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LincolnMan · 07-26-2012, 08:28 AM

I've heard a couple versions of the account. One says Lincoln didn't want to go to Ford's Theater that night (April 14th), but Mary Lincoln insisted. In this scenario, Mary becomes the scapegoat for the murder (like she had enough to deal with already!). In another version, Mary didn't really want to go but Lincoln felt that they must go as it had been published in the paper that they would be attending. Lincoln didn't want to let the public down. Thus, in this scenario, Lincoln was killed giving his complete "all" to the public-even though he wanted to stay home that evening. I'm sure there are other variations of what happened.

BettyO · 07-26-2012, 08:54 AM

(07-26-2012 08:28 AM)LincolnMan Wrote: I've heard a couple versions of the account. One says Lincoln didn't want to go to Ford's Theater that night (April 14th), but Mary Lincoln insisted. In this scenario, Mary becomes the scapegoat for the murder (like she had enough to deal with already!). In another version, Mary didn't really want to go but Lincoln felt that they must go as it had been published in the paper that they would be attending. Lincoln didn't want to let the public down. Thus, in this scenario, Lincoln was killed giving his complete "all" to the public-even though he wanted to stay home that evening. I'm sure there are other variations of what happened.

Hey, Bill!

From what I've always heard/read, Lincoln wasn't crazy about going to the theatre that night. Mary desperately wanted to go. General Grant demurred because Mrs. Grant did not want to be in Mrs. Lincoln's company from what I heard. They were also going out of town to visit their children.... I don't know about the Lamon Hill's? Anyone know why the man "who could break pokers over his arm" reneged?

J. Beckert · (This post was last modified: 07-26-2012 02:13 PM by J. Beckert.)

Lamon was in Virginia, I believe. I remember hearing Mary had one of her migraines and Lincoln insisted they go.

The man who could break pokers over his arm was Eckert. I think Stanton made sure he couldn't go to dissuade Lincoln himself from attending. No?

Dr. Todd Descendant · 11-17-2012, 04:08 AM

Newbie Alert!
I've read many, no where NEAR all, of the messages posted to this forum, and feel like a toddler in a room full of adults who are discussing the meaning of life.
My great, great-grandfather, Dr. Geo. Brainard Todd stated in the letter to his brother that, "Yesterday, about 3P.M. the President and wife drove down to the Navy Yard and paid our ship a visit, going all over her, accompanied by us all. Both seemed very happy and so expressed themselves, glad that this war was over, or so near its end, and then drove back to the White House. In the evening nearly all of us went to Fords Theatre."
The Lincoln's seemed to have been in a good mood, so I am a little surprised to hear someone state that the president didn't want to attend the play, although I'm sure being tired is a good enough reason. Why the belief in Abe's hesitancy to attend?

Jim Garrett · 11-17-2012, 08:03 AM

(11-17-2012 04:08 AM)Dr. Todd Descendant Wrote: Newbie Alert!
I've read many, no where NEAR all, of the messages posted to this forum, and feel like a toddler in a room full of adults who are discussing the meaning of life.
My great, great-grandfather, Dr. Geo. Brainard Todd stated in the letter to his brother that, "Yesterday, about 3P.M. the President and wife drove down to the Navy Yard and paid our ship a visit, going all over her, accompanied by us all. Both seemed very happy and so expressed themselves, glad that this war was over, or so near its end, and then drove back to the White House. In the evening nearly all of us went to Fords Theatre."
The Lincoln's seemed to have been in a good mood, so I am a little surprised to hear someone state that the president didn't want to attend the play, although I'm sure being tired is a good enough reason. Why the belief in Abe's hesitancy to attend?

Welcome to the group Todd descendant! Was Dr. Todd at the theatre? AL wanted to go to the theatre. I think he had hoped for a leisurely day (being Good Friday). However the needs of the office kept him pretty busy. I think he was tird and that was the reason he may have wanted to beg off. At 8:00pm, the time the performance was starting, AL was still in his office seeing people and when he left at about 8:15, he still had three or four people following him out to the carriage.

