Herndon on Lincoln: Letters

[Rob Wick]

Ida Tarbell was one of the first, if not the first, biographer to question Herndon's account of the wedding. In her articles in McClure's Magazine and later in the 1900 edition of her two-volume Life of Lincoln, Tarbell shows with detailed evidence a number of people who disputed Herndon's claim. Of course, many who generally accepted Herndon accepted his account, and Tarbell was excoriated by them, especially by Albert J. Beveridge, who had unfettered access to the Herndon-Weik collection. Yet I think Tarbell has some pretty strong evidence to back up her claims. I would also urge those interested to look at her papers for some of the material mentioned in the article and the book. Sadly, much of Tarbell's material from McClure's was destroyed in 1917.

Best
Rob

[Rob Wick]

I happened to come across this documentary that appeared in 1998 on The History Channel before it became the Anything But History Channel. It appears to have been produced in conjunction with the release of Herndon's Informants as Rodney Davis and Douglas Wilson are major figures. Also, friends of Mary might want to know that Michael Burlingame is a prominent figure as well.

Overall, I thought this was well done. It's about 1 1/2 hours long, so it will take some commitment to get through, but in the end I think it's worth it.

By the way, it starts near the end, so you'll have the back it up to the beginning. Not sure why it did that.

Best
Rob

https://youtu.be/v6iat5U8hpc

[RJNorton]

Thanks for posting the link, Rob. (The video began at the beginning on my computer.)

[Rob Wick]

Hmm. Must of just been mine when I was testing it. Thanks for letting me know.

Best
Rob

[Steve]

Rob, Thanks for the links to Tarbell discussing the "fatal first". She sure did track down quite a few friends and family of the Lincolns to check on the accuracy of the story. I was especially interested in the account of H. W. Thornton where he was able to provide proof that Lincoln had been sitting and voting in the state legislature on 01 Jan. 1841.

If the Edwards' had been throwing a New Years party/gettogether on that day and Mary announced that her engagement was over then, I suppose it's possible that in the ensuing quarter century until the first time Elizabeth gave her account of the incident she could've forgotten the New Year's context of having cakes prepared.