Manuscript for a Noted Genealogy Authored by a Descendant of Mary Todd Lincoln
circa 1894. Edwards, Georgie Hortense
Manuscript for a Noted Genealogy Authored by a Descendant of Mary Todd Lincoln, circa 1894
19 pp. typed carbon leaves, printed rectos only plus title page inside pale green thin card wrappers, originally three brad-bound, only one brad remaining, held with paper clips. About good, as wrappers are moderately chipped and stained.
This is a typed draft with copious handwritten amendments for an oft-reprinted genealogical history, “Historic Sketches of the Edwards and Todd Families and Their Descendants, 1523-1895.” Originally printed in 1894 and updated several times afterward, the book was authored by Georgie Hortense Edwards, secretary of the Springfield, Illinois Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution and a granddaughter of Elizabeth Todd Edwards, sister of Mary Todd Lincoln. The history goes back to Georgie’s “great, great, great, great grandfather, Robert Todd” and argues that “what is known of the antecedents of the Todd family is most honorable.”
Small collection also includes two first person accounts (as relayed to Edwards as passed down through her family) regarding "Lincoln and Duff Armstrong Murder trial...the information I have my Father and Mother has told me..." The Duff Armstrong trial is a well-known case where Abraham Lincoln proved in court that a witness was lying when that witness claimed to have seen the murder take place, "under the light of the moon." Lincoln produced an almanac which showed the moon that night had already set at the time of the "witnessed murder". Edwards backed up this account saying, "...Father and Mother had been to a camp meeting and had gotten home around eleven p.m. and the moon had gone down, it is true Abe secured an almanac and prove to the court that there was no moon shining at that time when this happened."
A rare set of manuscripts. OCLC shows that only two institutions have the first printing of "Historic Sketches" and about 30 have later reprints, while none have any drafts. We find no record of the anecdotal re-telling of the Duff Armstrong case. Item #1575
Price: $350.00