Mary Todd was born in Kentucky on December 13, 1818. She met Abraham Lincoln in 1840. They had very different backgrounds, but their love of politics brought them together. In 1861, Abraham became president. The country was at war, and divided over slavery. She was from the South, but favored the North's view. The South considered her a traitor, and the North considered her a spy. People disliked her, and the expensive social gatherings that she hosted. A little known fact is that she was the first president's wife to be called 'First Lady' by the newspapers, in 1863.
Mary did not have an easy life. Three of her sons died while they were still children, and on April 14, 1865, Abraham Lincoln was assassinated at Ford's Theatre. Mary was overcome with grief. Following the death of her youngest son, she acted strangely and her son, Robert, tried to declare her insane. On July 16, 1882, she died of a stroke.
Date read: 4/13/2009
ISBN-10: 1599287978
ISBN-13: 9781599287973
Check the library catalog