Figure 1.--Willie is pictured here about 5 of age, probably about 1856. He wears a simple cut-away jacket and , white Eton collar with long pants. Note how the jacket only has one button. It falls away at the bottom.

The Lincoln's third son, William Wallace Lincoln ("Willie"), was born on December 21, 1850, a few month's after Eddie's tragic death. Willie was named in honor of Dr. William Wallace, a minister who had married Mary Todd's sister Frances. Willie soon became his mother and father's favorite. He had a much more playful disposition than his older brother Robert. He probably reminded the grieving parents of Eddie and helped ease their tragic loss. Willie was soon the apple of his father's eye. By all accounts he was a delightful boy, but with a thoughtful side Unfortunately, there are only few images of Willie. Many more were taken of Tad, most after his brother's death. When he tragically died in the White House, the President and First Lady were again devastated--Mary never really recovered. No First Lady has exoerienced such tragic loses.

Infancy

Willie was born a few months after Eddie's tragic death. He was the Lincoln's third son. The baby's happy, cheerful disposition undoubtedly aided his parents in recovering from the tragic loss of Eddie.

Personality

Willie was named in honor of Dr. William Wallace, a minister who had married Mary Todd's sister Frances. Willie soon became his mother and father's favorite. He had a much more playful disposition than his older brother Robert. He probably reminded the grieving parents of Eddie. Willie was soon the apple of his father's eye. By all accounts he was a delightful, but thoughtful boy. A teenager close to the family, Julia Taft, described Willie as 'the most lovable boy I ever knew, bright, sensible, sweet-tempered and gentle-mannered.' His mother after his death described him, "... he was a very beautiful boy, with a most spiritual expression of face. He was a most particularly religious child, with a great amiability & cheerfulness of character." [M. Lincoln letter, December 8, 1865.] Willie was much more thoughtful than his rambunctious younger brother, Tad. Once when after moving intoi the White House, Tad had broken a mirror, Willie scolded him. "The mirror does not belong to father," Willie explained, "it belongs to the United States Government." Willie soon became his mother and father's favorite. He was the apple of his father's eye.

Parents

The Lincolns were involved, caring parents. Even Mary who was had many detractors, was never accused of being anything but a loving mother. The boys by the time the Kincoklns moved into the White House were a handful. The Lincolns both had very difficult childhoods. Abraham Lincoln grew up in grinding poverty and no real opportunity or comfortable living conditions. Mary was born into a prosperous family and cared for by slaves, but she lost her mother at an early age and came under the care of an unsympathetic step-mother. As a result, both were predesposed to ensure that their children would have very different childhoods. The Lincoln boys were subjected to very little discipline, unusual for the dy. n fact, Mary was furious when a newspaper article accused her of threatening to whip one of the boys. In a letter she claims that not only did she never disciplined the boys--but they never needed it. [M.L. letter to Mr. Williamson, June 15, 1985.] The first assertion seems to be accurate, the latter is questionable. Mary would did mention in her letters that the 'boys prone to be noisy'. [M. Lincoln letter to Hannah Shearer, January 1, 1860.] The boys ran wild and climbed all over the furniture at home. Even modern permissive parents would have taken note. Contemporary parents were often shocked at the boys' behavior. Particularly critical was Lincoln's law partner and confident Thomas Henderson. Lincoln would often bring the boys to the office where they would invariably cause a commotion, climb over the desks, and scatter papers everywhere. Both parents delighted in playing with the boys. Mary staged elaborate birthday parties. Their father delighted in them . So did Mary, although she undoubtedly would have loved to have had a daughter to dress up and fuss over. [Turner and Turner, pp. 41-42.]

Birthday Party (January 1859)

Willie had his 9th birthday part in Springfield. Neither he or for that matter his parents had any idea how their lives were about to change. Mary staged an enormous birthday party (December 21). Mary writes that she had promised him one. The party was attended by 50-60 boys and girls. This is quite startling. It is difficult to imagine the havoc that 50-60 boys and girls would have caused. Willie and Tad alone could create considerable chaos. We wonder just who these 50-60 children were. Did r if Willie really have that many friends>. We suspect that his mother may have made this into a social affair for her social circle. It is also interesting that both boys and girls attended. Often at that age today, birthdays are largelky single gender affairs. Perhaps this convention was not common in the 19th century. Even the Lincoln's used to boyhood exuberance seemed to have been set back by the affair. Mary wrote a friend, "... you may believe I have come to the conclusion, that they are nonsensical affairs". [M. Lincoln letter to Hannah Shearer, January 1, 1860.]

Education

Willie began his education in Springfield. The public school system was only beginning to develop in the 1850s. (There father was to play a major role in the development of education with the Homestead Act (1863) which provided for education on the frontier. Willie was enrolled in a private school run by a Miss Corcoran. He appears to have been a naturally gifted student and unlike his younger brother Tad enjoyed school and excelled in hos studies. He took after his father in his interest in learning. His father of course never had the opportunity to attend school. Willie was especially adept at math. He was fascinated by trains and drew up railroad time tables. He developed a range of other boyhood interests. He enjoyed poetry and liked to write poems. Sctually some of his poewms were remarkable for his age. Mary was impressed by his interest in religion.

