Presidents and First Ladies Trivia

[Eva Elisabeth]

Garfield's wife/widow about his death?

[Anita]

Another good guess Eva but it's not Garfield's wife.

[Eva Elisabeth]

Since they obviously didn't sleep in one room I guess the two persons possibly weren't married? Am I correct? Was/is the author male? Is the author death?

[Anita]

That's correct Eva. They weren't married. The author is male and is deceased.

[Eva Elisabeth]

Ok. So the former president was a) not married at all or b) his wife had died before him? Was his presidency in the 19th century?

[Gene C]

I doubt this is correct, but...
Elizabeth Keckley and Willie Lincoln ?

[STS Lincolnite]

Was this written by Teddy Roosevelt's physician (wouldn't know his name without looking it up). I know TR died in his sleep.

Great statement someone made after he died to the effect that death had to take TR in his sleep because if he had been awake, there would have been a fight.

[Anita]

(03-19-2024 02:32 AM)Eva Elisabeth Wrote:  Ok. So the former president was a) not married at all or b) his wife had died before him? Was his presidency in the 19th century?

a is not correct. Yes, he was a 19th century President.

To clarify- the author wasn't dead at the time he wrote the content of the quote.

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(03-19-2024 06:09 AM)Gene C Wrote:  I doubt this is correct, but...
Elizabeth Keckley and Willie Lincoln ?

A good guess Gene but it's not correct.

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(03-19-2024 08:33 AM)STS Lincolnite Wrote:  Was this written by Teddy Roosevelt's physician (wouldn't know his name without looking it up). I know TR died in his sleep.

Great statement someone made after he died to the effect that death had to take TR in his sleep because if he had been awake, there would have been a fight.

This is a great guess but not correct. Sorry for the confusion. My first reply to Eva when she asked "Is he dead?" I should have said the author is deceased but not at the time he wrote the quote.

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Hint 1. The blank_____ in the quote stands for the letter H.

[Anita]

Eva is the closest to the answer.
The quote is from a letter was written by Franklin Pierce to his sister. He is describing the circumstances of the death of his dear friend.
Who is this friend?

[Rob Wick]

I did some research on this and discovered the friend was Nathaniel Hawthorne, whom Pierce had met while in college. They were on a recuperative trip to the White Mountains when Hawthorne died.

Best
Rob

[Anita]

Yes Rob, it was Nathaniel Hawthorne!

The quote is from a letter he wrote to his sister. Pierce and Hawthorne were very close life-long friends.
See a copy of the letter and the read the circumstances that brought Piece and Hawthorne together that night.
https://www.shapell.org/historical-persp...hawthorne/

[David Lockmiller]

(03-20-2024 02:12 PM)Anita Wrote:  Yes Rob, it was Nathaniel Hawthorne!

The quote is from a letter he wrote to his sister. Pierce and Hawthorne were very close life-long friends.
See a copy of the letter and the read the circumstances that brought Piece and Hawthorne together that night.
https://www.shapell.org/historical-persp...hawthorne/

Pierce was devastated. In the handful of years left to him – lonely, sad, and increasingly alcoholic – he reread all of Hawthorne’s books.