So while AL did say he wanted to stay back, it didn't take alot of nudging for him to follow through.

Dr. Todd Descendant · 11-17-2012, 08:11 AM

(11-17-2012 08:03 AM)Jim Garrett Wrote: Welcome to the group Todd descendant! Was Dr. Todd at the theatre? AL wanted to go to the theatre. I think he had hoped for a leisurely day (being Good Friday). However the needs of the office kept him pretty busy. I think he was tird and that was the reason he may have wanted to beg off. At 8:00pm, the time the performance was starting, AL was still in his office seeing people and when he left at about 8:15, he still had three or four people following him out to the carriage.

So while AL did say he wanted to stay back, it didn't take alot of nudging for him to follow through.

Thanks for the welcome and reply. Yes, Dr. Todd was in attendance that evening. He wrote a letter to his brother, Henry Perine Todd, which describes what he saw in Ford's Theater that night. If interested, you can view the letter which is located on my family tree site's page http://www.bjpeters.com/bj/documents/For...Letter.htm .

Jim Garrett · 11-17-2012, 08:24 AM

(11-17-2012 08:11 AM)Dr. Todd Descendant Wrote:
(11-17-2012 08:03 AM)Jim Garrett Wrote: Welcome to the group Todd descendant! Was Dr. Todd at the theatre? AL wanted to go to the theatre. I think he had hoped for a leisurely day (being Good Friday). However the needs of the office kept him pretty busy. I think he was tird and that was the reason he may have wanted to beg off. At 8:00pm, the time the performance was starting, AL was still in his office seeing people and when he left at about 8:15, he still had three or four people following him out to the carriage.

So while AL did say he wanted to stay back, it didn't take alot of nudging for him to follow through.

Thanks for the welcome and reply. Yes, Dr. Todd was in attendance that evening. He wrote a letter to his brother, Henry Perine Todd, which describes what he saw in Ford's Theater that night. If interested, you can view the letter which is located on my family tree site's page http://www.bjpeters.com/bj/documents/For...Letter.htm .

I'm trying to beat Rich Smyth here.....Where is he buried? Do you have a picture of him, and/or a picture of his grave?

Rsmyth · 11-17-2012, 08:29 AM

Jim, the answer to both is yes. You can check Todd descendants excellent family genealogy page. BTW - the letter referred to has the earliest example of the term "Bro" that I have seen used. Lol.

Jim Garrett · 11-17-2012, 08:35 AM

(11-17-2012 08:29 AM)Rsmyth Wrote: Jim, the answer to both is yes. You can check Todd descendants excellent family genealogy page. BTW - the letter referred to has the earliest example of the term "Bro" that I have seen used. Lol.

Well Rich, I'm a day late and a dollar short.

Dr. Todd Descendant · (This post was last modified: 11-17-2012 09:01 AM by Dr. Todd Descendant.)

(11-17-2012 08:29 AM)Rsmyth Wrote: Jim, the answer to both is yes. You can check Todd descendants excellent family genealogy page. BTW - the letter referred to has the earliest example of the term "Bro" that I have seen used. Lol.

Reference to use of "bro" is quite funny. I'm sure either Dr. Todd missed placing the period of the abbreviation in the emotional state he was in, or as you suggest, he was simply ahead of his time...lol

Thanks for the compliment on the site. I strive to make it as user friendly as possible. I recommend all who have bothered to research their ancestry to place their family tree online. It helps if you know how to create the site and maintain it of course. I can't imagine what the cost might be if you had to hire someone to "do" it for you. I've been blessed with many, many distant cousins who have found the site, and shared what I've shared with you this morning.

Not to go TOO off topic, I've been equally as blessed on my dad's side of the family in regards to the Civil War era. One of my 2nd great grandfathers on my dad's side was a delegate representing Baltimore city in Maryland's 2nd Constitutional Convention. He voted to outlaw slavery in the state. Get your family trees online guys.

(11-17-2012 08:03 AM)Jim Garrett Wrote: I'm trying to beat Rich Smyth here.....Where is he buried? Do you have a picture of him, and/or a picture of his grave?

