Who was Mary Todd Lincoln? The Story Behind the Former First Lady

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  • čas přidán 3. 07. 2024
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    / @threadsfromthenationa...
    Three of her four children did not live to adulthood, and her husband was assassinated while he held her hand. If anyone ever deserved to be troubled, it was the wife of the 16th president.
    James Cornelius, curator of the Lincoln Collection at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library in Springfield, Illinois said simply: “She had the most tragic public life in American history.”
    This is the story of the woman who once said, “I wish I could forget myself.”
    This is the story of Mary Ann Todd Lincoln, the former First Lady.
    #civilwar #civilwarhistory #abrahamlincoln
    Narrated by Fred Kiger
    Produced by Dan Irving
    Published by Third Wheel Media
    We're looking for sponsors for this channel. If you're interested in learning more about this limited opportunity, email: info@thirdwheelmedia.com
    ____________________________________________________________________
    Some Characters Mentioned In This Episode:
    Elizabeth Todd Edwards
    Stephen A. Douglas
    Robert Todd Lincoln
    William Henry Seward
    Tad Lincoln
    Elizabeth Keckley

Komentáře • 613

  • @monicacall7532
    @monicacall7532 Před 5 měsíci +323

    Several Lincoln historians as well as psychologists and psychiatrists have posited that Mary Lincoln dealt with bipolar disorder which was exacerbated by the tragic deaths of her young sons and by the carriage accident that she had while living in the White House. Mental illness of any kind is difficult to deal with, but such illnesses as bipolar, schizophrenia, dementia and others actually rob a person of their sense of self. For this reason I can only have pity and compassion for both Mary and Abraham who dealt with serious depression. How they were able to function normally at all is a wonder. What a shame that there was no medical help in the 19th century to help the mentally ill!

    • @WVgirl1959
      @WVgirl1959 Před 5 měsíci +13

      I agree. ❤

    • @danysanerd2383
      @danysanerd2383 Před 5 měsíci +26

      I am a decent in the Lincoln family tree and I have Bipolar, severe anxiety & PTSD, ADHD (that was kinda diagnosed late, a little over 5 years ago, & then also a very recent) Autism Spectrum Disorder diagnosis I'm F/40. I could very easily see mental health struggles not being treated well, or given much of any treatment at all back then, because looking back just in my parents life growing up, and then my grandparents youth; just how bad things were for their mental health because so many things weren't spoken about like that... I'm glad I live in a world today where I have access to counseling for free every week and support groups that most of the generations before us weren't privy to.❤ I have too big of a heart I couldn't have lived before now. 😢 You know how when people say I should have been born in the 50's or 70's or something I mean.... 😅 I was born when I should have that is to say....

    • @VDobnik
      @VDobnik Před 5 měsíci +1

      ⁹09⁹o⁹⁰⁹o òiiii8

    • @VDobnik
      @VDobnik Před 5 měsíci +1

      😊😊 45:21 45:21 45:21 45:21

    • @LindaStuan
      @LindaStuan Před 5 měsíci +15

      I grew up in Springfield, Ill and many ancestors lived here as well. My great great grandfather was an German Immigrant. He came to Springfield in the early 1850s. He was a shoemaker and he worked at a Mather's shoe shop a block from the Lincoln Herndon Law Office. He made shoes for the Lincoln family. Linda Stuan

  • @clifforddriver9434
    @clifforddriver9434 Před 5 měsíci +179

    She had been through more than most humans will ever go through in a lifetime. God rest her soul.

    • @deniseedodson1938
      @deniseedodson1938 Před 2 měsíci +3

      In the 1800s it was not unusual for lots of babies and people to die due to disease. As sad as her life was, it was no more sadder than all the families who lost their lives, homes., etc. Mary Todd Lincoln was, sadly, mentally ill. Also she grew up fairly well off compared to all the children in America who had no parents due to death or abandonment. This was also why she drove President Lincoln into poverty. She was obsessed with wealth and spending money.

    • @shahareffendiaazizi5360
      @shahareffendiaazizi5360 Před 2 měsíci +2

      What an ungrateful son

  • @ritahsusyers1787
    @ritahsusyers1787 Před 2 měsíci +25

    Losing three children, and then her husband in a tragic murder is more than most women could bear.

    • @islewait6107
      @islewait6107 Před měsícem

      And then happened to keep their remains at home.Until further, arrangements could be made.Talk about heartbreaking there❤

    • @arsenamcintire961
      @arsenamcintire961 Před měsícem +2

      Not to mention her oldest son, kind of betraying her, and having her committed

    • @ernie1238
      @ernie1238 Před 10 dny

      Seems like karma

  • @baylorsailor
    @baylorsailor Před 5 měsíci +141

    A woman who lived in my town in Northern NY was at Ford's Theater the night Lincoln was assassinated. She told the story over and over again to anyone who would listen until the day she died 50 years later. It must have been a very traumatic experience.

    • @LittleKitty22
      @LittleKitty22 Před 5 měsíci +11

      That's fascinating! How do you know about this lady, do folks in your city still talk about her?

    • @verak66
      @verak66 Před 5 měsíci +7

      Fascinating. Can you recall what she said. Did she write about it?

    • @bryanspindle4455
      @bryanspindle4455 Před 5 měsíci +32

      There was a man in his nineties who was on To Tell The Truth in the 1950s who was five years old when he witnessed Lincoln's assassination at Ford's Theater.

    • @deboraholsen2504
      @deboraholsen2504 Před 5 měsíci +4

      @@bryanspindle4455I love those old game shows, especially What’s My Line! I learn so much from them about history and people and things I could not have known because I wasn’t alive back then, even though I wish I was!

