![]() But the truth is, we all turn to anything we can to seek comfort during trying times. Today, many historians and critics condemn Mary Todd Lincoln for her beliefs and contact with the “Spirit World”. Below is a painting of the Battle of Fort Donelson, and a photo of Abraham Lincoln with General McClellan taken in 1862. Lincoln, séances took away the fear of death especially during a time of war. Works published on Spiritualism at the time became gateways to the future practice of communicating with the deceased. Below is a sketched image from Nettie Colburn Maynard’s (a trance medium) 1891 memoir, Was Abraham Lincoln a Spiritualist?Īlthough Spiritualism can be hard to digest for some people, it was a growing practice throughout the 19 th century. Lincoln was forced to take a step back from her Spiritualism practices after several months. This brought her great comfort and relief. She even believed seeing their spirits at the end of her bed at night, smiling. Mary Todd Lincoln claimed to have seen both Edward and Willie during her out-of-body experiences. ![]() Here are pictures taken of the room just after the Lincoln’s versus what it looks like today. She performed as many as 8 séances in the Red Room. President Lincoln was in attendance for a few of them in order to support her. Lincoln started hosting her own séances in the Red Room of the White House. Below is a photograph of Mary taken in the year 1862 just after Willie’s death. Shortly after his passing, the First Lady was introduced to the Laurie family who were a group of well-known mediums at the time. She could not overcome the anguish and suffering she felt knowing another son was taken by death. Believe it or not, Mary Todd Lincoln was one of those forlorn Americans.Īt this point, Mary had lost her son Edward in 1850 due to tuberculosis and Willie (her favorite son) in 1862 taken by typhoid fever. Americans sought comfort in performing séances knowing there was a better life for their loved ones beyond the grave. Spiritualism, at the time, had 8 million believers in both the United States and Europe. During the time after the war, many grief-stricken families turned to a wide spectrum of coping mechanisms. Would we become the largest holder of slaves in the New World, or would we abide by our Declaration of Independence where all men were created with an equal right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness? I think you know how the story ends, but at what cost? Approximately 750,000 lives were lost by the end of the war. Spiritualism: The Gateway Between the Living and the DeadĬan you imagine sending your brother, father, grandparent, or friend off to war? The American Civil War, the bloodiest battle in American history, determined what nation we would become. You can obtain a complimentary informal appraisal by following the instructions on their “Contact Us” page at. Weinberg is a dealer and appraiser of Lincoln and Lincoln-related books and other 19th-century materials.Īnother alternative is to visit the website of The Rail Splitter ( ), an organization of Lincoln collectors and dealers. Or you may want to contact Daniel Weinberg at the Abraham Lincoln Book Shop in Chicago, phone 31, contact, email Mr. If you need assistance locating an appraiser, you may contact the American Society of Appraisers at, phone 80, for names of appraisers in your area. A used or rare item dealer in your area may be able to give you an idea of your item’s value. ![]() Because the Lincoln Financial Foundation Collection is an actively collecting collection and must avoid conflict of interest, we cannot appraise or authenticate items. ![]()
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