"Stump the Yankee"

[J. Beckert]

Me too. What makes things even neater, aside from learning something new, is Dave's a Yankee. Here's the PROJECTED RESULTS.

Rebels 19
Yankee 10

[L Verge]

Bricklayer/mason is correct. However, Dave is now a transplanted Yankee into Southern Maryland.

[Dave Taylor]

While I love my new home, Laurie, I'll always consider myself a Yankee.

I still have to bow down to Terry Alford, though. Without your hint and all our guessing, I don't think I could have found out his occupation.

[J. Beckert]

Thank you very much, Dave!! I do admire your Yankee pride!!

LATEST SCORE

Rebels 19
Yankees 10

(Tell "Google" he's welcome anytime!)

[Gene C]

A bricklayer like in this song?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxaCfJfw6AY

[L Verge]

While I love my new home, Laurie, I'll always consider myself a Yankee.

I still have to bow down to Terry Alford, though. Without your hint and all our guessing, I don't think I could have found out his occupation.

OK Dave. I see that it's going to take a bit more fried chicken, corn bread, and Moon Pies to get you to change sides. Also crabs in all sorts of concoctions? Do you have any food allergies?

Speaking of Terry: I want you to pursue that hint he threw at us about Jean Anderson and her bummer of a husband. I love a good gossip topic - no matter how old it is.

[Gene C]

What good friends of Abraham and Mary Lincoln named their first daughter, Mary Lincoln -------?

[Wild Bill]

The Harlans

[Gene C]

Bill, are you refering to James and Ann Harlan, Robert Lincoln's in-laws? Robert married their daughter Mary Eunice Harlan in September,1868.
Robert and Mary did name their 1st child (who was born in October,1869) after Robert's mother Mary.

Excuse me, I should have been more specific. The couple I am thinking of had their daughter while Abraham Lincoln was still alive.

[Gene C]

Clue #1
Young Mary Lincoln ------- had three older brothers, and she was born in early 1861. From the White House, Mary Todd Lincoln acknowledged the event and presented a bonnet cap to her namesake.

[RJNorton]

Mary Lincoln Melvin Dewing

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi...d=73359902

[Gene C]

Congratualtions Roger!

Her father, Samuel Houston Melvin, was a druggist, and over the years kept poor Abraham supplied with laxative pills. After moving to Washingtonm, "Evidently he exhausted his supply from Dr. Melvin, and was determined to stop relying on laxatives, or perhaps somebody saw to it that his diet was improved. President Lincoln later divulged simply that his 'pills' had 'made him cross', and he had abandoned them. However, Lincoln must have appreciated the services of Dr. Melvin. He offered an official position with the government if the druggist so desired. Melvin declined. His own enterprises were more profitable" (Abraham Lincoln - From Skeptic to Prophet, p.97-99)

Down here at Trivia Central, we're all flushed with excitement that you got this question right. Your prize is this exciting article in Wikipedia about "Blue Mass", espeically of interest is the section at the end, "Blue Mass and Abraham Lincoln" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_mass

Since Roger is from the Chicago area, but now lives in the deep sunny south, the score between Yankees and Rebels remains unchanged.

[Wild Bill]

Stelnick claimed that John Wilkes took Blue Mass regularly in Dixie Reckoning. Wonder if he did and that had anything to do with his mood swings?

[RJNorton]

I have always read that Lincoln quit the blue pill regimen about five months into his presidency. That story from Mary Lincoln I have not seen before. I believe William Thompson (druggist) testified at the John Surratt trial. He said Herold was connected with only one prescription of Lincoln's, and that was a small vial of castor-oil, not blue mass. Offhand I cannot disprove the Wikipedia story, but I'd like to see more evidence of its veracity. My initial reaction is to be skeptical.

Bill, what you mentioned about Booth was also said of Lincoln. I have read that some of Lincoln's Illinois friends and colleagues noted that the Lincoln was prone to sudden mood swings and angry outbursts. This could be due to mercury poisoning from taking the blue mass.

[L Verge]

Stelnick also claimed that Booth used heroin and other opiates. I believe that he claimed that Booth bought these from the lead character in Dixie Reckoning, Philip Henson, while the latter was working in a general merchandise store. I remember Mr. Stelnick getting quite upset when I doubted that Booth was a true addict.

If Blue Mass and laudanum and other assorted remedies were so prevalent during the 19th century, and so widely used, our ancestors must have had serious mental and physical health problems as a result. No wonder we have continued to jump into one war after another!