    • @rosehegi7238
      @rosehegi7238 Před 5 měsíci +3

      The Ford Theater tour was the favorite part of our visit to dc.

  • @princessofarchetypes3870
    @princessofarchetypes3870 Před 5 měsíci +82

    If I may ask - Why isn't there a deep dive extensive bio-pic made of this woman? She went through so much and was so tortured. Her story needs to be told properly.

    • @catharineinniss
      @catharineinniss Před 2 měsíci +2

      If you’re a writer, you could contribute?

  • @oldcollegecoed
    @oldcollegecoed Před 5 měsíci +76

    As a historian, I know firsthand how much time and energy are required to put together an hour long “lecture,” and make it informative but also fascinating and even enjoyable. You did a stellar job of telling Mary Todd’s tragic story. When I read my first biography of her life, I struggled with my own emotions. On the surface she’s an extremely difficult woman to like. But upon further research I found myself pitying her. The reality is her childhood was filled with death, negligence, and instability, any one of which can destroy a child’s psyche. She was deprived of the love and security every child needs and as a result, she was a psychologically damaged little girl who grew into psychologically damaged woman. Actually, given the unbelievable amount of heartache she endured, it’s remarkable she was as rational as she was! Despite her mental health struggles, she was quite a trailblazer. At a time when women were believed to be weak & fragile, were taught to be submissive to their husbands, and understood their place was to walk behind their husbands, not beside them, she refused to follow the rules.

    • @daren7889
      @daren7889 Před 5 měsíci +6

      Retired Teacher here! I almost majored in history but HIS - Story seemed a bit sexist to me! I preferred HER- story! So I self - educated myself . Baby Boomer here I read the works of Progressive Thomas Paine. COMMON SENSE ! Paine wanted to Free the Slaves and Give Women the Right to Vote in 1776! The Southern colonies refused to sign the Declaration of Independence if those two things were accomplished! It is 2024 and we are still having problems with these REGRESSIVE Southerners! 🤔🤔🇩🇪🇨🇭🇺🇸💙🌊💙🌊🌊🌊💙

    • @daren7889
      @daren7889 Před 5 měsíci +5

      German - Swiss American here! I recently read the excellent book Learning from the Germans RACE and the Memory of EVIL by Susan Neiman .Susan is a Jewish woman who was born and raised in the segregrated South in the 1960's. She is a Professor of Philosophy and the Director of the Einstein Institute in Berlin Germany. She raised her 3 children in Berlin. She still lives there . She made the important point that after WWII Germany had to accept its defeat, to move on to EVOLVE. The South and 45 both were defeated April 9,1865 & November 2020! They basically REGRESSED and DEVOLVED! And FYI, my Great-Uncle died on a beach in Anzio,Italy. He was a Staff Sgt in the US Army. He and many other WWII soldiers did NOT DIE so that their country,the USA could become FASCIST! 🤔🇩🇪🇨🇭🇺🇸🌊💙🌊💙🌊💙🌊💙🌊💙🌊💙 IMHO!

    • @toshland5687
      @toshland5687 Před 5 měsíci +4

      @@daren7889Your replies read like a weirdo leftist activist who thinks too highly of themselves. Perhaps take a look in the mirror before disparaging those “Southerners” and others you feel are below you. Also learn a little more history about racist incidents that took place in those Northern states you seem to be giving a pass to

    • @oldcollegecoed
      @oldcollegecoed Před 5 měsíci

      @@daren7889 I am actually a Holocaust and WWII scholar, and the fact is Germany didn’t have to struggle to
      accept the WWII defeat…after all they were defeated in WWI, only 27 years before. What they did have to accept was the horrific reality that as a society considered to be one of the most advanced in the world, they had perpetuated the worst genocide known to man (at that time). They had to accept the reality of and responsibility for the deliberate torture and murder of 11 million innocent men, woman & children, 6 million of which were Jews and 3.5 million were Soviet POWS. The Germans also had to accept that even if they hadn’t participated in these horrific murders, they had watched it happen and done nothing and were just as culpable as those who worked in the concentration camps, manned the trains that transported the victims from all over Europe to the camps, and the Nazis who rounded up all those innocent people! They didn’t simply lose a war; they were responsible for the annihilation of 2/3 of the Jewish population in Europe, not to mention the murder of tens of thousands of POLES and thousands of homosexuals, the mentally ill, alcoholics, the chronically unemployed, Jehovah’s Witnesses, political opponents, and anyone who protested against the Nazi Party. The reality is in a mere 12 years, Germany went from being a worldwide model of human advancement to being responsible for one of the most inhumane events in human history. Germans were so devoted to Hitler that despite being forced to participate in de-nazification programs, many still believed their actions during the war were warranted. Germany may have progressed after the war, but only because they were forced to participate in denazification programs and, more importantly, because the Holocaust was so well documented by the Nazi party, and by the Allied troops who discovered the concentration camps and the nearby Germans who were forced to view the camps after troops discovered them. The proof was irrefutable! While Slavery, the American Civil War, and racism in America today are utterly deplorable, it is utterly ridiculous to to compare them to Nazi Germany! Americans ARE responsible for an event which can & should be compared to Germany’s WWII & the Holocaust, but it certainly isn’t the Civil War or the racism in Americans today! It’s the methodical destruction 100 million American Indians who thrived in this country long before Europeans ever set foot here. Although I completely understand your outrage over the US Civil War and racism in America, you lost any argument you might have had by comparing it to WWII Germany then & now!

