Lincoln's son was present at three presidential assassinations

Discussion in 'Non-Military Biographies' started by carolgreen299, Sep 25, 2012.

  1. carolgreen299

    carolgreen299 New Member

    You may be surprised to learn that President Abraham Lincoln's son, Robert Todd Lincoln, was on the scene of three presidential assassinations.

    The first time was in 1865, when he was with his father after he was shot at Ford's Theatre.

    In 1881, Lincoln, who was then serving as Secretary of War, arrived at Union Station shortly after President James A. Garfield had been shot.

    Finally, in 1901, he was at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York, when President William McKinley was assassinated.
     
  2. pilot2fly

    pilot2fly Member

    That is quite ironic. It almost seems like he was cursed. I wonder if this was out of pure coincidence.
     
  3. StephenM1066

    StephenM1066 New Member

    Au contraire,

    The younger Lincoln was not a Ford's Theater the night of his father's murder. As to the others, I'd have to check.
     
  4. Diptangshu

    Diptangshu Active Member

    Robert, may be shorty reached after the assassination of the President Garfield's and during President McKinley's, he was in the vicinity, but never been there during his father's, what I believe.
     
  5. Kate

    Kate Active Member

    Robert Lincoln was nearby when Garfield was assassinated but for McKinley, Lincoln and his family were told on arrival (to NY) that McKinley had been shot. The night his father was shot, Robert was at home in the White House.

    Trivia here... look up how the brother of John Wilkes Booth was connected to Robert Todd Lincoln a short time before his (Lincoln's) father was shot. o_O
     
  6. ReDGuNNeR

    ReDGuNNeR New Member

    It makes sense given his place in politics post-Lincoln assassination, but it's still a factoid for the ages!

    Even if he wasn't there for his father's being a witness to such a dark side of American history is both equally magnificent and horrifying.
     
  7. gmckee1985

    gmckee1985 Member

    That was an interesting tid bit I didn't know. It seems as though there is some dispute amongst people as to whether he was really present or not at his father's assassination. I think it's a pretty odd coincidence that one individual would be present on three separate occasions of three different presidents. One has to wonder if the fellow wasn't cursed or something.
     

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