An Historial History of Mary Todd Lincoln In A Nutshell

....By A Cracked Nut

I've been sitting here after reading chateycathays post on Lincoln, remembering a book I read on Mary Todd Lincoln. The first thing that comes to mind is the fact that Lincoln would probably not have become President if he had not been married to Mary who was raised in the upper crust of society and Lincoln was considered a real hayseed. Them not marrying could have truly changed the history of our country.

Mary was 1 of 7 children then when she was 4, her mother evidently became exhausted and died. Her father married again and he had 9 more children......no wonder she was considered a grouchy step-mother.....I'd probably be a bit testy myself. Mary obviously couldn't wait to leave home...she went to college then lived with a married sister.

After meeting Lincoln, getting engaged to Mary, Lincoln breaking it off...he was depressed because he was a hayseed. Oh, well, life went on then they met up again and Mary told a society friend she was going to marry Lincoln...not because he was handsome, but because she was going to see to it he became President. Another friend told Mary to have Abe grow a beard so he wouldn't be so ugly. He grew one, they got married, he did become President. They moved to Washington, 7 states seceded, Mary redecorated the White House, spent too much money, Congress got mad at her, she didn't care, the war started, she entertained but did become active in the plight of the slaves.

In the meantime, Mary and Abe had 4 sons. Mary had a series of misfortunes. In 3 years she lost her father, then her 4 yr old son to diptheria, then Abe was shot, another son died of the fever. She fell into a deep depression. Good grief, what would you expect? Eventually her only remaiing son (I can't remember what happened to the third son...gotta leave something for you to look up:) Robert, had her declared in-sane (she shouldn't have gone there) and she remained for several years till her sister got her sprung from the 'happy house'. She traveled to Europe, but was still not happy in her head. She finally took a permanent nap when she was 63....folks think she died of paralysis but was probably a stroke.

She was buried next to her husband, 3 sons, and with her thin wedding ring that said 'Love is eternal' that Lincoln had given her when they married.

The end.....An Historical History of Mary Todd Lincoln in a Nutshell.....

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(I have some days I am unable to remember if I've taken my medication but I can remember all these details from a book I read 4 or 5 years ago. What's up with that?)