Extra Credit Questions

[RJNorton]

Many thanks to Joe Di Cola for sending photos of the gravestones of Abraham Lincoln's grandparents. I am posting them here and will also use them on my Lincoln website.

[RJNorton]

The Roll family kept Fido while the Lincolns were in Washington. But it was another person who informed the Lincolns in 1863 that Fido was doing fine while they were away. What was his name?

[RJNorton]

Hint #1:

[Joe Di Cola]

William Florville, Lincoln's barber.

[RJNorton]

You got it, Joe! Late in 1863 he wrote the Lincolns. In his letter he said, "Tell Taddy that his (and Willys) Dog is alive and Kicking doing well he stays mostly at John E. Rolls with his Boys who are about the size now that Tad & Willy were when they left for Washington."

I have a very small pamphlet titled "The Legend of Fido 1861 - Lincoln's Old Yaller Dog" by L.Y. Smith. I have totally forgotten how I happened to obtain it many years ago.

[RJNorton]

In 1856 the Lincolns raised their home to a full two stories. How much did they pay for this construction?

Sketch of the Lincolns' home prior to the addition

[Craig Hipkins]

Roger, I just read about this in A. Lincoln, but without cheating I cannot remember the actual amount! For some reason I want to say $5,000?

Craig

[LincolnMan]

$1,300? And wasn't there some playful trickery involved on Mary's part in the job?

[RJNorton]

Yes, $1300 is exactly correct! Very good, Bill. And, yes, I have read that about Mary.

Like Joe Di Cola you have won one free overnight stay in the Lincoln Home! Just contact the National Park Service and make your reservation. Kudos.

[Donna McCreary]

Trickery? Mary? Gentlemen, please remember your Victorian manners. While I have not seen the actual documents, I have been told by staff at the Lincoln Home that all of the work orders were signed by Abraham before he went off with his fellow lawyers for a little "road trip." Not only did Mary have to deal with her boys and the everyday household chores, she had a mass of contractors and construction workers descend upon her. The very thought of it gives me a headache.

[LincolnMan]

Donna: thanks for the clarification. I don't remember where I read that story-but like so many Lincoln tales I doubted it was true. Nice having you with the Forum to keep us in line.

[Gene C]

From my wife's personal experience sometimes contractors, mechanics, salespeople and others try to take advantage of women and their kinder, gentle nature. And is sometimes the case, Mary may have given them more than they bargained for. She was one sharp lady and they may have underestimated her. (if it ever happened)

[Joe Di Cola]

If you have not read Wayne Temple's BY SQUARE & COMPASSES: THE BUILDING OF LINCOLN'S HOME it is a wonderful account about the changes made to the Lincoln home over the years. Another small volume (but possibly out-of-print) is THE SEVENTEEN YEARS AT EIGHTH AND JACKSON by Thomas J. Dyba and George L. Painter.

[RJNorton]

Craig, I used the book Joe mentioned. On p. 93 it says $1,300. The footnote reads Daily Illinois State Journal, January 6, 1857, page 2, column 6.

The book is perhaps not as well known as Dr. Temple's From Skeptic to Prophet, but it is a fascinating read.

[Rob Wick]

Wayne Temple, or "Doc" as he is affectionately known, is quite a character. He contacted me after hearing that I was going to present my paper on Sandburg and Randall and sent me an article he wrote on Randall. He read over my paper and kept me from making some mistakes. We spoke at length about Randall and Sandburg during the conference and he sat in on my presentation.

He was Randall's last research assistant, and if I'm not mistaken, he is one of only two students of Randall still living.

Doc was the person who informed Sandburg that Randall was near death and asked him to visit Randall one last time. He said that Ruth Painter Randall was furious with him for telling Sandburg, as Randall was trying to hide his illness from people, although I imagine Sandburg's last visit with Randall did much for Randall's spirits.

Doc, who is still working, is chief deputy director of the Illinois State Archives. He is 88. Here's an article on him.