Trivia Question

[Ray McKoski]

On February 12, 1849, Abraham Lincoln wrote to his friend Judge David Davis thanking Davis for his letter of January 24, because it was only the second letter that Lincoln received during his term as Congressman that inquired about Lincoln’s personal wellbeing. (A sad commentary in itself.) Below is a section of the letter. Who was the second person who wrote to Lincoln inquiring about Lincoln personally? I don’t know. Does anyone know or can anyone make an educated guess who that second letter was from?

“Your letter of the 24th Jany. is received; and I have more cause to thank you for it, than you would suppose. Out of more than three hundred letters received this session, yours is the second one manifesting the least interest for me personally.” (Lincoln to David Davis, February 12, 1849)

[RJNorton]

Just a guess, Ray, but I might lean to Herndon or Joshua Speed.

[AussieMick]

I'd go with Joshua Speed, too.

[Rob Wick]

I don't know if this is it, but on December 7, 1848, Thomas Lincoln, through John D. Johnston, wrote Lincoln the following.

Dear Son
I will in form you I and the old womman is in the best of health at this time and Soe is all of the relations at presants I belive I injay as good health at this time as I have for many years past and I hope these few Lines will find you enjoying the same State of health, I was gratly in hopes that you would have Came a past here on your way to washington as I wished to see you, but as you faild to come a past, I am compeled to make a request by Letter to you for the Lone[Loan] of, Twenty Dollars, which Sum I am compeld to rayes[raise], or my Land will besold, I have beged time Till I could wright to you for you to Lend me that a mount of money by Letter Lend it to me if you can, for neither I nor Johnston can rayes it for we have nothing that will bring money, I doe expect you will think strang at this request, for that much money & it was eaquely as strange to me & John when I was cold an for it not Long sence for it was an old Transcript of a bout eigh years standing that we thought was paid Long a goe & Still think so, but we have Lost the recpt[receipt] if we ever had won[one], & all, the Plantif & officers Denies it ever being paid so we have it to pay a gain
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and I now[know] you Cant aprciate the reluctance that I have made this request of you for money but I am compled to Doe so & I hope you will grant it, & excuse me for Soe Doing and I am in hopes & will be a ble to make you requempence[recompense] for all of your favours, I sopous[suppose] it would be of sattisfaction to you now how I have Disposed of them notes you gave me, the one on James Gill I got the money for & the one Robert Mattison I tried to Sell it for 15$ in cash and coudent[couldn't] Doe it So James M Miller offerd John Twenty Dollars in goods at his Trade prices & Monroe advised him to take it, so he Sold it to him with out recourse on any bodey & the two Small notes we ar Likely not to do much with, but I am glad that I have Lived to see a nuther Whig Presadent a Lected & hope Live to see monarcha or Locofoco principals Crumble to Dust be of good cheer four you ar on a good cous[course] and I think old Zak will make all things right, we have rased this summar as much as fifty bushels of corne to the Acer & our Wheat was very good,
Your Father in hasteThos Lincoln

It was only just a few weeks later that Davis sent Lincoln the letter asking about his health, so if it had been Thomas, it would have been fresh in Lincoln's mind. I can't imagine that Lincoln would have remembered anything like that if he had received over 300 letters up to that point.

Best
Rob

[Gene C]

Thanks Rob for the interesting post. Thomas Lincoln would have been about 69-70 years old when this letter was written.

Not to go off the main subject, but here is a short article written by Ed Steers titled "Thomas Lincoln and the Shiftless Father Myth" from the Lincoln Group of Washington's web site - https://www.lincolnian.org/post/thomas-l...ather-myth

[Steve]

The text of the letter would seem to belie some of Steer's arguments.

[Ray McKoski]

Good guesses. My first thought was Mary Lincoln until I remembered that Mary lived with her husband in Washington while he was in Congress. Next was Joshua Speed. Speed’s and Lincoln’s letters were often very personal and Speed wrote Lincoln on February 1, 1842 (letter not found). I did not think of Thomas Lincoln. Thanks for his letter. Thanks for all the great comments. Ray