Did Ann Rutledge die because of John McNeill?

[Rob Wick]

In looking at the Allegheny College collection of Tarbell documents, I noticed they uploaded some more, many of which deal with Lincoln. One of the documents is a 39 page manuscript that are recollections of a sister of Ann Rutledge, Nancy Cameron Rutledge Prewitt. In addition, there are reminisces of William Beck, son of Sarah Evans Beck, who was the proprietress of the Globe Tavern in Springfield Illinois, where Lincoln and Mary Todd Lincoln lived for the first two years of their marriage.

The document, which I will link to at the end, is handwritten. It looks to me to be part of Tarbell's research for her McClure's series on Lincoln, which became Tarbell's first book on Lincoln, The Early Life of Abraham Lincoln.

I've just started reading the manuscript, but five pages in, I came across something that I've never heard before. Admittedly, I haven't read everything on Ann, but this is the first time I've even heard this suggested.

There's a great many things written on Annie that are not true. One of them is that her death was caused by [unintelligible] about a former lover named McNeill. She had broken entirely with McNeill before he left New Salem and her heart was centered upon Lincoln.

In doing some quick internet research, I came across this on the Find-A-Grave website about Nancy.

Daughter of James Rutledge*, a miller at New Salem, Il. The Rutledge family were friends with Abraham Lincoln and the older daughter Ann Rutledge was rumored to be a close friend of Abraham Lincoln as well.

Nancy Rutledge spent her early years in White County in Illinois and at New Salem in Menard County, Illinois. She came to Van Buren county in Iowa with her mother, Mary Ann Rutledge, in 1836 or so.

In 1846 or so she married Anthony T Prewitt. She was the mother of four children, of which two were surviving as of 1901: Rev. A.M. Prewitt at Downey, California and Will S Prewitt in Fairfield, Iowa. She also helped raise four children that were born to her husband during his first marriage.

Nancy Prewitt was a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church and lived closely by its teachings.

The Rev. H.O. Spelman had charge of the funeral services, and was assisted by Rev. J.F. Magill.


There is more to this, if someone is so inclined.

When I first read this, I thought that it was suggesting that Ann was murdered. Further reading, though, makes me realize that she is talking about Ann dying of a broken heart over McNeill. I have edited my post and changed the headline to reflect this.

Best
Rob

https://dspace.allegheny.edu/handle/10456/48749

[GustD45]

Rob,
This definitely sheds a lot of light on Ida Tarbell's research on Mr. Lincoln. This is a great find and a great area of research into Lincoln's early life in Illinois.

[RJNorton]

Elizabeth Rutledge, Ann's aunt, said that if Ann had lived "she would have married McNamar (McNeil), or rather she thinks that Ann liked him a little the best, though McNamar (McNeil) had been absent in Ohio for nearly two years."

Source: p. 73 of The Shadows Rise by John Evangelist Walsh.

Most books I have seen place McNamar (McNeil) in New York, not Ohio, during this time away from New Salem. McNamar used the name McNeil when he came to New Salem.

Based on my reading I do think the definite majority of Ann's relatives and New Salem inhabitants felt just the opposite of Elizabeth Rutledge...which is that Ann preferred Lincoln over McNamar. Elizabeth Rutledge's opinion seems to be in a pretty small number of relatives who felt the way she did.

[David Lockmiller]

(01-17-2022 05:45 AM)RJNorton Wrote:  Elizabeth Rutledge, Ann's aunt, said that if Ann had lived "she would have married McNamar (McNeil), or rather she thinks that Ann liked him a little the best, though McNamar (McNeil) had been absent in Ohio for nearly two years."

Source: p. 73 of The Shadows Rise by John Evangelist Walsh.

Most books I have seen place McNamar (McNeil) in New York, not Ohio, during this time away from New Salem. McNamar changed his name to McNeil when he first came to New Salem from New York.

Based on my reading I do think the definite majority of Ann's relatives and New Salem inhabitants felt just the opposite of Elizabeth Rutledge...which is that Ann preferred Lincoln over McNamar. Elizabeth Rutledge's opinion seems to be in a pretty small number of relatives who felt the way she did.

I agree.

[Steve]

Thanks for sharing this Rob, I'll definitely check it out!

For anybody interested in more information about 19th century "brain fever" diagnosis, check out this article:

https://daily.jstor.org/did-victorians-r...ain-fever/