Barefoot Lincoln

[L Verge]

Many long years ago (about 30), Surratt House staff and volunteers endured a really awful book entitled The Woman Who Loved John Wilkes Booth and written by a Pamela Redford Russell. You can tell by my introduction that the Booth lover was Mary Surratt, and although the publicity claimed that Russell was praised for her style of writing, most of us termed it "trashy."

Well, hang on folks, I just ran across the title of another of Ms. Russell's books -- Barefoot Lincoln: Vinnie Ream and the President. This time, the teenage sculptress is portrayed as a love interest of Mr. Lincoln. Someone else can read it and review it...

https://www.booklending.com/~B00SNNA7X6
http://pamelaredfordrussell.com/barefoot.htm

On the second link, ignore the good-looking lady. That may have been Ms. Russell when she wrote The Woman Who Loved John Wilkes Booth, but Ms. Russell is now 68. Sorry, just had to be catty -- left over from reading the Surratt book decades ago and hating it.

[RJNorton]

I guess there may have been some "rumors" about Vinnie and General William Tecumseh Sherman during the 1870s.

"On Valentine's Day, 1873 Sherman viewed all of the Farragut models and met Vinnie when she invited him to her studio. Days later he wrote “the plaster model of Vinnie Ream struck me decidedly as the best likeness and recalled the memory of the Admiral's face and figure more perfectly than any other model.” Thus began a four year relationship between Vinnie and Sherman. Their letters were extremely flirtatious and often suggestive. He told Vinnie to write him freely and often because "I destroy your letters. You must do the same of mine for in the wrong hands suspicion would not stop short of wrong--which we must not even think of." However, Vinnie did not dispose of his letters. Sherman had more on his mind than the statue. He offered to take Vinnie for a carriage ride so they could have "the back seat to ourselves." On another occasion he took her handkerchief mistakenly but used it as an excuse to see her. He told her how bored he was at his office and wanted to come to her studio so she could sing to him. In another letter Sherman wrote,"I often think of your studio and my precious moments there and wonder if you miss me and who now has the privilege of toying with your long tresses and comforting your imaginary distresses."

http://civilwarroundtablepalmbeach.org/n...v28n9.html

[L Verge]

(01-25-2019 05:08 AM)RJNorton Wrote:  I guess there may have been some "rumors" about Vinnie and General William Tecumseh Sherman during the 1870s.

"On Valentine's Day, 1873 Sherman viewed all of the Farragut models and met Vinnie when she invited him to her studio. Days later he wrote “the plaster model of Vinnie Ream struck me decidedly as the best likeness and recalled the memory of the Admiral's face and figure more perfectly than any other model.” Thus began a four year relationship between Vinnie and Sherman. Their letters were extremely flirtatious and often suggestive. He told Vinnie to write him freely and often because "I destroy your letters. You must do the same of mine for in the wrong hands suspicion would not stop short of wrong--which we must not even think of." However, Vinnie did not dispose of his letters. Sherman had more on his mind than the statue. He offered to take Vinnie for a carriage ride so they could have "the back seat to ourselves." On another occasion he took her handkerchief mistakenly but used it as an excuse to see her. He told her how bored he was at his office and wanted to come to her studio so she could sing to him. In another letter Sherman wrote,"I often think of your studio and my precious moments there and wonder if you miss me and who now has the privilege of toying with your long tresses and comforting your imaginary distresses."

http://civilwarroundtablepalmbeach.org/n...v28n9.html

Very interesting. Also enjoyed the lengthy bio on the link.