Extra Credit Questions

[L Verge]

George Latham, who (like Robert Lincoln) failed his Harvard exams also?

[RJNorton]

Nope, not him. The correct answer met Robert but only saw him seldomly.

[Gene C]

Did this young man study/work in Lincoln's law office?

[RJNorton]

No; the two men (Lincoln and the man in the question) only knew each other during Lincoln's years as President.

[AussieMick]

Was Mary Lincoln acquainted with this man to a greater or lesser degree than Lincoln ?

(Notice how I get several questions out of one? How sneaky is that? ... depends on the answer I guess)

[RJNorton]

As far as I know, the young man and Mary Lincoln never met each other.

[RJNorton]

Hint #2: An actor played this person in the movie Lincoln.

[Eva Elisabeth]

The Spielberg movie? A soldier? A politician? Do I understand correctly he was in his early 20s during Lincoln's presidency?

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(I am brooding to think of anyone occurring in the Lincoln movie who met Lincoln but Mary - in real life - never.)

[RJNorton]

Yes, he was in his late teens and early 20s during the Civil War. He met Abraham frequently but not Mary. Yes, I am referring to the Spielberg movie. He was not a politician. He was not a soldier who fought in battles, but he provided an important service to the military.

[AussieMick]

Christopher Miner Spencer?

[Eva Elisabeth]

Homer Bates? (I realize it is unlikely he never met Mary...)

[RJNorton]

Excellent guess, Michael, but kudos to Eva! Yes, it is David Homer Bates, author of Lincoln in the Telegraph Office. Bates worked in the War Department as part of the Military Telegraph Corps of the Army. He saw Lincoln almost daily as the President made constant visits to the War Department.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/6075...omer-bates

https://www.loc.gov/exhibits/civil-war-i...bates.html

Well done, Eva!

[RJNorton]

Andy Thomas' painting entitled The Republican Club currently hangs in the White House. He has also painted The Democratic Club. I happened to see on TV that Mr. Thomas told the interviewer who the woman is that is walking toward the Presidents' table in both paintings. This is for people who did not see the interview: who is the woman?

[LincolnMan]

The artist’s wife?

[AussieMick]

I tried to think of a woman that was both Republican and Democrat, but nothing came to mind.
Kay Summersby (Ike's chauffeur during WW2) ?