Grave of James Rutledge, father of Ann

[Joe Di Cola]

Last October members from this Symposium gathered in Springfield to tour the Lincoln sites in and around that city. One of the places visited was Old Concord Cemetery, the real burial site of Ann Rutledge. In that cemetery are many of the people who befriended Lincoln and helped to shape his character.

On many previous visits to the cemetery there was no marker for Ann's father, James Rutledge. In fact, chroniclers of the burials there were uncertain as to where his grave might be located. He died only months after his daughter Ann. I have checked the records of burials for Old Concord and James's grave is not listed as one of the known ones, although he is listed as having been buried there.

In 1890 when McGrady Rutledge was helping Montgomery located Ann's grave so that he could disinter her remains and relocate them to a new cemetery located in nearby Petersburg, the grave of Ann's brother David was used as a reference point since his grave marker was there (it still is). No mention was made of Ann's father being buried next to her, although it is a distinct possibility since he died so soon after she did.

I have been in contact with one of the chronicler's of the graves and she does not know who placed the new marker indicating James Rutledge's grave or when it was placed there. It was not there when I visited Old Concord on two separate occasions in 2012. I am in contact with others in Menard County who might help me. I will let you know what I learn.

[Gene C]

If I remember correctly Joe, his marker was an engraved wooden plaque on top of a flat headstone. That and Ann's large more modern headstone were different, more recently erected, than the other markers in the cemetery. They clearly stood out from the others. Some of the other photos of the Springfield Trip may also show that.

[L Verge]

If anyone ever stumbles across the origin of Ann's middle name, "Mayes," I would love to know it. That was the original spelling of my maiden name until the U.S. Army forgot to put the "e" in on the enlistment papers of four brothers who joined back in the early-20th century.

[LincolnMan]

Joe: this is an interesting development. Please do keep us posted on what you learn!

[Joe Di Cola]

I heard today from Allan Dean, Superintendent of the Menard County Cemetery Maintenance District. He informed me that the new marker recently erected for James Rutledge is, indeed, a cenotaph to indicate that he is buried in the general vicinity, but there is no way to determne the exact location. He added that the cenotaph was erected at the request of a Mr. Ray Montgomery. While it is nice to see one of the two founders of New Salem "honored" in some way, I feel the cenotaph is an eyesore and a distraction.

Joe

[Gene C]

I agree, it certainly looked "out of place", more like a sign you would see on the side of the road. Thanks for looking into that.

[RJNorton]

I agree, too.

Joe, do you know if this Ray Montgomery is related to Samuel Montgomery (whom you mentioned in your Jan. 3 post) who died in 1928?

Here is a portion of Samuel Montgomery's obituary:

"To a casual acquaintance, Mr. Montgomery appeared a practical, methodical, conservative business man, but, on more than one occasion, a deep, underlying vein of sentiment expressed itself with a generous ardor that had far-reaching results. It was in May, 1890, that, pursuing his vocation, he discovered, beneath high tangled weeds in a neglected corner of the old Rutledge burying ground, the sunken grave of Ann Rutledge. He took a picture of it but was much disturbed about so poor a resting place for a friend of Abraham Lincoln. The sentiment took much control of his thoughts that, securing the consent of her relatives, he chose, at his own expense, the lovely spot on Oakland’s hill, and, in the presence of her cousins, disinterred the remains and removed them to the new-made grave. He desired that the marker should come, if possible, from the vicinity of New Salem, the scene of the romance, and after diligent search of the banks of Rock Creek, he found the small boulder which rests at the foot of the grave, and his friend, Charles Richter, engraved the name that marks it. Let it recall the generous spirit of Samuel Montgomery that drew repeatedly on time, strength and purse when there was wrong to right or a burden which he could help bear."

[Joe Di Cola]

I agree, too.

Joe, do you know if this Ray Montgomery is related to Samuel Montgomery (whom you mentioned in your Jan. 3 post) who died in 1928?

Here is a portion of Samuel Montgomery's obituary:

"To a casual acquaintance, Mr. Montgomery appeared a practical, methodical, conservative business man, but, on more than one occasion, a deep, underlying vein of sentiment expressed itself with a generous ardor that had far-reaching results. It was in May, 1890, that, pursuing his vocation, he discovered, beneath high tangled weeds in a neglected corner of the old Rutledge burying ground, the sunken grave of Ann Rutledge. He took a picture of it but was much disturbed about so poor a resting place for a friend of Abraham Lincoln. The sentiment took much control of his thoughts that, securing the consent of her relatives, he chose, at his own expense, the lovely spot on Oakland’s hill, and, in the presence of her cousins, disinterred the remains and removed them to the new-made grave. He desired that the marker should come, if possible, from the vicinity of New Salem, the scene of the romance, and after diligent search of the banks of Rock Creek, he found the small boulder which rests at the foot of the grave, and his friend, Charles Richter, engraved the name that marks it. Let it recall the generous spirit of Samuel Montgomery that drew repeatedly on time, strength and purse when there was wrong to right or a burden which he could help bear."