    • @oldcollegecoed
      @oldcollegecoed Před 5 měsíci +3

      @@toshland5687 Actually, his worst mistake was comparing slavery, the Civil War and racism in America today to WWII Germany and Germany today. The fact is that WWII Germany perpetuated the Holocaust…one of the worst genocides in human history and STILL deal with antisemitism! To compare these is simply ignorant!

  • @KhalidMahmood-wm1qz
    @KhalidMahmood-wm1qz Před 5 měsíci +71

    I am an immigrant to the US ,I love American history and different characters,events and democratic and industrial revolutions.thank you for the great insight into Lincoln's biography.

    • @virginiasoskin9082
      @virginiasoskin9082 Před 4 měsíci +5

      American history is so fascinating. There are so many different periods, from the Pilgrims all the way up to modern day. I think the Civil War is appealing to so many, because it is not that long ago historically. I had an ancestor who fought on the northern side. I always think that if I had to go back in time and live for a month in that era it would be familiar enough that I could get along OK once I learned how to bake bread over a fire or in a primitive iron stove. I know that people wore many more layers of clothing and most of it was either cotton or wool. Just keeping your body and clothing clean and your house clean took a LOT of manual labor -- women nowadays do not realize how much work there actually was. Medical care and vaccines were medieval....I think they had a smallpox vaccine by then but TB, typhoid, cholera and death after delivering babies was a normal part of life. I think I like the 1890-1910 period best. There were the fabulously wealthy and the grinding poor, and that separation made life risky and strange. If you get the chance, visit some places where history happened -- a Civil War battlefield, the house of a president, Plymouth and the replica of the Mayflower, the home of an American author, a colonial fort, and so on. That is where US history really comes alive. My parents took us places like that back in the 1960s when we were kids and that taught us all to appreciate history. Often Native American tribes interest foreigners because there is nothing like them in foreign countries, and with the American film industry making many movies with these themes, foreigners can learn more about the tribes, and it makes them want to go out west and see that landscape for themselves. Mesa Verde, for example, is an outstanding place to see very early Native American cultures. By the way, WELCOME to the USA!.

    • @charlesbireland1780
      @charlesbireland1780 Před 3 měsíci

      ​@virginiasoskin9082 Mesa Verde, been there, done that. The cliff dwellings are interesting, but seeing photographs in a book will save you a lot of time, $, and exercise😊

    • @Elizabeth-yg2mg
      @Elizabeth-yg2mg Před 2 měsíci

      Immigrants are often better citizens than the ones born here--better educated and conscientious with regard to civics.

  • @Jebbie1976
    @Jebbie1976 Před 5 měsíci +38

    New subscriber here! 47 yrs old & I absolutely love history & biographies; They're getting so hard to find! Really enjoyed your narration & the use of topic specific pictures. I know that sometimes it can be hard to find topic specific pictures & videos but I can't stand it when people use pics/videos that don't even coincide w/ the period of time being referenced. Nice job. Greetings from Alabama. 🙂

  • @mel2d2
    @mel2d2 Před 5 měsíci +38

    Thank you for this lovely portrait of a very complicated human. You handled it with such care.

  • @heidibee501
    @heidibee501 Před 5 měsíci +50

    It seems to me the son who called her a lunatic was not far from deserving that epithet himself.

    • @catherinemay9997
      @catherinemay9997 Před 4 měsíci +6

      I do not believe Robert meant harm.

    • @martinham1409
      @martinham1409 Před 4 měsíci +9

      You are spot on. Robert was 100 percent Todd. He was arrogant self centered and played on his father's name and reputation his entire life.

    • @stallingsnathan5838
      @stallingsnathan5838 Před 15 dny +1

      @@catherinemay9997I would tend to agree. What we consider offensive was just language in the day. She demonstrated behaviors that suggested what we would now believe to be personality disorders at best, chemical imbalances more likely. “Lunatic” was just a catch all. Bipolarism wasn’t understood. Likewise, “moron” was used for any person from autistic or slow to someone with Down’s.
      It’s unproductive to be offended by things said that were common language in the past.

    • @Nyx773
      @Nyx773 Před 5 dny

      @@martinham1409 Neither of you are spot on. Don't believe the lies told by Jean Baker and Catherine Clinton. Their books are not based on facts - their citations either do not exist or are taken out of context. Mary Lincoln was a danger to herself. She was suffering from hallucinations and delusions.

  • @jordana5570
    @jordana5570 Před 5 měsíci +57

    The way you retell history is a gift!

    • @candeegolson5596
      @candeegolson5596 Před 5 měsíci +4

      I just discovered your reading of Mary Todd Lincoln and enjoyed it very much. Looking forward to hearing more. Your voice is the icing on the cake. Thank you for doing this..

    • @nycsearch9945
      @nycsearch9945 Před 5 měsíci +2

      ​@@candeegolson5596sounds like a sermon.

    • @doncox7805
      @doncox7805 Před 4 měsíci

      With such enthusiasm 😂​@@nycsearch9945

  • @BY-lp9tj
    @BY-lp9tj Před 5 měsíci +40

    Wow... what a story. Incredible. I feel bad for Lincoln, God rest his soul.

  • @googleuser4053
    @googleuser4053 Před 5 měsíci +24

    I visited Lincolns home twice in Illinois. I always wanted to know more about Mary Lincoln . Very interesting Thank you for the video 👍following

  • @seandobson499
    @seandobson499 Před 5 měsíci +42

    As an Englishman, it seems to me that President Lincoln fought two civil wars, one between the north and the south and the other at home.

    • @mynamedoesntmatter8652
      @mynamedoesntmatter8652 Před 5 měsíci +13

      As an American, I surely share your sentiment. Spot on.

