The Lincoln Boys in 1854
Looking for Lincoln
The Springfield "urban" environment that shaped the childhood of the Lincoln boys was a far cry from the "backwoods wilderness" their father knew as a child. "Pay schools" and academies, railroad trains and fancy carriages, circuses and Sunday schools, hardware stores and drug store candies---this was indeed a different world from the rough frontier of previous generations.
Though more urbane, Springfield was not necessarily a safer environment for children. "Our city is in an extremely filthy condition," complained a resident. "Backyards, necessaries, ponds with putrid waters, can be seen all about." In 1850 (the year Lincoln's four-year-old son Eddie died), one-half of all Springfield deaths were children under five.
Citizens also believed that Springfield had a serious "boy problem." An 8 p.m. curfew prohibited boys from raiding orchards, exploding firecrackers, beating each other, "making a noise or creating any disturbance," or otherwise engaging in "malicious mischief."
Above: This Christmas advertisement from an 1854 Springfield newspaper gave children a powerful incentive to be "good Boys and Girls."
Below: these are the earliest known photos of the Lincoln boys---Tad, about age 2; Willie about age 5; Robert, age 15.
The Lincoln boys in 1854. One-year old Tad was too young to attend activities.
Four-year-old Willie--- considered the bright and gentle mannered---shared his father's tastes and talents. Eddie had died four years earlier, leaving a seven-year gap between 11-year-old Robert and Willie. This contributed to the distance that seemed to separate Robert from the rest of the family. He resented his parents' indulgence of his younger brothers. As the oldest, he paid an emotional price for Lincoln's frequent absences from home. More than the others, he absorbed the aristocratic attitudes of his mother's family, and may have felt that his father was "inferior."Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Education • Settlements & Settlers. In addition, it is included in the Former U.S. Presidents: #16 Abraham Lincoln, and the Looking for Lincoln series lists. A significant historical year for this entry is 1850.
Location. 39° 48.037′ N, 89° 38.885′ W. Marker is in Springfield, Illinois, in Sangamon County. Marker is on E. Adams Street near 6th Street. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Springfield IL 62701, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Streetscape 1859 (here, next to this marker); Lincoln's Springfield (a few steps from this marker); In Their Springfield Prime (a few steps from this marker); Old State Capitol (a few steps from this marker); Barack Obama Campaign Announcements (a few steps from this marker); Lincoln-Herndon Law Offices (a few steps from this marker); Cook's Hall (a few steps from this marker); Corneau & Diller Drug Store (a few steps from this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Springfield.
Credits. This page was last revised on November 17, 2019. It was originally submitted on October 20, 2011, by Bill Pfingsten of Bel Air, Maryland. This page has been viewed 482 times since then and 14 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 20, 2011, by Bill Pfingsten of Bel Air, Maryland.