As far as the former President of the United States Of America is concerned, he is definitely one of the most unique and interesting, but today is not all about him. Let’s look at the story behind the man, by checking out Abraham Lincoln’s wife, his sons, and his family as a whole.
Abraham Lincoln’s Wife
Though she was married to one of America’s most popular presidents, she, in contrast, was not as popular as or even liked as a first lady. Some would say it was because she came from a privileged background and as such, she was not as relatable as her husband. Nevertheless, we should all bear in mind that she was a woman who saw a lot of pain in her life, so maybe that added to her general disposition.
Well, let’s get right to it, she was born Mary Ann Todd on December 13, 1818, to wealthy slave owners in Lexington, Kentucky. For a woman in that day and age, she received quite a stellar education and even learned how to speak French. So how did she meet her future husband? She met him when he was still an upcoming lawyer and politician, while she stayed with her married sister, Elizabeth Edwards.
Apparently, on and off relationships were also a thing back then and you best believe that Lincoln and Mary had one, but in November of 1842, the two finally tied the knot and she officially became Abraham Lincoln’s wife. She was 43 years old when she became the 16th FLOTUS and in case you were wondering exactly what made her so unpopular, it was indeed her extravagance at a time when the nation was struggling that made her so unlikeable.
All in all, she did not live a very pleasant life; her husband was shot before her eyes, only one of her four sons outlived her, she was a sickly woman and she died penniless on July 16, 1882. at the age of 63.
Abraham Lincoln’s Sons
Abraham Lincoln’s wife gave birth to four sons for him, the sad thing is that only one of them got to live up to adulthood. Nevertheless, let’s jump right in and meet them. His first son was Robert Todd Lincoln and he was the only member of their family who actually made it into the 20th century.
Robert was born on August 1, 1843, and he died on July 26, 1926. The first Lincoln child had a somewhat distant relationship with his father, nevertheless, Abraham Lincoln was proud of Robert and thought him bright, but also something of a competitor. In turn, Robert admired his father and wept openly at his death bed.
He could be counted both lucky and unlucky; lucky in the sense that he got to live out his life, get married and even sire 3 children. Then unlucky in the sense that, his mother, father or brothers were not alive to share that life with him. The next son was, Edward Baker Lincoln, named after Lincoln’s friend Edward Dickinson Baker.
Not much is known about Lincoln’s son, Eddy, as he did not make it to his fourth birthday, but there are testaments to the fact that he was a sweet little boy with a good heart. He died a month before his 4th birthday after suffering from consumption, leaving his parents devastated.
Their third son, William Wallace Lincoln, was born on December 21, 1850, and he died on February 20, 1862, at the age of 11. He was named after his mother’s brother in law, Dr. William Wallace. Willie and his younger brother Tad were considered “notorious hellions” when they lived in Springfield.
Tragedy struck in early 1962, Wille and Tad both fell ill as a result of typhoid, but Willie had a more severe case and as a result, he passed away. The whole family was scarred by the loss. Thomas “Tad” Lincoln III, was the fourth and last son that the couple had. His father gave him the nickname ‘Tad’ because he found him to be as wriggly as a tadpole when he was born.
Tad managed to outlive his father, but after living up to 18 years of age, he passed away after suffering from what has been variously referred to as tuberculosis, a pleuristic attack, pneumonia, or congestive heart failure.
Abraham Lincoln’s Family
Besides Abraham Lincoln’s wife and sons, here is a list of the rest of his family members. His parents were Nancy and Thomas Lincoln, his siblings were Sarah Lincoln Grigsby and Thomas Lincoln Jr., in addition to that, his grandchildren were Mamie Lincoln Isham, Jessie Harlan Lincoln, and Abraham Lincoln II.
