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Buy the Book
All in the Family
Jason Emerson’s new biography of Robert Todd Lincoln captures a man of impressive achievement in his own right.
Giant in the Shadows: The Life of Robert T.
Lincoln
By Jason Emerson
(Southern Illinois University Press, 752 pages,
$39.95)
Robert Todd Lincoln (he never used the Todd, Jason Emerson tells us), the oldest of Abraham Lincoln’s four sons and the only one to live to adulthood, was one of those Midwestern men of business who made Chicago the post-Civil War center of American commerce and industry—a city, wrote Andrew Ferguson in his splendid Land of Lincoln, that “grew with the Lincoln legend and was, in part, a creature of it,” a city leveled by fire and rebuilt, epitomizing the “entrepreneurial capitalism that came roaring out of the Civil War period and Lincoln came to symbolize.”
The Chicago connection is central to Emerson’s study, and interestingly enough, this magazine has strong Chicago ties as well. Andrew Ferguson, who made his bones as a journalist at The American Spectator, writes that his father worked as a lawyer in Chicago at the firm founded by Robert Todd Lincoln.
And hanging in the home library of Bob Tyrrell, the founder and editor of TAS, and himself a Chicago product, is a large picture of Abraham Lincoln, with a bronze plaque that reads: “Presented To P. D. Tyrrell, U.S.S.S. By Robert T. Lincoln April 14, 1887 For Loyalty And Service to his Father Abraham Lincoln.”
Captain P.D. Tyrrell of the U.S. Secret Service, head of its regional office in Chicago, was Bob Tyrrell’s great-great-grandfather; and his service to Robert Lincoln’s father, performed twelve years after the assassination of the president, was to prevent the theft of Abraham Lincoln’s body by a Chicago gang of body snatchers (they were also counterfeiters) from its burial place in Springfield, Illinois.
Grave robbing, Emerson tells us, a somewhat macabre form of kidnapping, was not uncommon at the time. In 1830, for instance, one sensational case occurred when “a fired gardener at George Washington’s home in Mount Vernon tried to steal the first president’s skull, but ended up with the bones of a distant relative.”
In the end, the plot to snatch Lincoln’s body, discussed in some detail in one of the most readable sections of this highly readable book, was foiled by Captain Tyrrell. Tyrrell, Emerson tells us, was an immigrant, born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1835, who moved to America at age three. He grew up in Buffalo, New York, and after a variety of jobs in law enforcement, made his way to Chicago, where he was named a police detective and “established himself as one of the department’s best men,” solving several of the department’s most difficult cases.
When the Chicago chief of police was appointed chief of the U.S. Secret Service in 1874, “he brought Tyrrell with him and made the Irishman head of the Chicago regional office. There, Tyrrell again distinguished himself as a top operative by shutting down and arresting numerous counterfeiters and gangs, operations large and small.”
P. D. Tyrrell, Emerson writes, “was one of the Service’s most outstanding operatives, and later in his career would be considered one of the most distinguished law enforcement officers in the country.”
The attempt to steal Lincoln’s body is worth a book in itself, and at least one has already been written. But for Emerson’s purpose, the whole episode also helps define the great responsibility to preserve and protect his father’s memory and legacy that Robert Lincoln charged himself with bearing throughout his life and career:
In September 1901, the final re-burial of Abraham Lincoln took place.…This was the seventeenth time the body was moved, and the sixth time it was exposed and viewed since 1865…. After thirty-six years of dealing with events concerning his father’s tomb—the history of which one newspaper called “a sort of burlesque”—Robert never again had to worry about it, Abraham Lincoln was finally and permanently at rest. The entire affair, however, was only one small piece of the Lincoln legacy—a legacy that would occupy, satisfy, and very often aggravate Robert his entire life.
His self-appointed role as guardian of the Lincoln legacy also involved making judgments on the various works about the president and his family increasingly pouring out of the printing presses. He especially despised the life of Lincoln written by William Herndon, who as a boy had known the future president and later became his law partner. Some students of Abraham Lincoln find Herndon indispensable for his depiction of the fast-disappearing world of the frontier that helped shape and define Lincoln. (Interestingly, Robert Lincoln was enthusiastic about the two-volume life of his father written by Ida Tarbell, the noted muckraker.)
Part of Robert Lincoln’s distaste for Herndon apparently grew out of what he considered “the negative depiction of Mary Lincoln.” According to Emerson, a significant amount of his time was spent discrediting books and articles published about his mother, as well as trying “to collect and destroy all of his mother’s letters written during what [he] called her ‘period of mental derangement,’ and also to attempt to block the publication of letters he could not destroy.”
Perhaps the heaviest part of Robert Lincoln’s burden as guardian of the family legacy was the continuous care and oversight of his mother, as she sank from instability into something very much like insanity, at one point requiring a formal commitment, which proved temporary, to an asylum. The extended scenes in which the relationship between mother and son are described are among the most painful in the book.
