Saturday, August 30, 2008

Robert Todd Lincoln

the only child of President Lincoln to live past his teens had some interesting coincidences in his life:



"There is coincidence in regard to Lincoln and presidential assassinations. He was either present or was nearby when three of them occurred.
Lincoln was invited to accompany his parents to the Ford's Theatre the night his father was shot by John Wilkes Booth on April 14, 1865. Citing fatigue from riding in a covered wagon for an extended period of time, he declined and remained behind at the White House, where he immediately went to bed. He was informed of the President's being shot just before midnight.
At President James A. Garfield's invitation, Lincoln was at the Sixth Street Train Station in Washington, D.C., where the President was shot by Charles J. Guiteau on July 2, 1881 and was an eyewitness to the event. Lincoln was serving as Garfield's Secretary of War at the time.
At President William McKinley's invitation, Lincoln was at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York, where the President was shot by Leon F. Czolgoz on September 6, 1901, though he was not an eyewitness to the event.

In an odd coincidence, Robert Lincoln was once saved by Edwin T. Booth, brother of John Wilkes Booth, from possible serious injury or death. The incident happened at a railroad station in Jersey City sometime in 1863 or 1864, when Robert was traveling from New York City to Washington, and was recounted by Lincoln in 1909. On his way to Washington, Lincoln waited on the platform and due to crowding was pushed next to the car and the train at that moment moved a few feet forward. He subsequently lost his balance and fell between the train station's platform and the moving train. He was grabbed quickly from behind and pulled back onto the platform. Turning to face his rescuer, Lincoln said, "Thank you, Mr. Booth," recognizing Edwin Booth instantly because of the actor's great fame."- Wikipedia

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