House of Abraham - Bev Russell, Library Director

(This column appeared in the February 24, 2008, Star-Herald)

 

Each February the nation honors its presidents with a holiday. To me President’s Day still primarily celebrates the February birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and George Washington, our two greatest presidents; therefore, I try to read a book about one or the other. This year, the book I selected, "House of Abraham: Lincoln & the Todds, a Family Divided By War" by Stephen Berry, focuses on Lincoln’s in-laws, the Todds.

Patriarch Robert Smith Todd sired fourteen children, and as an adult Abraham Lincoln had much closer association with the Todds than with his own family. His relationship with them certainly impacted his life and his public career. Of the fourteen Todd children, six sided with the Union and eight sided with the Confederacy during the Civil War. "House of Abraham" delves into their lives.

Elizabeth Porter Todd (1813-1888) – Married Ninian Edwards and moved to Springfield, Illinois. The Edwards introduced the Lincolns to one another, and Elizabeth cared for Mary during her final days.

Frances Jane Todd (1815-1899) – Frances also moved to Springfield where she married William Wallace. The Lincoln’s third son, Willie, was named after Wallace.

Levi Owen Todd (1817-1864) – A failure at business, Levi’s wife divorced him for cruelty. He was a Union man but did not serve in the Civil War. He died an alcoholic of "utter want and destitution".

Ann Marie Todd (1824-1891) – She also moved from Lexington, Kentucky to Springfield where she was married. She was the "most quick tempered and vituperative…of all the Todd sisters" which says quite a lot.

George Rogers Clark Todd (1825-1902?) – A gifted surgeon, George had a terrible temper and liked his alcohol. Like his brother Levi, George’s wife divorced him for cruelty. After the war he was charged with cruelty to federal prisoners. Frankly, George was a mess. His family hated him, and he was a reputed abortionist.

Margaret Todd (1828-1904) – Although married and living in Cincinnati, both Margaret and her husband had strong ties to the Confederacy. Her husband, Charles, committed treason during the war.

Samuel Brown Todd (1830-1862) – Sam was killed at the battle of Shiloh where he served as a private in the Confederate army.

David Humphreys Todd (1832-1871) – David had the Todd penchant for alcohol abuse. He was relieved as commander of a Confederate prison because of prisoner abuse and was also accused of desecrating a corpse.

Martha K. Todd (1833-1868) – She was mistakenly charged as a spy and smuggler which was a major embarrassment to Lincoln.

Emilie Paret Todd (1836-1930) – Lincoln called her "little sister". After her husband, a Confederate general was killed, she spent a week with the Lincolns at the White House. Lincoln’s political enemies used this as a weapon against him.

Alexander Humphreys Todd (1839-1862) – Alex was the youngest of the Todd brothers and the favorite of his sisters. He served in the Confederate army and was killed by friendly fire.

Elodie Breck Todd (1840-1877) – Although she supported the Confederacy, Elodie would not allow criticism of the Lincolns in her presence.

Catherine "Kitty" Bodley Todd (1841-1875) – Kitty also supported the Confederacy and married a Confederate officer.

"House of Abraham" provides an insight into the impact of the Todd brothers and sisters on the lives of Abraham and Mary Todd Lincoln. It also demonstrates the impact of the Civil War on all of them. They were a fairly dysfunctional group, and if nothing else, their lives proved that Mary Lincoln came by her eccentricities naturally. Read "House of Abraham" by Stephen Berry for a different perspective on our 16^th president.

 

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