    • @ronvosick8253
      @ronvosick8253 Před 5 měsíci +8

      Spot on.

    • @davidb2206
      @davidb2206 Před 4 měsíci

      Because he was a fake and fraud in character. That always causes it.

    • @mynamedoesntmatter8652
      @mynamedoesntmatter8652 Před 4 měsíci +1

      @@davidb2206
      “A fake and a fraud.” How so? How did you arrive at these ‘findings;’ and as to “always causes it:” what exactly is “it?” Please, do expound on your studied findings, and share your finely honed acumen with the class. We have time to wait.
      I am all ears.

    • @davidb2206
      @davidb2206 Před 4 měsíci +3

      @@mynamedoesntmatter8652 Glad to oblige. ALL of the answers you need are in the two-volume "Rise and Fall of the Confederate Government" by President Jefferson Davis, which you have never seen and never read, most certainly not in any public school in the U.S. Unlike you and me, he was THERE and was an eyewitness.

  • @lg9373
    @lg9373 Před 5 měsíci +19

    Thank you for this insightful story. I learned a great deal about Mary Ann, and was touched by her life and struggles. I hope she truly rests in peace.

  • @lisaalane7694
    @lisaalane7694 Před 5 měsíci +102

    She was a troubled woman. But I do believe she deserved a life long pension.

    • @WonderfulEagle-mm1vj
      @WonderfulEagle-mm1vj Před 4 měsíci +2

      Oh from the school that money fixes everything. Sure throw more money at it it does not fix anything. It won't take yhe pain in the heart go away

    • @lesleymaner2851
      @lesleymaner2851 Před 4 měsíci +4

      @@WonderfulEagle-mm1vjbut it sure wouldn’t hurt her.

    • @rcristy
      @rcristy Před 3 měsíci +3

      ​@@WonderfulEagle-mm1vjno but it will feed you. What's wrong with you?

    • @michaelverbakel7632
      @michaelverbakel7632 Před 2 měsíci

      As much as Abraham Lincoln was loved, respected and admired Mary Lincoln was hated and disliked by a lot of people including the Washington establishment.

    • @exomake_mehorololo
      @exomake_mehorololo Před 2 měsíci +1

      ​@@WonderfulEagle-mm1vjyou get your food for free?

  • @janellekerns6485
    @janellekerns6485 Před 6 měsíci +37

    Very well done, sir. Thank you.
    It's hard to wrap your mind around the amount of tragedy this woman endured. Not unlike the pain and loss in Stonewall Jackson's life.

    • @anthonytroisi6682
      @anthonytroisi6682 Před 5 měsíci +6

      Varina Davis, like Mary Lincoln and Jackie Kennedy, lost a child duing her husband's presidency. Franklin Pierce's wife was devastated by the death of her only surviving child right before her husband's inauguration. The Todd sisters went to stay with their married sister in Springville as part of a husband-hunting ritual. When Mary married Lincoln, she was in danger of becoming a spinster. Wasn't the Fatal First related to his reluctance to marry her? Douglas was never a serious suitor of Mary. The wedding ceremony was so hastily planned that the wedding cake was still warm from the oven.

    • @user-jl3gj2te8y
      @user-jl3gj2te8y Před 4 měsíci

      ​@@anthonytroisi6682wow...Thk U. ❤

  • @lindalanish9720
    @lindalanish9720 Před 5 měsíci +27

    I have always been fascinated by Mrs Lincoln. There is so much about her i didn't know and which you brought out. She did have a lot of grief in her life and unfortunately dealt with it in an unhealthy way. However in her credit it seems like no one knew how to help her or knew what was mentally going on in her life. I am sure if they could help her though it would be a battle that most would not want to fight.

    • @Scoopy38
      @Scoopy38 Před 5 měsíci +3

      Her personal maid wrote a book about her. Read it years ago & really enjoyed it!

    • @robinlynn1319
      @robinlynn1319 Před 5 měsíci +2

      What is the book called ? If I may ask?

    • @mumv2089
      @mumv2089 Před 5 měsíci +1

      @@Scoopy38I’d like to know the name of the book as well??

    • @exomake_mehorololo
      @exomake_mehorololo Před 2 měsíci

      To deal with trauma in a healthy way you need others examples and help. A vast majority of people isn't capable to do it themselves. Doesn't sound like she had a good family

  • @TERoss-jk9ny
    @TERoss-jk9ny Před 5 měsíci +11

    She struggled so much. So very sad.
    Whether she was “bi-polar”, or just clinically depressed, it’s hard to condemn anything about her.
    America changed that night.
    It wasn’t for the best for a spell.
    America grew after the war, and I will ALWAYS believe it was for the better.
    I would go to the Lincoln Memorial today, but now, that would cause me to be arrested. Our once great nation, the hope of millions, has become a third world country, and each and every president since our inception has spun so fast in their graves, there is nothing left. So sad.

    • @ad6417
      @ad6417 Před 3 měsíci

      Depressed people are not manipulative and violent.

    • @lisahinton9682
      @lisahinton9682 Před 2 měsíci +1

      @@ad6417 UNTRUE. Depressed people experience the same actions and emotions as anyone else. You seem like you are one of those people who thinks depression means you sit around moping, in the dark, in your pajamas all day long. Untrue - educate yourself.

  • @vminormom
    @vminormom Před 5 měsíci +11

    Your ability as a narrator is astounding! I had such difficulty finding wonderful historical stories paired with such an animated voice, but here you are! Thank you for your gift of story to us! ❤

    • @meman6964
      @meman6964 Před měsícem

      Phrasing and style reminds me of Paul Harvey, this is a high compliment. Nicely done 👍🏽

  • @justinewilson1740
    @justinewilson1740 Před 5 měsíci +10

    Thank you for your research. I could listen to these fabulous stories everyday.