I forgot to reply to your ques. about Dr. Todd's burial place. It's rather strange that there are tombstones in two widely separated places. Dr. Todd lived in his father's household in Onondaga County, NY before entering the Union Army, and then the Navy. There is a tombstone in the Fayetteville cemetery there, but there is also mention in the military pension application stating that he's buried at Loudon Park Cemetery in Plot 519 of the Bethel section of the cemetery in Baltimore city, MD.

RJNorton · 11-17-2012, 09:35 AM

(11-17-2012 04:08 AM)Dr. Todd Descendant Wrote: The Lincoln's seemed to have been in a good mood, so I am a little surprised to hear someone state that the president didn't want to attend the play, although I'm sure being tired is a good enough reason. Why the belief in Abe's hesitancy to attend?

Hi BJ and welcome to the forum. I believe one of the sources for this is William H. Crook. Crook wrote that Lincoln said, "It has been advertised that we will be there, and I cannot disappoint the people. Otherwise I would not go. I do not want to go." This is on p. 67 of Crook's book entitled Through Five Administrations.

I must add, however, that several highly respected historians do not regard Crook as a reliable source. Among these folks are Ed Steers and William Hanchett. Crook's reminisces have been studied and are regarded as not trustworthy.

Dr. Todd Descendant · 11-17-2012, 09:48 AM

(11-17-2012 09:35 AM)RJNorton Wrote:
(11-17-2012 04:08 AM)Dr. Todd Descendant Wrote: The Lincoln's seemed to have been in a good mood, so I am a little surprised to hear someone state that the president didn't want to attend the play, although I'm sure being tired is a good enough reason. Why the belief in Abe's hesitancy to attend?

Hi BJ and welcome to the forum. I believe one of the sources for this is William H. Crook. Crook wrote that Lincoln said, "It has been advertised that we will be there, and I cannot disappoint the people. Otherwise I would not go. I do not want to go." This is on p. 67 of Crook's book entitled Through Five Administrations.

I must add, however, that several highly respected historians do not regard Crook as a reliable source. Among these folks are Ed Steers and William Hanchett. Crook's reminisces have been studied and are regarded as not trustworthy.

Thank you for that information. Unfortunately, the same is found in the realm of genealogy. Rather than simply stating facts and truth, many feel the need to embellish or mislead.

LincolnMan · 11-17-2012, 12:56 PM

Welcome! Roger, you are correct that Mr. Crook seems to be the primary source for the thinking that AL did not want to go to the theater. I've also wondered about Crook's observation that Lincoln said "goodbye" instead of "goodnight." Did Lincoln really say "goodbye?" if so, can we really attach that much meaning to it?

Ashley Norman · 11-17-2012, 02:51 PM

(07-26-2012 08:28 AM)LincolnMan Wrote: I've heard a couple versions of the account. One says Lincoln didn't want to go to Ford's Theater that night (April 14th), but Mary Lincoln insisted. In this scenario, Mary becomes the scapegoat for the murder (like she had enough to deal with already!). In another version, Mary didn't really want to go but Lincoln felt that they must go as it had been published in the paper that they would be attending. Lincoln didn't want to let the public down. Thus, in this scenario, Lincoln was killed giving his complete "all" to the public-even though he wanted to stay home that evening. I'm sure there are other variations of what happened.

I dont think it was a matter of that they didnt want to go I think it was more of i want to go but the odds aren't loking good we have so many friends backing out at the last minute like a bad omen sort of thing. there were apprehensions but Abe wanted to to sort of relaxe his mind and go for a good time . he and Mary enjoyed the theater greatly.

Rsmyth · 11-17-2012, 03:03 PM

Hello Todd decendent.
I am curious about Geo. B. Todd and his two markers. The doctor had two children who are both buried at Loundon Park including most of their children. One of Dr. Frederick Perine Todd's children George B. Todd (1900 - 1937) (George Brainard Todd's grandson) is buried at Loundon. Could that be the listing or is there another?