| February 20 |  |
Editor says, what if Willie Lincoln had lived? Please note that the opinions expressed in this post do not necessarily reflect the views of the author(s). This story was published in the March 2013 edition of Changing the Times Magazine.
| Share this Article on: |  Facebook |  Twitter |
In 1862, on this day "Willie" Lincoln recovered from a life-threatening condition caused by the consumption of contaminated water drawn from the Potomac River, along which thousands of soldiers and horses were camped. His younger brother Tad who had been similarly afflicted also pulled through.
Notorious Hellions, allHe was named after Mary's brother-in-law Dr. William Wallace. He and his younger brother were considered "notorious hellions" during the period they lived in Springfield. They're recorded by Abraham's law partner William Herndon for turning their law office upside down; pulling the books off the shelves while their father appeared oblivious to their behaviour.
The third son of Abraham Lincoln and Mary Todd Lincoln would eventually be voted President of the United States in 1904, on the forty-fourth anniversary of his father's election to the office for a single term. He struck up an unlikely relationship with Joseph Evan Davis, son of the ill-fated Confederate President. And it was Joe that had suggested Willie include in his inaugural address a personal note from his fathers diary, dated on his birthday 20th December 21, 1850 "Something had been missing from this harsh world, but finally, it was fulfilled" [1]. Because of the miraculous recovery his father had re-learnt an important lesson from his wayward sons, to knock on every door and tell the American people that love, love was the answer.
Entry posted by Todayinah Editor
© Alternate Historian, 2004-Story Tags
Permalinks: Post, Day. Browse Thread: Politicians Source: Wikipedia Labels: Willie Lincoln, Abraham Lincoln, White House, Premature Death, Presidency. Editor says, in reality he died at the age of eleven due to the illness. And Jefferson Davis lost his son Joseph Evan Davis on April 30, 1864 when he was killed by a fall from an up stairs balcony. This article is a reversal of Raymond Speer's Southern Integration, Northern Secession and an accompanying comment from Eric Oppen. And [1] words of wisdom from Robbie Taylor, Marvin Gaye and Tammi Tyrell.
~ One idea that, I am sure, hits deeply with some who have lost someone and wondered what if. Well-placed sons such as these could have wound up in high places later on, and the prognostications are as plentiful as the stars.
Of course, those wilder younger days cast some doubt on their eventual maturity at the time of holding office, but presidents were usually older men then. Kennedy changed that, however.
~ Mary Todd Lincoln might not have gone quite so far off the rails. A lot of her problems with her mental health in later life came from just absolutely terrible grief for all the losses she'd sustained.
~ Wow! Mary Todd Lincoln was related to TWO proponents of freedom? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Wallace
~ But Eric, some of Mary's mental health problems are based on her attendance at seances. But during and after the Civil War they had become very popular, fo obvious...and tragic...reasons.
~ Would that it were! So much tragedy for a First Family. BTW, with his election in 1904, what're T. Roosevelt's thoughts?
© Today in Alternate History, 2013-. All characters appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