Chicago Trip (June 1859)

One of the high points of Willie's boyhood was a trip to Chicago. Springfield was a still a relatively small town. Chicago on the other hand was already developing into abustling, major city. Lincoln brought Willie along when he had to travel to Chicago on business. The two stayed in the Tremont House. This was the first time Willie had stayed in a hotel and he was fascinated. Willie wrote aa friend about the Chicago and the hotel. "This town is a very beautiful place. Me and father have a nice little room to ourselves. We have two little pitchers on a washstand. The smallest one for me the largest one for father. We have two little towels on a top of both pitchers. The smallest one for me, the largest one for father. Me and father had gone to two theaters the other night."

Helion Reputation

Willie and Tad did not have a good reputation in Springfield. But that was at least in part because of the standards of the day than any really terrible behavior. They were described as 'notorious hellions'. Their father's law partner William Herndon who knew Lincoln best said they pulled books off their shelves which their father just ignored. [Wead] That does not exctly meet the stndard of 'hellion'. In fact modern parents may be pleased with their interest in books.

The Convention (May 1860)

The Republican convention in Chicago nominated Abraham Lincoln as their presidential candidate. We are not sure where Willie and his brothers were. They surely would have been caught up in the excitement, especially the flag waving and parades. Mark Delahay, a Kansas Republican who supported Lincoln, stopped in Springfield with two flags from the convention. Apparently one of the boys laid claim to one of the flags. Mary later wrote to Delahay asking that he send one of the flags back. [M. Lincoln letter to Mark Delahay, May 25, 1860]

Whistle Stop Train Trip to Washington (February 1861)

Close associates describe the beginning of the Insaural Express, "By 7:30 AM, everything necessary for the inaugural journey was packed on the exquisitely designed, private, three-car train waiting at Springfield’s Great Western Depot. The engine was a modern marvel of gleam and steam, hissing in readiness with its smoke-retarding funnel stack towering over the huge crowd of well-wishers bundled up against the weather to see President-elect Abraham Lincoln off on the first leg of his journey to Washington." [Hay and Nicolay] As Lincoln boards the train he famouslky remarks, "To this place, and the kindness of these people, I owe everything... I now leave.. with a task before me greater than that which rested upon [George] Washington." The Linclon family traveled in their whistle stop train tour through the northeast giving his supporters a chance to see him (Feburary 1861). The Inaugural Express was, however, anything but an express. It was a series of trains taken by the Lincoln family from therir home in Springfield, Illinois to Washington, D.C. At the time the North had an impressive railnetwork, but it was made up of many small companies with different rail gages and locomotives. Thus meant to travel any distance, the rail traveler had to change trains. This meant you often had to get off a rtrain in one stalion and then take a carriage to the other compsny's station. For the Ingural Express, each of the compnies competed with each other to provide the most luxurous accomodtiond and most importantly the most impressively locomotive, each iof which was gleaming with brightly painted decioration, flags and bunting. The cities involved also competed in providing imporessiuve receptions for the new president. There were bands, honor squads, crowds, and fire works -- all of which of course delighted Willie and Tad. The most important southern state (Virginia), however, had not yet seceeded. There were several over night stops in which a variety of events were prepared. Lincoln made numerous speeched in which he avoided any policy statements. For the most part he down played the developing crisis even though southern states had already seceeded from the Union. The most strudent statement was made at Pittsburg. Lincoln was syurprised by the size and enthusism of the crowd. He commented, "I could not help thinking, my friends, as I traveled in the rain through your crowded streets, on my way here, that if all that people were in favor of the Union, it can certainly be in no great danger -- it will be preserved.” The longest stop was in New York City. Mrs. Lincoln and the boys visited P.T. Barnum's museum. Philadelphia celebrated Lincoln’s election with a glorious show of pyrotechnics. Lincoln took the most indirct tour possible without going ghrough the South, although they did touch on the Ohio River across the river was Kentucky, a slave border state. The trip was only slightly marred by the Pickerton dicovery of an assauination attempt in Baltimore.

The White House (1861-62)

Lincoln brought the family with him to Washington (March 1861). . The boys were fascinated by the White House which was an enormous palace compared to the modest Springfield House in which they had grown up. They immediately set out to have the time of their lives. Not White Hiuuse children got up to so many antics a s the Lincoln boys--including the Roosevelt boys--like firing a cannon volley at the cabinet. Wouldn't the Davis boys have liked to do that. Not only was the White House large, but there were litle refinements to tinker with like the bell system. And there was always so much going on, esoecially all the militry activity. Soldiers allowed them to examine their guns and even fire them. And their father and mother often took them on trips around Washington, inmckuding the msny forts that ringed Washington. What boy would not have thrilled with all that. And when their love of animals becane known, people all over the country began sennding animals to them. And their parents made little real effort to restrain them. All of this was not helped when Mary sent their nurse home--a rare economy measure on her part. She took no steps to economize her own clothing and furnishings. And when the press got wind of their advenbtures, it made popular copy in newspapers throughout the country which is why we know a great deal about it. We are not sure just who in the White House spilled the beans. Tragically, nuch of this ended when Willie died and Tad was left on his own. Robert who was older did not live in the White House with them as he had begun college.

