Wrote:  

Quote:I'm inclined to believe there was not a romance between Lincoln and Ann Rutledge, because I'm just not sold on the evidence available

Tom,

Just curious as to your point of view on the Menard Axis evidence?

Best
Rob

Rob, I would also direct people to Erastumus Wright's letter to Josiah Holland in July 1865, in which he mentions Lincoln and Ann and Lincoln's very sad and depressed nature at her death.

Holland was the first real Lincoln biographer.

Remember, the standard line was that Herndon invented the Ann Rutledge story to get Mary. But it seems to pre-date his interviews with people.

Lincoln was indeed very upset at her death by the unanimous testimony of people in New Salem. If Richard Lawrence Miller is right, then he even wrote a suicide poem on the 3 year anniversary of her death.

Two independent female witnesses remember Lincoln stating something along the lines of him being upset and rain and snow beating on her grave. So I assume he said something along those lines.

It may be maudlin, but it doesn't make it less true for being so.

And of course as Rob W. states this has nothing to do with if Lincoln even loved Mary. Clearly he did.