BUT MR. EMERSON’S biography is by no means an extended chronicle of heartbreak and suffering. True, it might seem there’s a string of bad luck running through the Robert Lincoln story—especially where presidents are involved. Although not at Ford Theater when his father was shot, he was nearby at the White House and one of the first to arrive at the theater.
About the Author
John R. Coyne, Jr. a former White House speech-writer, is co-author with Linda Bridges of Strictly Right: William F. Buckley Jr. and the American Conservative Movement (Wiley).
Letter to the Editor View all comments (23) | Leave a comment
More Articles by John R. Coyne, Jr.
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http://spectator.org/archives/2012/05/24/all-in-the-family
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Jack in Wi.| 5.24.12 @ 6:25AM
As Lincoln sent millions to fight and die his own son was hiding at Harvard. When he finally enlisted at the end of the war he was sent to General Grant's staff where he was deliberatly kept from any action where he could be hurt. In other words it is similar to todays chickenhawks. They are gung ho for war and bloodshed as long as it is some else's blood, but their own, and their relatives. I believe the same could be said of FDR's sons, who lingered on, in safe behind the lines jobs. The old warmonger, Teddy Roosevelt, on the other hand put his own ass and his sons on the line and went to war with a gusto. All his sons fought bravely in 2 wars. That is, except his youngist son Quentin, who was killed at the very end of WW1. Then the old man had to face the fact of how horrible war is. He died soon after Quentin, a broken man.
Mike Hawk| 5.24.12 @ 6:53AM
Your history as usual is a bit distorted.
Vern Crisler| 5.24.12 @ 10:28AM
It wasn't just his mother, but Abraham also didn't want his son in combat. They had lost Willie in 1962, and Lincoln thought the loss of Robert would destroy his mother's sanity.
Vern Crisler| 5.24.12 @ 11:50AM
Gees, 1862.
Vern Crisler| 5.24.12 @ 12:06PM
From Wikipedia: "Theodore Roosevelt, incensed at America’s continuing neutrality in the face of Germany's actions — including the sinking of the British passenger ship RMS Lusitania in May 1915, in which 128 Americans drowned — campaigned unsuccessfully on behalf of the 1916 Republican Presidential nominee, Charles Evan Hughes, during which he severely criticized Woodrow Wilson. Wilson was subsequently reelected on a neutrality platform. While he was initially neutral, Quentin came to agree with his father, writing to Flora in early 1917 from Harvard University, where he was studying, 'We are a pretty sordid lot, aren’t we, to want to sit looking on while England and France fight our battles and pan gold into our pockets.'"
Roosevelt probably regretted encouraging his son to go into direct combat, but it's doubtful whether he had any regrets about entering WW1, or of his son's efforts in WW1.
"To feel that one has inspired a boy to conduct that has resulted in his death, has a pretty serious side for a father," Theodore Roosevelt wrote of Quentin. However, he did not publicly question the usefulness of the losses suffered by his and so many other families. How could he? He had, after all, been the high priest of American interventionism since early 1915. The war in which his youngest son died and his other sons suffered was one for which he'd lobbied with a vengeance. "Honor, highest honor," the sickly and dispirited ex-President editorialized after Quentin's last flight, "to those who fearlessly face death for a good cause; no life is so honorable or so fruitful as such a death. Unless men are willing to fight and die for great ideals, including love of country, ideals will vanish, and the world will become one huge sty of materialism."
http://www.nytimes.com/books/f.....pride.html
Alan Brooks| 5.24.12 @ 12:30PM
"Jason Emerson's new biography of Robert Todd Lincoln captures a man of impressive achievement in his own right."
Well of course, or Emerson and Coyne wouldn't write about him!
Dave Williams| 5.24.12 @ 3:17PM
...and somewhere, lurking in the background, as always, were those diabolically crafty Joooz...Jack, you are WAY beyond tiresome with your mindless rants. Get a life.
Alan Brooks| 5.24.12 @ 4:56PM
Joe Sobran and Pat Buchanan have books still in print making Jack appear as Meir Kahane in comparison (okay, a bit of an exaggeration) but you think Jack is some sort of Stormtrooper?
Jack in Wi.| 5.24.12 @ 6:58PM
Joe Soban and Pat Buchanan were the best writers and thinkers to come out of the right in the last 60 years. Of course they both disliked Lincoln because of all the bad he brought to the Republic, like jailing thousands of his opponents without charge or trail, the first income tax, the first draft, the collapse of sovereign states rights, the destruction and impoverishment of a 3rd of the country, and tyranical wartime government. Sic Semper Tyrannis.
Vern Crisler | 5.24.12 @ 7:35PM
Neoconfederates....who needs them?
Alan Brooks| 5.24.12 @ 9:41PM
After reading many of Jack's comments, I see he doesn't dislike Israel, he dislikes our foreign policy in the region. Jack isn't some guy at http://www.stormfront.org
who wants to kill kill kill.
Jack doesn't love Israel, but a minority of persons in the world love Israel.