  • @griefbearer
    @griefbearer Před 2 měsíci +4

    You are a gifted narrator. TV can't compete😊

  • @carlafranklin3081
    @carlafranklin3081 Před 4 měsíci +6

    What a sad, sad story. Thanks for sharing.

  • @joebrumfield2952
    @joebrumfield2952 Před 6 měsíci +32

    I learned through casual history that Mary Todd Lincoln was a bit “ off center” but now I know that she was on the cusp of true madness and understand better why that was the case. RIP MATL

    • @brentinnes5151
      @brentinnes5151 Před 5 měsíci +9

      but she stood firm..history has destroyed her..given her no credit for going thru the very worst time in US history..the other first ladies have had nothing to do..Eleanor was very good and my second choice

    • @adrienebailey9010
      @adrienebailey9010 Před 5 měsíci +8

      There's only a thin line between being sane or insane.

    • @adrienebailey9010
      @adrienebailey9010 Před 5 měsíci

      There's only a thin line between being sane or insane.

    • @brentinnes5151
      @brentinnes5151 Před 5 měsíci

      great point..then throw in unimaginable personal tragedy plus the tragedy of hundreds of thousands of boys killed or mutilated..the Union was in a very dark place..people forget this context when evaluating Mary Todd Lincoln@@adrienebailey9010

    • @marciacooper6562
      @marciacooper6562 Před 5 měsíci +3

      Mary was clearly bi -polar.

  • @j.r.c8145
    @j.r.c8145 Před 5 měsíci +17

    Very insightful documentary. Thankyou for your hard work.
    I would surmise the lady had mental problems. Sad that that was influcted on her husband and family.
    One comment please? When a person of signigicance died in Mary's life, you kept saying she was abandoned. She was not abandoned, the person died. She felt abandoned. There is a significant difference. Thankyou.

    • @christinehaley8097
      @christinehaley8097 Před 5 měsíci +2

      She definitely had mental problems but Abraham seemed troubled as well. I don't think it was just Mary inflicting her struggles on the family. You make good insightful points and I agree about her feelings of abandonment.

    • @exomake_mehorololo
      @exomake_mehorololo Před 2 měsíci

      Do you think mental problems come out of a void? They hardly ever do. People from healthy functioning families deal w it much less and deal with it better. It is the duty of parents to raise their children well. When that doesn't happen lots of grief follows and children can be blamed only to an extent but blame lies on the people around them too. You sound like you're just blaming the victim as if human relationships don't go both ways? We don't actually know much about how people treated her day to day. How they affected, worsened or caused troubles to her. All we have is hearsay and gossip that we call history because it's long gone

  • @ShawnPlusOne
    @ShawnPlusOne Před 5 měsíci +13

    I wanted this video earlier this morning on a lazy Cali Sunday it was absolutely amazing and very informative I don’t recall knowing anything in this much detail about Mary Todd Lincoln and you’re voiceover made listening to it spectacular now I’m a new fan giving you a thumb’s up wishing you continued success. ❤

  • @Patchmm5472
    @Patchmm5472 Před 5 měsíci +8

    Wow, wow, wow!!! Very interesting presentation and so much information! I am going to watch it again. Thank you for your research!

  • @murrayscott9546
    @murrayscott9546 Před 6 měsíci +25

    Sadly, even today, woman are judged by different standards of behavior.

  • @marymanos556
    @marymanos556 Před 5 měsíci +13

    Really well done! Truely careful and complete research! Bravo! MM

  • @coyotedust
    @coyotedust Před 5 měsíci +8

    Mary Todd called her privileged childhood “desolate” not only because of the actual death of her mother but also because of the metaphorical death of her father.86 After her mother died, Mary evidently received little attention from Robert Smith Todd, who, a scant few weeks after his wife’s burial, traveled secretly to nearby Frankfort and
    courted young Elizabeth “Betsey” Humphreys, whom he wed a year later.87 To Mary’s chagrin, the couple produced eight half-siblings for her over the next fifteen years. She
    evidently felt betrayed, abandoned, and rejected by her “impetuous, high-strung,sensitive” father.88 As a result, deep-seated anger at him apparently smoldered in her
    unconscious.
    Mary Todd had some legitimate grievances against her stepmother. She confided to a friend that her “early home was truly at a boarding school,” Madame Mentelle’s
    Academy

  • @lisahinton9682
    @lisahinton9682 Před 2 měsíci +1

    @Threads from the National Tapestry
    I learned so much about Mary Ann Todd Lincoln that I had never known before.
    This was the first video from your channel I have watched and I look forward to watching more.
    Thank you for this - your work is excellent.

  • @reneeochoa1015
    @reneeochoa1015 Před 5 měsíci +8

    New listener. Thank you for sharing this. Most enjoyable. Keep it up 👍

  • @wallynoco1363
    @wallynoco1363 Před 5 měsíci +4

    Thank you for your time and excellent efforts. Time well spent!

  • @MaryStevens-tb2dz
    @MaryStevens-tb2dz Před 5 měsíci +8

    Very interesting i went to Lincoln Junior High and Loncoln High and at 40 i went to Lincoln Memorial University so ive always had a close relationship with Lincoln.

  • @tracycraft2546
    @tracycraft2546 Před měsícem

    This series is amazing and I can't get enough! Thank you so much fir all your hard work!!❤

  • @marcenalamb7294
    @marcenalamb7294 Před 2 měsíci +1

    From Illinois. Family moved to Bement, Illinois from England in 1858. I always wondered if they saw the Lincolns in person. Or the train that carried his body. Thank you for telling this fascinating story of Mary. God rest her soul.

