MRS. LINCOLN, WIFE OF THE PRESIDENT and our namesake. Mary Anne Todd Lincoln was born December 13, 1818, Lexington, Kentucky to Robert Smith & Eliza Ann Parker Todd. Robert Todd was a merchant, lawyer, officer in the War of 1812, member of the Kentucky legislature. He was born on February 25, 1791 in Lexington, Kentucky and died July 16, 1849 of Cholera, which some say he died in Springfield due to his illness I know not where.

Eliza Ann Parker Todd, Mary's mother, was born 1794 or 1795. She was married to Robert Todd on November 26, 1812 and she died July 6, 1825 in Lexington, Kentucky. Mary had a Step mother who was Elizabeth Humphreys who married her father on November 1st, 1826.

Mary was the fourth born of seven children, 3 brothers, 3 sisters, Elizabeth Todd Edwards, Frances Todd Wallace, Levi O. Todd who died in the war, Robert P. Todd, Ann Todd Smith, and George Rogers Clark Todd.

Mary also had four half brothers, five half sisters.

Mary's brother Georg R. C. Todd, and her half-brothers Alexander Todd, David Todd, and Samuel Todd all fought in the Confederate Army during the Civil War. Alexander Todd was killed at Baton Rouge, Samuel Todd was killed in the Battle of Shiloh, David Todd was wounded at Vicksburg. Her half-sister Emilie Helm's husband was a Confederate general killed at Chickamauga. The husbands' of her half-sisters, Martha White and Elodie Dawson were ardent supporters of the Confederacy.

In religious views Mary was Presbyterian and was also adherent of spiritualism, believing the living could be in contact with the dead.

Mary was 23 years of age when she met and married Abraham Lincoln. They were married November 4th, 1842 in the front parlor of the home of Mary Todd's sister Elizabeth and her husband Ninian Edwards. In 1844, they purchased their first and only home at Eight and Jackson Streets in Springfield.

Mary and Abe had four sons, Robert Todd Lincoln, Edward Baker Lincoln, William "Willie" Wallace Lincoln, and Thomas "Tad" Lincoln. Only Thomas and Robert Lincoln lived to adulthood and only Robert to old age.

Mary supported her husband in all of his endeavors. First Abe was a Circuit Lawyer and gone from home much. Mary stayed home and took care of their children.

During her White House years, Mary faced many a personal difficulties generated by political divisions within the nation and her family. Her family was from a border state where slavery was permitted. In Kentucky, Mary's siblings fought and some died during the Civil War.

Some historians and psychologists speculate today that Mary suffered bipolar disorder due to having so many head aches, public outburst throughout Lincoln's presidency, as well as excessive spending. When the Civil War came to an end Mrs. Lincoln expected to continue as the First Lady of the nation at peace, however, on April 14, 1865, Mary attended with her husband to watch the comic Play "Our American Cousin" at Ford's Theatre, where President Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth.

Mary had it rough from then on. Even had her own son have her declared incompetent to attend to her own affairs and had her committed. Later she was released in the custody of her sister Elizabeth Edwards, in Springfield, and in 1876 was declared competent to manage her own affairs. The committal proceedings led to a profound estrangement between Robert and his mother, and they never fully got over it.

Mrs. Lincoln spent the next four years traveling throughout Europe and taking up residence in Pau, France, However, her final years were marked due to ill health. She suffered from severe cataracts that affected her eyesight. During the 1880's before her death, she was confined to Springfield, Illinois residence of her sister Elizabeth Edwards. Mary Todd Lincoln Died July 16, 1882 age 63 years and was interred within the Lincoln Tomb at Oak Ridge Cemetery, Springfield, Illinois along side her husband.

You can find much more online about Mary Todd Lincoln Just tried to get the highlights of her life here.

Here is a site dedicated in Honoring our once First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln,

THE MARY TODD LINCOLN HOUSE

 SOME information gandered from

photos of Mary Todd Lincoln on this web site  from Library of Congress.