Robert Todd Lincoln

Robert Todd Lincoln (August 1, 1843 – July 26, 1926) was an American lawyer and businessman. He was the eldest son of President Abraham Lincoln and First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln. He was the only one of their four children to reach the age of 19.

Robert Lincoln worked as a business lawyer. He also served as United States Secretary of War from 1881 to 1885 and as the U.S. Ambassador to Great Britain from 1889 to 1893.

He was born in Springfield, Illinois. Robert Lincoln graduated from Harvard College. He later served as a captain in the Union army during the American Civil War under General Ulysses S. Grant. After the war, he married Mary Eunice Harlan, and they had three children together. He studied law in Chicago and built a successful practice.

In addition to his government roles under presidents James A. Garfield, Chester A. Arthur, and Benjamin Harrison, Robert Lincoln became general counsel of the Pullman Company. After the founder George Pullman passed away in 1897, Lincoln took over as the company’s president. He later served as chairman of the board until 1924.

In his later years, he lived in Washington, D.C., and Manchester, Vermont, where his home, Hildene, became a historic site. He took part in the dedication of the Lincoln Memorial in 1922 and passed away in 1926 at the age of 82, buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

Early life

Robert Todd Lincoln was born in Springfield, Illinois on August 1, 1843, to Abraham Lincoln and Mary Todd Lincoln. He had three younger brothers named Edward, William, and Tad. His father was already well known in politics before Robert was born.

Robert tried to go to Harvard College in 1859 but did not pass most of the test. He went to Phillips Exeter Academy to get ready for college and later graduated from Harvard in 1864. While at Harvard, he was vice-president of the Hasty Pudding Club and joined the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity.

Civil War years

Robert Lincoln went to Harvard Law School but left in January 1865 to join the Union Army. His father encouraged his mother to let Robert serve. Robert became an assistant adjutant with the rank of captain and worked with Ulysses S. Grant. He was liked by his fellow officers and did not ask for special treatment because he was the president’s son.

Robert was there when General Robert E. Lee surrendered, ending the war. He left the army in June 1865 and returned to civilian life. Later, he studied law in Chicago and became a lawyer. In 1893, Harvard gave him an honorary degree.

Family

Robert Todd Lincoln married Mary Eunice Harlan on September 24, 1868. Mary was the daughter of Senator James Harlan and Ann Eliza Peck from Mount Pleasant, Iowa. They had three children: two daughters and one son. Their names were Mary "Mamie" Lincoln, Abraham "Jack" Lincoln II, and Jessie Harlan Lincoln.

The family often left the busy city to stay in Mount Pleasant. They spent summers at the Harlan home in the 1880s. The Harlan-Lincoln home was built in 1876 and is still standing today. It was donated to Iowa Wesleyan College in 1907 and is now a museum. The museum has items from the Lincoln family and from when Abraham Lincoln was president.

Robert’s children later started their own families.

Politics

Secretary of War (1881–1885)

From 1876 to 1877, Robert Lincoln worked in South Chicago, which later became part of the city of Chicago. In 1877, he turned down a job offer from President Rutherford B. Hayes. Later, President James Garfield chose him to be the Secretary of War. Robert Lincoln held this job from 1881 to 1885, working under both Garfield and Chester A. Arthur.

During his time in this role, there were some troubles in Cincinnati in 1884. People were upset about a court decision, and it led to some unrest. Troops were sent to help calm things down.

After his time as Secretary of War, Robert Lincoln helped start a school for boys in need in Chicago in 1887.

Republican politics

From 1884 to 1912, people sometimes talked about Robert Lincoln as a possible candidate for president or vice president of the United States. But he always said he wasn’t interested and wouldn’t accept such a role. In 1888, his picture was even put on some cards showing possible presidents.

Minister to Great Britain

Robert Lincoln served as the United States’ representative in Great Britain from 1889 to 1893, during President Benjamin Harrison’s time in office. After this, he went back to working as a lawyer.

Later life and career

Robert worked hard to protect his father's memory. He had many jobs, including working for a train company and later becoming its leader.

He loved astronomy and built his own observatory with a special telescope. Robert also enjoyed playing golf and was president of a golf club. His last public event was in 1922 when he helped celebrate a memorial for his father in Washington, D.C.

Presence at assassinations

Robert Lincoln was near three important moments when presidents were hurt. He was close to the White House when his father was hurt. Later, he saw when another president was hurt at a train station. He was also close by when a third president was hurt at a big event. Because of these events, Robert decided not to attend any more similar gatherings.

Death

Robert Todd Lincoln passed away peacefully in his sleep at his home in Vermont called Hildene in 1926. He was 82 years old.

His body was kept at Dellwood Cemetery before being placed at Arlington National Cemetery. He is buried there with his wife Mary and their son Abraham II.

Legacy

Robert Todd Lincoln was sometimes seen as a sad and lonely person. He once said that people only wanted him for jobs because he was President Abraham Lincoln’s son, not because they really wanted him. Even so, he held many important jobs and became a rich lawyer and businessman.

People who knew him had different ideas about his personality. Some thought he was serious and far away, while others found him friendly and funny. Robert Lincoln lived a long life. He was the last person from important government groups during the Garfield and Arthur administrations, and the last person to see General Lee’s surrender at Appomattox. A part of the ocean near Greenland is called the Lincoln Sea in his honor. His last known descendant passed away many years later.

In popular culture

Robert Todd Lincoln has appeared as a character in many movies, TV shows, and plays.

Films

• Edwin Mills in Abe Lincoln in Illinois (1940)
• Joseph Gordon-Levitt in Steven Spielberg's Lincoln (2012)

Television

• Kieran Mulroney in Tad (1995)
• Gregory Cooke in the miniseries Lincoln (1988)
• Wil Wheaton in The Day Lincoln Was Shot (1998)
• Brett Dalton in Killing Lincoln (2013)
• Neal Bledsoe in Timeless (2016)
• James Carroll Jordan in Sandburg's Lincoln (1974), with Hal Holbrook as Abraham Lincoln.
• Nick Robinson in History of the World, Part II (2023)
• Maxwell Korn in Manhunt (2024)
• Kyle Soller in Death by Lightning (2025)

Stage plays

• Michael Cristofer in The Last of Mrs. Lincoln (1976). The Last of Mrs. Lincoln, starring Julie Harris, was also seen on television, on PBS as part of a series called Hollywood Television Theater.