I wondered the same thing. Now I am trying to find out about the possibility of Ray being related to Samuel. It would seem, if this is true, that the Montgomery family continues to "desecrate" Old Concord Cemetery!

[LincolnMan]

I wonder if it is a bit dishonest, perhaps, to mark the grave in such a way as to cause onlookers to think that the spot is the actual resting place?

[Joe Di Cola]

I wonder if it is a bit dishonest, perhaps, to mark the grave in such a way as to cause onlookers to think that the spot is the actual resting place?

I think it is, and I am going to address that issue in my next contact with the Menard County Cemetery Assn.

[L Verge]

When we have dealt with Oak Hill Cemetery in D.C. for marking the grave of Frederick Aiken, Mrs. Surratt's lawyer, the Surratt Society had to obtain permission from a known relative of Aiken in order to do so. Luckily, Christine Christensen of this forum had done wonderful research on Aiken and knew of one such relative (the Aikens were childless) in Florida, who gave permission.

When we marked Elizabeth Keckly's grave and that of Edman Spangler, there were no known relatives to contact. My point in this is: Whoever is putting the marker, cenotaph, whatever there, did they get all the proper permissions? Would there be a Rutledge lineage today to consult?

[Montyite]

I agree, too.

Joe, do you know if this Ray Montgomery is related to Samuel Montgomery (whom you mentioned in your Jan. 3 post) who died in 1928?

Here is a portion of Samuel Montgomery's obituary:

"To a casual acquaintance, Mr. Montgomery appeared a practical, methodical, conservative business man, but, on more than one occasion, a deep, underlying vein of sentiment expressed itself with a generous ardor that had far-reaching results. It was in May, 1890, that, pursuing his vocation, he discovered, beneath high tangled weeds in a neglected corner of the old Rutledge burying ground, the sunken grave of Ann Rutledge. He took a picture of it but was much disturbed about so poor a resting place for a friend of Abraham Lincoln. The sentiment took much control of his thoughts that, securing the consent of her relatives, he chose, at his own expense, the lovely spot on Oakland’s hill, and, in the presence of her cousins, disinterred the remains and removed them to the new-made grave. He desired that the marker should come, if possible, from the vicinity of New Salem, the scene of the romance, and after diligent search of the banks of Rock Creek, he found the small boulder which rests at the foot of the grave, and his friend, Charles Richter, engraved the name that marks it. Let it recall the generous spirit of Samuel Montgomery that drew repeatedly on time, strength and purse when there was wrong to right or a burden which he could help bear."

I'm the great-grandson of Samuel Montgomery, who is buried at Oakland Cemetery along with my grandparents and father. I've researched my family tree and Ray Montgomery is NOT a relative of Samuel.

[Eva Elisabeth]

Fascinating - welcome to the forum! May I ask, what do you think/believe about the relationship between A. Lincoln and A. Rutledge respectively Herndon's claims?

[RJNorton]

John, I second Eva's welcome and would also be most interested in hearing if you have an opinion on the Ann Rutledge/Abraham Lincoln relationship.

[Montyite]

Interesting question. I do believe they knew each other - how much is up for debate. Did you read the book "The Shadows Rise - Abraham Lincoln and the Ann Rutledge Legend"? It's easy reading. According to a reviewer: In recent decades the Ann Rutledge story has been treated as mythical rather than as an account of Abraham Lincoln's first but doomed love affair. In The Shadows Rise, the first book-length treatment of the subject, John Evangelist Walsh restores Ann Rutledge to her rightful place in the historical record.

In 1945 the noted Lincoln scholar James G. Randall stated in his Lincoln biography that no real evidence existed to confirm Lincoln's love for Ann or the tales of his profound grief at her early death. Later, in the 1990s, John Y. Simon and Douglas Wilson began the rehabilitation of Rutledge with a reexamination of Herndon's papers.

Now, in The Shadows Rise, Walsh transcends and transforms recent research, re-creating the Lincoln-Rutledge story in all its dramatic fullness and depth. Along with new material and new interpretations he supplies some old-fashioned common sense. Highlights include convincing reconstructions of Lincoln's New Salem friends and Walsh's fresh examination of the Mary Owens affair, in which Lincoln's offer of marriage was refused.

The book is available on Amazon. A long overdue book.

HAPPY READING!