Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1866-12-19
ONICLE.
Abraham Lincoln as a Lover


". II. Herdon. Esq, formerly law
partner of Mr.. Lincoln, recently deliv.
cred a lecture, in course of which he
narrated an interesting love romance
in the life of that great man. We
quote:
Annie utledge was a beautiful girl
of New Salem from 1924 TO 1886. She
was born in Kentucky, on January 9TH,
1913. She was a ~grandchild of the
liberty loving patriotic Rutledges OF
South Carolina. Her father was born
in South Carolina amid the echoes Of
the lannon's revolutionary rOsr. Mr..
Lincoln lived in New Salem from 1896
to 1887, and boarded for a while with
Cameron, who was the partner of Mr..
Rutledge. Mr.. Lincoln soon changed
his home. He went and boarded with
Mr.. James Rutledge about the year
1888 and 1884, and then and there be-
came well acquainted with Ann Rut-
ledge. He may have known her be
fore this. have no space here to give
a description OF this beautiful, and
amiable girl of nineteen. She was gift
ed with a good mind. Three good and
influential men of the little village of
New Salem simultaneously fell in love
with this girl-A. Lincoln, Mr. and
Mr.. The third man she quickly
rejected. He was a gentleman +; 50 was
Lincoln so was. All these were
strong men, men of power, as time de-
monstrated. Circumstances fate, Provi-
dence, the iron chain of sweeping events
so willed it that this young lady was
engaged to Mr.. Lincoln and Mr.
at one and the same time. No earthly
blame can be attached to the girl, and
none to the men in their fidelity and
honor to her. 1t all so happened, or
was decided by fate. 1t shall, in truth,
be explained hereafter to the satisfac-
ton of all. 1t is a sad, thrilling story.
The young girl saw her condition. Her
word of promise was out to two men at
the same time, both ofWhom she loved,
dearly loved. She consciousness of
this, and the conflict of duties, loves
promises and womanly engagements,
made her think, grow sad, become rest
less and nervous. She suffered, pinned.
ate not and slept not. Time and strug-
gle, as supposed and believed by many
caused her to have a raging fever, of
which she died on the 25th day of
August, A. D. 1885. She died on a farm
seven miles north, bearing a little west,
of New Salem, and now lies buried in
the Concord graveyard, six miles north,
bearing a little west, of New Salem,
and four miles from Petersburg.
Abraham Lincoln loved Miss Ann
Rutledge with his soul, mind and
strength. She loved him as dearly,
tenderly and affectionately. They
seemed made in heaven for each other,
though opposite in many things. AS
before remarked, she was accidently,
innocently and honestly engaged to A.
Lincoln and Mr., at one and the
same time. 1t is said and thought that
the young lady was conditionally prom
ised to Mr.. Lincoln, to be contaminated
upon a release from her first engage
ment with Mr.. Theprimary causes,
facts and conditions which led to this
complication shall be related to you at
another time and place. There is no
dishonor in it TO any of the three. In
her conflicts ofhonor, love, duty, prom
ises and womsnly engagements, she
was taken sick. She struggled. regret
ted, grieved, became nervous. She ate
not, slept not, wss taken sick of brain
fever, became emaciated. and was fast
sinking in the grave. Lincoln wished
to see her. She silently prayed to see
him. The friends of both parties at
first opposed the wish and prayer of
both still the wishes and prayers of
both Enalt.- Erar.Hlol A. ,-o-l-
did go 10 see her about the 10th day
of August, A. D., 1885. The meeting
was quite as much as either could bear,
and more than Mr.. Lincoln, with all
his GOODNESS and philosophy, could en-
duTe. The voice. the features of her,
the love, sympathy and interview, fas-
tened themselves on his heart and soul
forever Heaven only knows what was
said by the two. God only knows what
was thought. DR.. Jason Duncan, of
New Salem, about September, A. D.,
1888, had shown and placed in MI.
Lincoln's hands the poem now called
in short Immortality" or properly.
80, why should the spirit of mortal be
proud ?" Remember, Miss Rutledge
died on the 25th of August, A. D., 1885, .
and was buried in the Concord Gene
terry, six miles north, bearing a little
west of New Salem, as stated before
Mr.. Lincoln has stated that his heart,
sad and broken, was buried there. He
said in addition, to the same friend,
cannot endure the thought that the
sleet and storm, frost and snow of
heaven, should beat on her grave."-
- -. ,ll,---,l a,,NIo, .
my opinion, yours a~ffectionately :"
and generally and Enthusiastically
abstained from the use of the word
That word can not be found
than half a dozen times, if that
often, in all his letters and speeches,
that time. l have seen some of
mis- letters to other ladies, but he never
love" He never ended his let
.ers with "'yours affectioDately," but
signed his name, your friend, A. Lin
,oln." Abraham Lincoln was by ma
.ure, more or less, in tendency, alb
itracted, had the power of continuous
concentrated thought. 1t may be, as
that he vas a warm, ardent,
md more or less impulsive man, before
1886, and of which l give no opinion"
Mr. Herndon then went on to des-
the settled melancholy which fol-
owed this bereavement, and the great
lificulty which Lincoln's friends expe-
fenced in r%ousing him from his de
pressed mental condition. He was
inally induced to leave the place for a
ime, and by the society ofkind friends
It Bolin Green's, his grief and sorrow
vas dissipated, and he became himself ,
gain. The story concludes thus:
He got well and babe adieu, for a
hort season, to Bolin's kind roof and I
generous hospitality Mrs. Bolin Green !
till lives. God bless her and survives
Ter own husband, and their ward and |
uest. Mr.. Lincoln went back to New !
allen, as thought, a radically chang
d man. HeTWent to New Salem
bout the last of September, A. D.,
835. He now once more picked up,
ook up, and read, and re-read the
Dem called Immortality" or "Ohi =
Thy should the Spirit of Mortal be
'roud p" He saw new beauties in it. r
lie seized it, and it seized him-a
MUTUAL seizure and arrest. He learned, S
earned by heart, committed it to 7