  • @l.rodriguez417
    @l.rodriguez417 Před 4 měsíci +2

    Thank you so much for such a wonderful program! I had NO idea what a “challenging” lady that Mary Todd Lincoln was. I have even more respect for President Lincoln. He definitely was very wise and had to be on his guard to keep peace on all fronts! God bless you!

  • @user-ih5xz6cs4p
    @user-ih5xz6cs4p Před 12 dny

    Thank you for your time researching this topic and sharing it was us.

  • @ozfreak26
    @ozfreak26 Před měsícem +1

    Thanks for sharing!

  • @sarahnichols4439
    @sarahnichols4439 Před 3 měsíci +2

    Thank you for putting this video together! For me, Mary Todd has always been an interesting person to learn about. Losing three sons and seeing her husband murdered literary in front of her is beyond comprehension and yes mental illness was barely understood.
    I've seen some portrayals of Mary Todd and I think Mary Tyler Moore did an absolutely amazing job in showing what a tightrope Mary had to walk. Seemingly no end of criticism she no matter what she did.

  • @crystalberns7888
    @crystalberns7888 Před 5 měsíci +2

    Ive read and watched countless sources. Really impressed!

  • @bornfree0507
    @bornfree0507 Před 4 měsíci +3

    Thank you for this video!! I really enjoyed it!! Love Lincoln!

  • @ruththompson9369
    @ruththompson9369 Před 5 měsíci +2

    Just found you, love the real history and the work that goes into this video..I learn things, be a history person myself that even I never knew..thank you for the detail.. that the stories and the hard work..

  • @arianemontemuro7901
    @arianemontemuro7901 Před 4 měsíci +2

    Great video❤thank you!!

  • @tomcaldwell5750
    @tomcaldwell5750 Před 4 měsíci +2

    Thank you for providing this interesting and historical information.

  • @shannonsruralrefuge3575
    @shannonsruralrefuge3575 Před 5 měsíci +3

    Thanks for sharing 👍

  • @kathleensmith8365
    @kathleensmith8365 Před 5 měsíci +6

    Very interesting piece. I was puzzled by the last portrait shown of Mrs. Lincoln by herself. It so closely resembles the British author Jane Austen.

  • @DonaldKDever
    @DonaldKDever Před 6 měsíci +8

    Great story!
    Loved it!❤

  • @mariadykeman7008
    @mariadykeman7008 Před 2 měsíci +1

    Thank you,the more you know the better you are.

  • @19590
    @19590 Před 5 měsíci +5

    Well done! Well done!
    Bravo!
    👏👏👏
    Loved it!

    🥳
    👍

  • @DavidWilliams-qr5yj
    @DavidWilliams-qr5yj Před měsícem +1

    Fantastic job telling her story, I read a book on her and Abraham and their families story. Great video

  • @olivialewis5925
    @olivialewis5925 Před 3 měsíci

    Thank you for making these videos! They are super helpful in teaching. 🫶

  • @cheririce1376
    @cheririce1376 Před 5 měsíci +5

    Poor woman! She fasinates me.
    Even w help I don't think I would have been able to carry on after the children's deaths.

  • @davidspencer6384
    @davidspencer6384 Před 2 hodinami

    A sad tale, well-presented. It's not surprising that Mrs Lincoln was as desperate and depressed as she was. I have huge sympathy for her. What a tortured life.

  • @chereecargill355
    @chereecargill355 Před 5 měsíci +8

    I had wondered why Robert Lincoln was not buried in Springfield with the rest of his family. Now I understand. Mary would have broken out of her grave and rampaged in fury if he had been.

    • @martinham1409
      @martinham1409 Před 4 měsíci

      Robert wasn't buried in Springfield because his alcoholic wife, Mary Harlan Lincoln, didn't want to be buried there.

    • @rcristy
      @rcristy Před 3 měsíci

      Didn't HE choose his own place of burial?

  • @shirleyjagers
    @shirleyjagers Před 4 měsíci

    Thanks to you all [Fred, Dan, Third Wheel etc] for your commitment to clarifying these historic events in dramatic narrations.
    The best to you all.
    -Kaiser Jaeger

  • @JR-dt9ie
    @JR-dt9ie Před 5 měsíci +2

    Thank you 🎉

  • @bluemoon1033
    @bluemoon1033 Před 5 měsíci

    Why is the picture of the English author Jane Austen shown near the end?

  • @drunio1504
    @drunio1504 Před 12 dny +1

    Good content. Enjoyed it.

  • @LucretziaB
    @LucretziaB Před 5 měsíci +15

    Thank you for doing a video about Mary Lincoln. Indeed, from her early background & personal losses, she didn’t seem to cope well & appeared to be a real nutcase. What I don’t understand, is why you didn’t include her frequent use & ultimate dependence on laudanum, which most certainly contributed to her erratic behavior.