All American American| 5.24.12 @ 7:55AM
Ahhhhhh, more Lincoln worship from "conservatives" who would probably tell you we need to get back to constitutional government and the 10A yada yada blah blah blah.
Dick Nome| 5.24.12 @ 8:20AM
Ahhhh, let's go back to the Articles of COnfederation.You're a Paulbot, right??
All American American| 5.24.12 @ 1:53PM
What is a "Paulbot?" Whatever it is, I am not one, DICK. I am an OMG ABO guy. I'd vote for my daughter's poopie diaper if it were running against Obama. As it stands now I'll vote for Romney, as much as it sickens me that he is wimping out on the Rev Wright angle. Say what you want about Obama, but at least he's got some nads, which is something establishment RINO POS sackless faux patriots like you could learn to grow, DICK.
Let me guess tho, you're a "conservative" who believes in a constitutionally limited federal government and the real power in this country lies in the States and the People, but is too stupid to understand the contradiction of thinking you believe that while at the same time you worship good ol' Abe the Constitution Destroyer/Federal Leviathan Creator/Corporate Welfare King Extraordinaire as America's bestest president ever in fornever, right?
Hey DICK do you hate when the left uses Alinsky tactics to distract from the real conversation? Kinda like labeling people "Paulbots" or whatever third grade nonsense you RINO establishment wannabe chickenhawk faux patriots use to squash dissent, huh?
Paul may not be my cup of tea when it comes to foreign policy (didn't vote for him in my state's primary) but I would never belittle someone on my own team. A house divided can not stand, and repubs divided will not defeat Obama.
But keep calling folks you disagree with names like a good little leftist, DICK, instead of debating the issues. A libtard leftist is what you REALLY are at heart. DICK.
Vern Crisler| 5.24.12 @ 2:59PM
This is just Paulista, DeLorenzonked crap.
Michael| 5.24.12 @ 12:38PM
"Took a significant number of vote for the top job in 1888"? If I remember right it was only 3 or 4 votes.
Ron| 5.24.12 @ 12:45PM
Jack, you and your "chickenhawk, proud 4-F"..(or is that Clint because you too yahoos sound so much alike) need to really take a rest.
Maybe during this coming Memorial Day, instead of planning one of your inane rants or protests, or whatever, you should read and do some reflection. For example, any biography of Robert E. Lee might help you see how real soldiers (besides the one's you constantly deride) view war, and indeed might actually help you understand a soldier's mentality, which apparently you so abhor you attack without having experienced what one goes through in martial conflict. One of the greatest quotes about war comes from R.E. Lee "It is well that war is so terrible lest we should grow too fond of it." And before you go blah, blah, blah about slaves, Robert E. Lee did not own any slaves.
Read and learn a little instead of just quoting your G-D, Ron Paul.
To stay on topic, Robert Lincoln was eager to enlist, but his parents held him back. believe it or not, back in those days, parents actually had parental control over their sons, and given the death statistics in the Lincoln family for male children, the Lincoln's were concerned for their eldest living child.
Jack in Wi.| 5.24.12 @ 2:15PM
Whether Robert Todd Lincoln wanted to enlist or not is immaterial. His father wanted him safe, unlike all those other sons he sent to be slaughtered in a senseless war. I read a book on the Lincoln family, which is now extinct. The decendents of Robert Todd Lincoln were a really worthless bunch.
SeymourGlass| 5.24.12 @ 7:29PM
Well, that settles it. You READ A BOOK!
SeymourGlass| 5.24.12 @ 7:42PM
Ron: you are right to celebrate Lee. But he didn't need to own slaves. His wife owned them.
POST American| 5.25.12 @ 2:34AM
---For those just joining us---
RE: Abe Lincoln
ESSENTIAL, though usually overlooked,
minimized, disinfo-ed and distorted
background ----Lincoln's diss of ROT-child
INTER-national USURY finance.
----'Money Masters' documentary online
(---now with tens of MILLIONS of views)
really is the place to start for newcomers.
"This is an old, old plan for siezing
the resources of the world, eradicating
all that's genuinely human ----and bringing
on EUGENICS ---MASS population
extermination and the 'Ordo ob Chaos'
masonic ---FINAL SOLUTION'."
The private, unelected, ILLEGAL, woirld
USURY and capstone EUGENICS
'U.N.' is there to bring this on.
The 'ID ----ALL'
----------------'CALM---U.N.---WEALTH'
--------------------------------made REAL!
------------------------------UN ----WEALTH.
The 'YOU ----N (d)' you might say.
They giggle about this ALLLLL the time.
---------------HUAC/ Nuremberg 2012----------------
sweeterjan| 5.25.12 @ 4:24AM
When the Chicago chief of police was appointed chief of the U.S. Secret Service in 1874, “he brought Tyrrell with him and made the Irishman head of the Chicago regional office. There, Tyrrell again http://www.ceinturesfr.com/cei.....-c-30.html distinguished himself as a top operative by shutting down and arresting numerous counterfeiters and gangs, operations large and small.”