New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1926-07-26
ROBERT 7. LINCOLN,
SON OF MARTYRED
PRESIDENT, PASSES


tain arrived there on April IA. and
gave his father the first definite
news of the surrender. On the eve
ming OF the same day, he was in
Ford's theater when John Wilkes
Booth shot and fatally wounded the
president.
Later in life, Lincoln, although ad-
verse 10 holding public office, be-
came secretary of war in President
Garheld's cabinet He was supposed
TO accompany the chief executive on
a trip TO the New England states
July 2, 1881, but a last minute de-
velopment prevented. He went to
the station TO explain, arriving just
as Guiteau shot Garfield.
Lincoln was among the many
prominent men invited to the Buff
falo exposition in 1901 and was
nearby, September 6, when Leon
Czolosz, an anarchist, fired twice at
President William Mckinley from
close range, one of the bullets caus-
ing the executives death eight days
later.
Avoided Presidents.
After this, Lincoln avoided public
association with presidents and once,
when friend asked If he would at
tend a presidential function, he re-
Piled:
mo, I'm not going and they'd
better not invite me, because there
is certain fatality about presiden-
tial functions when l am present"
Robert was Abraham Lincoln's
first child, born August /, 1S43, in
Springfield Ill. He not only was the
eldest of five. children but he out
lived them all. Before attending
Harvard, he was a student in the
University of Illinois and Phillips
Academy, Exeter, n. H.
Stunned Politics
1nheriting virtually none of the
physical characteristics of his faith
or, Lincoln also was widely different
in other respects. He preferred
the practice of law 10 politics and
the glamour of public office and
finally became head of the Pullman
Company after being its counsellor
for many years.
Besides serving in Garfields cabi-
net, however, Lincoln was minister
to Great Britain four years under
President Harrison. Previously, he
had been mentioned for the prcsi- |
dency, but discouraged efforts in
his behalf.
His retiring nature sometimes
made 1t appear to many that he was
taciturn, but his close friends de-
scribed him as warm hearted, |
lovable. charming gentleman" He |
was a delightful converse tionalist, |
great raconteur and If he knew his |
well, he would talk
without reserve.
Il think that in his early days
those who met him talked so much .
about his father and expected him !
10 chat on the subject that he with /
drew into a shell of reticence, the +
protecting confines of which he |
later enlarged" one Of his friends /
said.
Others said Lincoln feared a false
might get out that he
was capitalizing the fact that he
was the presidents son.
Married In 1868
On September "a, 1868, he mar
ried Miss Mary Harlan, daughter OF
James Harlan, who served as sena-
tor from Iowa. Three children were
born to them, two girls and a boy,
Jack Lincoln, who died while
attending school in France.
The murderer of his father threw
upon Lincoln the management of !
affairs of the family. After the
funeral he left Washington with his /
mother and went to Chicago. as he
felt the necessity of entering i'm
upon a business career. 1
He had studied law and was ad- Il
mitted to membership in lead
Ing law firm Of Chicago, resigning
his army commission.
Lincoln continued the practice of
law until he was called TO Washing
ION by President Garfield. in 1881,
10 ne Secretary of War. He served