    • @danysanerd2383
      @danysanerd2383 Před 5 měsíci +4

      Nutcase really isn't a very nice thing to say, 😮 tbh I think the whole thing is much more complicated than calling a names covers. I think MATL had a lot of trauma and tons of ultra compounded grief. I do agree with you that her use of laudanum is relevant to her story, and would have had a huge affect on her behavior & choices. But I also think that of someone can't tell a particularly sensitive part of a story well, then it might be best to leave it out as it was done here. I am actually a decendant of the Lincolns, I was taught say Lincoln was a great (like eight times) uncle. It's interesting because I too suffer from a lot of the symptoms I've heard mentioned Mary suffers from, & I was formally diagnosed with many things like migraines, fibro (I'm confident it's EDS, working on updating that), arthritis, and of course bipolar, anxiety, ptsd, and (late diagnosed I'm 40/f bc women mask better so it was missed most of my life) ADHD & autism spectrum disorder, & all my life have been on and off so many very powerful drugs, including opiates many of which aren't even on the market anymore and even did hero!n for a while, but it's been almost 4 years now since I've touched that crap, and it's been almost 3 years since I've had any needles in my arm (not hero!n obvs) , over two since I've had (smoked) any fentanyl, and over a year since I've even smoked a cigarette, and I've said all that for two reasons, showing our comparison of symptoms & to say that quitting all that hard stuff has all only been made possible because I've been able to stop self medicating and get into a MAT (Medically Assisted Treatment) program and since they didn't have ANY of that stuff I have had back in her time, they had very limited options (I'm also doing multiple forms of therapy and meeting with multiple kinds of doctors) but it is very likely that she suffered from many of the same things as I do and so for her not to have any proper emotional/mental support and guidance in whole life I could see how inappropriate some of her choices and the way she behaved was, especially when you put mind altering substances on top of all of that. Idk I guess I'm just really triggered that you thought it necessary to call her a nutcase, she did some pretty wild, crazy, and unnecessary things & as Abe did tell her if she didn't get it together she might end up institutionalized which indeed happens to people sometimes but calling people names when they're clearly having a difficult time makes me sad. Idk how much experience you've got with mental health struggles, or addiction but I'll tell you from personal experience I'm sure that pretty much no one chooses to have mental health issues or addiction issues for funzies or because they want to be thought of as a nutcase, anyways I'll get off my soapbox now, I just think that addiction is still such a multifaceted, multilayered, delicate and a hotbutton topic, that more than half of people can't agree on because more than half of people would rather punish the addict, & make broad assumptions about addiction, than really stop and take the time to get in there and learn about what's going on, & to really inform themselves. ❤❤❤

    • @LucretziaB
      @LucretziaB Před 5 měsíci +2

      I was married to a mainline heroine addict. I get the whole picture. He left his only child fatherless & me penniless. The effects were numerous & far reaching. I’m sorry to read all that you’ve gone through & are going through. I wish you only the best for complete healing & peace in your life. Whether you like my terminology or not, based from the content of the video about Mary Lincoln, to me she was made to appear like a real nutcase.

    • @judithgalloway2238
      @judithgalloway2238 Před měsícem +1

      ​@danysanerd2383 Chill. I don't think her remark of being a "nutcase" was being nasty, I took it as a general description. We have become a very sensitive society for the words we use. Sry fir all of your illnesses.

    • @LucretziaB
      @LucretziaB Před měsícem

      @@judithgalloway2238 Thank you for your comment. I couldn't agree more!

  • @missy183
    @missy183 Před 4 měsíci

    Thanks for Sharing this Video. ❤❤❤

  • @TheJoan48
    @TheJoan48 Před 2 měsíci

    This was so beautifully written. i had to comment. I never knew much about Mary Lincoln. My heart goes out to her now. i never realized so many of her family were Confederates. She was the ultimate first women's libber, for sure. God bless the Lincolns and bless you for your work educating us about our history. Thank you.

  • @jamesmccrea4871
    @jamesmccrea4871 Před 2 měsíci +1

    I didn't know what to make of Mrs. Lincoln. Through most of this video, I found it hard to reconcile my feelings for her, whether there was some pity, or piteous contempt.
    Yet, at the end, when you spoke of her being with her family again in death, I felt a well of sadness, and felt tears. An end to what, despite her difficulty from and to others, was surely a painful existence.

  • @juliecramer8459
    @juliecramer8459 Před 4 měsíci

    Thank you!

  • @catelynch7417
    @catelynch7417 Před 5 měsíci +8

    Poor lady. Sounds like she was totally lost. RIP Mrs. Lincoln.

  • @stephenbrunner2543
    @stephenbrunner2543 Před 4 měsíci +1

    Very good..thank you

  • @briankey2645
    @briankey2645 Před 6 měsíci +12

    My grandfather, who was born a little over 30 years after the Civil War stated this quote, "There are only two that can handle a woman, and that is Abe and God, if she is like Mary Todd!:

  • @susanpetrakis7963
    @susanpetrakis7963 Před 2 měsíci +2

    I really enjoyed this very interesting.

  • @debraranta6457
    @debraranta6457 Před 4 měsíci +2

    I just started reading "Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker" by Jennifer Chiaverini. It is the story of her seamstress, Elizabeth Keckley, a former slave. So far, interesting reading for anyone wanting to learn more of Mary Todd Lincoln.

  • @misskitty2133
    @misskitty2133 Před 4 měsíci +1

    This is awesome! I knew so little about her!

  • @debbiesmith5455
    @debbiesmith5455 Před 3 měsíci

    Great job!

  • @jab414
    @jab414 Před 3 měsíci +1

    Brilliant storytelling of a lively and intelligent woman who lived with high drama and loss.

  • @stinky92607
    @stinky92607 Před měsícem

    This is my first time to this channel. Very nicely done. I am now a subscriber. Thank you, I'll probably listen to this one again. 👍

  • @terry4137
    @terry4137 Před 2 měsíci

    Joined! Thank you! ❤

  • @monickalynn4365
    @monickalynn4365 Před 5 měsíci +1

    I love this channel,even at 50 (cough,cough!!) I learn a bit more about history.Audio accounts/stories,for me,help me retain what I'm learning/hearing. Thanks

  • @christinemiller7238
    @christinemiller7238 Před 3 měsíci

    I’ve been to Hildene twice. I very much enjoyed this program. Thank you!

