The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-11-13
LOVE AND ELOPEMENT
DETAILS OF THE MARRIAGE OF JEs-
SIZE LINCOLN AND MIR. BECKWITH.
How the Ex-Minister to the Court OF
Daughter-A Romantic COurtship.

CHICAGO, Nov. 12-The elopement and
marriage of Jessie Lincoln, daughter of
Robert T.. Lincoln, and the announcement
by the father that he will never pardon
Warren Beckwith, his new son-in-law, is
still causing gossip in society circles The
marriage of the young couple followed ro-
mantle courtship. This is the story as
friend told it:
Three years ago. when Jessie Lincoln
was visiting at the home of her Grandfather
Harlan, in Mount Pleasant, Ia, she. met
Warren Beckwith. Both were young then,
not out of their teens, and they are not
much older now-Miss Lincoln is just a lit
tie more than twenty-one, and her husband
is scarcely more than twenty-three. The ac-
quaintance rjpened into more kindly regard
and ii was not long before Miss Lincoln's
relatives heard OF It, Although young Beck
with was OF one of the best families of the
place, Mr. and MRS Lincoln objected TO his
attentions, and they discouraged the friend
ship. Mr.. Beckviths father also opposed
any serious ending OF the love affair, hold
ing that both were too young. Accordingly.
last winter, Miss Lincoln was sent to New
York to spend the season with her sister,
Mrs. Isham. Captain Beckwith at the same
time sent his son to Texas TO look after
some business matters. Last spring, how
ever, the lOVe-marked couple returned to
Mount Pleasant, and they spent the spring
and summer near each other. For some
weeks Mrs. Lincoln had planned to return
to Chicago last Tuesday night. Monday she
learned of the proposed secret marriage of
her daughter to Mr.. Beckwith, and this only
increased her determination to hurry away
from Mount Pleasant.
According to the plan of Young folks
as it reached Mrs. Lincoln's ears Mr.. Beck
with was to take the county officials into his
confidence and secure a marriage license Sc
cretly. AS surreptitiously the marriage was
to be performed, and the secret was to be
kept from relatives and public alike for a
year. But Warren Beckwith followed his
fiancee to Chicago. and arrived almost as
soon as they did. His friends knew of his
plans and went to the train to give him
congratulations in advance Miss Lincoln
was evidently well informed, for when she
left home Wednesday morning, ostensibly
to go shopping, 1t was not for bargains she
went in search of, but a husband She was
driven directly to the Northwestern Sta
ton. There her f1ance met her, and they
took the first train for Milwaukee. There
they were driven to the parsonage of the
Sherman-street Methodist Episcopal
Church. and in the parlor of his home the
Rev. Orlando p. Christian performed the
ceremony Mrs. II. j. Baumgartner, wife
of the president of the Common Council of
Milwaukee, and Mrs. Christian, wife of the
pastor who married the young couple, were
the only witnesses, and they signed the
certificate.
Previously Mr. Beckwith had registered
at the Plankinton House, and there he took
his bride. In the evening Mr.. and Mrs. Beck
with took train for Chicago, and on its
arrival at the Northwestern Station the
groom bundled his wife into a hanson
and she was driven home Then he hurried
over to the Clifton House, registered and
home just in time for dinner. She did not
tell her parents about her trip TO Milwau-
kee and her marriage to Mr.. Beckwtth. She
had planned to tell her parents the next day,
but the rumor of her elopement reached the
ears of Mr.. Lincoln, and the daughter was
asked for an explanation. Instead OF the eX-
pected denial her father and mother learned
that the shopping expedition was myth
and that the report of an elopement and
marriage, which they had regarded as pre-
posterous, was true.
/ Mr. Lincoln said yesterday: MY daugh-
ter is of age, but she married without my
knowledge and in opposition to my advice.
What the reasons for our opposition to the
union are / do not care to say"
Mrs Beckwith Is the second daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Todd Lincoln. When
her father was minister to the court of st.
James she lived with her parents in Lon
don She has been educated in the best
schools of this country and abroad. but
has spent only a comparatively small por-
ton OF her life in Chicago. With her mother
she has spent much time in Mount Pleasant.
Warren Wallace Beckwith, for that Is the
full name of MIR. Lincoln's new son-in-laW,
is the youngest son of Capt. Warren Beck
with, of Mount Pleasant. The father is well
known in railroad circles is one Of the own
ers of the Western wheel works. of Aurora,
ILL.,, and the poSSeSSOr of numerous large
stock farms. The bridegroom Is an athlete
and somewhat of a student. and was at one
time employed in Chicago, but 1t Is claimed
that he lost his position through some overt
reference to his engagement to Miss Linz
coin. Young Beckwith's mother was a
the Iowa cavalry during the war. His
mother died when he an infant and
Captain Beckwith married a second time,
this wife being a sister To the former one.