Lincoln's Boys

[RJNorton]

Quoting from Wikipedia:

"On the afternoon of April 14, (Lucy) Hale allegedly spent the afternoon studying Spanish with Robert Lincoln, and another former admirer, John Hay, President Lincoln's assistant private secretary."

I have seen this story in some books as well but am still wondering what the source is. Has anyone seen a primary source for this?

[Wild Bill]

I have not looked at it for a decade but try: "Booth and Bob Lincoln," Chicago Daily Inter-Ocean, June 18, 1878

[RJNorton]

Thanks, Bill. That would sure seem a logical source. I just checked, and it says things like, "Among all of Bessie Hale’s admirers Booth was the most ardent and devoted, distancing all competitors except one, and that was the President’s eldest son, Robert Lincoln who was madly in love with Bessie. He courted her again and again, and wouldn’t take no for his answer."

But I could find nothing in there about Lucy (Bessie) studying Spanish with Robert Lincoln and John Hay during the afternoon of the assassination.

If I recall correctly, after this story was published in the Chicago Inter Ocean, Robert denied he had these sort of feelings for Lucy. But who knows.

[Susan Higginbotham]

In his biography of Robert Lincoln, Jason Emerson states that a biographer of John Hay named Dennett told the story of Robert Lincoln and John Hay studying Spanish on the afternoon of the assassination. Dennett doesn't mention Miss Hale as being present, and Emerson finds the story of RTL and Hay studying Spanish to be unlikely. Dennett's book is here (the studying-Spanish story, sans Lucy, is on p. 36):

https://archive.org/details/johnhayfrompoetr017987mbp

Emerson also writes that RTL "immediately, unequivocally, and publicly" denied the 1878 story that he was romantically involved with Lucy.

[RJNorton]

Thanks, Susan. Dr. Blaine Houmes wrote an article that was in Manuscripts in 2007 (Volume 59, No. 1). It was titled "Lincoln & Booth: A Love Story?" Blaine did an in-depth investigation of the relationship between Lucy Hale and Robert Lincoln. He found that the two did know each other socially, and he gave her a few gifts. However, Blaine concludes that "nothing suggests more than a friendship with Lucy Hale." Nevertheless, I still wonder if there is some sort of original source for the Spanish study group story (with Lucy present) as I have seen that "anecdote" in more places than just Wikipedia.