Clothing

We do not have much informnation on how Willie was dressed. Unlike Tad, there are very few photograohs of Willie. As best we can tell, both Wille and Tad were dressed very plainly. We see none of the fancy fashions that were beginning to become popular. It is likeky that the images we have of Tad show how Wllie was also dressed. We have no information what Willie thought his clothes. Boys at the time wore what their mothers bought for them. But the Lincoln children were not strictly disciplined, in fact they were not disciplined at all. One wonders if they didn't express definite ideas about their clothes. The children were dressed very plainly even though their mother was obsessed with fashion. We begin to see fancier styles for boys in the 1860s, but this was mostlky thecase in the big northeastern cities. Tius was less true in the West, especially rather provincial towns like Springfield. We continue to see this dichotomy for many subsequebt decades.

Hair Styles

Willie appears to have worn his hair in a variety of nondescript ways. Some images show him wearing his hair over his ears. In others you can see his ears. I have noted no images showing him with long hair. An image of Tad shows him in short hair even while still wearing dresses. Apparently Mary cut the boys' hair even before breeching.

Mother's Fashion Sense

Mary Todd Lincoln was an extremely fashion conscious woman. She was raised in a wealthy family and followed the fashions of the day. She was also quite an extravagant wife. In many ways it was her way of dealing with the tragedies of her life. She spent large amounts on clothes and home furnishings, often without her husband's permission. Interestingly, despite her interest in finery, she does seem to have taken great interest in dressing her sons in particularly fashionable clothes. HBC has not noted Willie wearing any fancy outfits. One wonders if Mary had no interest in dressing Willie and Tad in Fancy clothes or if she thought the boys would object.

Disaster

Illness

Willie turned 11 in December 1862. His parents doted on him. A bright boy from a now prominent family, the world was his oyster. Both Willie and Tadd got sick in February. Apparently the boys drank some tainted water. At first the incident was not considered serious. Tad improved, but Willie did not and became seriously ill. Willie's condition fluctuated from day to day. Most likely the illness was typhoid fever. Gradually Willie weakened. His father spent much time at his bedside. Mary never left his side. The Lincolns were compelled to hold a long-planned state party in the White House as Willie's condition worsened. [Tiurner and Turner, p. 121.]

Tragic death

Finally, on Thursday, February 20, 1862, at 5:00 P.M. the young boy passed away. It was a terrible time for Mary. She had just thrown the most glittering party in her term as First Lady--a party she only attended briefly because she wanted to be at Willie's side. Mary was prostrate. Willie's death was another in the long series of tragedies which the poor woman experienced. The President was distraught, but he could not allow himself to collapse. Abraham said, "My poor boy. He was too good for this earth. God has called him home. I know that he is much better off in heaven, but then we loved him so. It is hard, hard to have him die!" From Willie' death, the President found his relationship with Mary just one more of the trials he had to bear as he labored to save the Union. Rather than a support, which she had been, Mary became an increasing distraction to the embattled President. Willie lay in state in the White House Green Room. He lay with hands crossed over his chest and holding a flower bouquet. The funeral services on February 24 were held by Reverend Phineas D. Gurley of Washington's New York Avenue Presbyterian Church. His mother wailed in the White House for days. The President tried to console here, but the pain was too great. Every Thursday for more than a year, his father would shut himself up in Willie's room and grieve. Willie's toys were given away. Even the flowers he liked were banned from the White House.

Burial

Willie was buried in Oak Hill Cemetery in Georgetown. Mary could not bring herself to attend. For months after Willie died, Mary simply could not function. [Turner and Tuner, p. 121.] The President often visited his son's grave. After the assassination of Lincoln in 1865, Willie's casket was exhumed, and his remains placed on the Lincoln funeral train which traveled back to Springfield. Willie was buried in the Lincoln Tomb along with his father on May 4, 1865.

Sources

Baker, Jean H. Mary Todd Lincoln: A Biography (Norton, New York, 1987), 429p.

Hay, John and John G. Nicolay. Abraham Lincoln: A Life 10 vols. (New York: The Century Company, 1880).

Kunhard, Dorothy Meserve and Philip B. Kunhardt, Jr., Twenty Days.

Norton, Roger. Willie Lincoln.

Ostendorf, Lloyd. Lincoln's Photographs A Complete Album.

Randall, Ruth Painter. Lincoln's Sons.

Sandburg, Carl. Abraham Lincoln: The Prarie Years Vol. I (Charles Scribner's Sons: New York, 1940), 480p.

Sandburg, Carl. Mary Lincoln: Wife and Widow (Harcourt, Brace, World: New York, 1960), 357p.

Turner, Justin G. and Linda Levitt Turner. Mary Todd Lincoln: Her Life and Letters (Alfred A. Knopf: New York, 1972), 744p.

Wead, Doug. All yhe President's ChildrenAtria Books: 2004), 464 p.

Weaver, John D. Tad Lincoln: Mischief Maker in the White House.