Wilson, Douglas L., ed.; Davis, Rodney O., ed.; McNeely, Thompson Ware. 'Thompson Ware McNeely to William H. Herndon' in 'Herndon's Informants: Letters, Interviews, and Statements About Abraham Lincoln' . Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1998. [format: book], [genre: letter]. Permission: University of Illinois Press
Persistent link to this document: http://lincoln.lib.niu.edu/file.php?file=herndon397.html

Petersburg, Ills Nov 12th 1866

Friend Herndon

I have talked with Bennett ^[1] & other men who became acquainted with Mr Lincoln and lived near Salem shortly after the period of his reported insanity —

They say that they learned from the people — the immediate associates & friends of Mr Lincoln that he had been insane — that his Mind had been shaken — that disappointed love was the cause — Her name Miss Rutledge — It was then talked of as a part of the history of the men of the town. The extent of his insanity was such that men were then occasionally talking of it & still remembered by them.

Lincoln — Old Maj Hill & McNamer ^[2] were in love with the girl — She died and Lincoln for some time after So acted that every body who Knew & saw him pronounced him crazy — as they called it —

If you will write to Z C Ingram — St Louis, you can get much valuable information. He is the man of whom Ed L. ^[3] & I spoke to you when in Springfield.

Father ^[4] asks me to say that he never was in Lincoln's House — but then understood it to be a common grocery — whiskey shop — by the drink — He knows nothing of the present residence of Kelso — Doct Duncan or Jason Duncan — Radford & Sincho are dead — He thinks Doct Duncan lives in McDonough — He says write to Z C Ingram, St Louis —

Yours truly
T W McNeely

Library of Congress: Herndon-Weik Collection. Manuscript Division. Library of Congress. Washington, D.C. 2743; Huntington Library: LN2408, 1:435

Previous section

Next section