  • @esterherschkovich6499
    @esterherschkovich6499 Před 5 měsíci +8

    New sub here from the UK. My Ancestors immigrated to America 😊

    • @floydiandreamscapes5145
      @floydiandreamscapes5145 Před 2 měsíci

      Mine from the UK.😊

    • @lisahinton9682
      @lisahinton9682 Před 2 měsíci

      @esterherschkovich6499 My mum was from Liverpool. She married my American dad. :-) They met over there when he was getting his graduate degree.

  • @annaleefinch7266
    @annaleefinch7266 Před 5 měsíci +1

    New subscriber from Virginia. LOVE history!

  • @modoc852
    @modoc852 Před 6 měsíci +16

    Poor Abe for all eternity, poor poor Abe.

    • @LittleKitty22
      @LittleKitty22 Před 5 měsíci +1

      I think he's haunting the White House to get away from her. I really hope Abe can find some peace wherever he is know, and maybe find himself a proper wife.

    • @rcristy
      @rcristy Před 3 měsíci

      ​@@LittleKitty22smh🙄

  • @sunnyjacksmack
    @sunnyjacksmack Před 6 měsíci +2

    well done

  • @geminigrrl66
    @geminigrrl66 Před 6 měsíci +10

    Mary Todd Lincoln seemed to have some serious abandonment issues. Unfortunately, society women can be catty, so no wonder they thought her gowns were scandalous. It would be great to talk about Elizabeth Keckley, Mary Todd Lincoln's dressmaker. A former enslaved woman who bought her freedom then became a popular modiste to Washington's socialite and became Mary Todd's confidante.

    • @anymongus
      @anymongus Před 6 měsíci +1

      Elizabeth was not very nice to Mary. At all.

    • @leigh310
      @leigh310 Před 5 měsíci +1

      Exactly! Mary Lincoln was not all bad! She was a strong supporter of freeing slavery and treated the soldiers in the home for soldiers daily and spent much time caring for them. There was a lot left out that was positive about her life. Lincoln truly loved her and she him.

  • @adeleirving5766
    @adeleirving5766 Před 2 měsíci

    Thanks!

  • @royaljesters4010
    @royaljesters4010 Před 2 měsíci +1

    Love a strong woman.Approval not needed.A work of art. Her mansion was a statement.Her life is a wonderful encouragement to take the initiative .A broken heart because of loss caused her to be defensive.1865 saw a great first Lady. Her husband the President made no will.Still resilient she received a pension. At the end of the day left an inheritance
    .⚖️

  • @lukemaas6747
    @lukemaas6747 Před 5 měsíci +4

    The woman whose photo is at about 5 minutes and 20 seconds is Kate Chase, daughter of Salmon Chase, future Secretary of the Treasury. and Mary's enemy.

  • @pinkcarnation231
    @pinkcarnation231 Před 3 měsíci

    Excellent video!

  • @sontamay1
    @sontamay1 Před 5 měsíci

    Thank you soo much for these videos! I love all the historical information, it’s hard to find such well put together information and detail. I laughed a few times because You narrate like my late grandmother did about people that were ridiculous or things she didn’t approve of, polite but you get the point. LOL!
    I look forward to watching more

  • @gwenynmel5682
    @gwenynmel5682 Před 5 měsíci +2

    Women of substance raised in the South behaved just like Mary Todd Lincoln. Saying she had mental disorders is a total slam on the South. It is a shame the way the Northerners treated her. (I’m giving no excuses for the South. They raised their children like the aristocracy-privileged and not self aware.)

  • @Laura_toggsgirls
    @Laura_toggsgirls Před 2 měsíci +1

    This always had a interest in my heart

  • @ginaramsperger1984
    @ginaramsperger1984 Před 2 měsíci +1

    LOVE IT

  • @deborahwatson2432
    @deborahwatson2432 Před 5 měsíci +11

    Great story!
    Poor Abe 😢

  • @roberthall1379
    @roberthall1379 Před 6 měsíci +5

    Thanks you for all the wonderful videos. I look forward to them! Keep up the great work.

  • @dalehoward3704
    @dalehoward3704 Před měsícem

    You're an excellent narrator Sir❤

  • @sarahpoff78
    @sarahpoff78 Před 5 měsíci +1

    Thanks

  • @Elizabeth-yg2mg
    @Elizabeth-yg2mg Před 2 měsíci +1

    This poor woman! Such a sad story.

  • @bluerosaryj9970
    @bluerosaryj9970 Před 4 měsíci

    Awesome

  • @shersmith1889
    @shersmith1889 Před 2 měsíci

    Enjoyed

  • @22suezann
    @22suezann Před 5 měsíci +5

    Wow. What an oversight! You used a picture of Jane Austen when speaking about Mary’s death.

    • @cathy-k
      @cathy-k Před 5 měsíci +3

      Thanks for confirming what I was thinking also.

    • @oldcollegecoed
      @oldcollegecoed Před 5 měsíci

      It’s quite possible the photo of Jane Austen was used deliberately; 2 very atypical women for their times!

  • @brentinnes5151
    @brentinnes5151 Před 5 měsíci +6

    One doc I saw ..a biographer of the Todd family said there was a saying around Lexington at the time...'God has one D, but the Todd's have to have two,'

  • @josephel4292
    @josephel4292 Před 2 měsíci +1

    A fascinating but tragic life.

  • @deloresholland2790
    @deloresholland2790 Před 4 měsíci

    How wonderful !!!!!