Many studies have suggested that the first born – and especially the first-born male – tended to experience success at higher rates than their siblings, while many leaders have tended to be first-born males (Leman 1985). Presidential Sons and Success: Robert LincolnĪfter his father’s death Robert went on to very successful careers in the fields of law, business, and politics. But what do we know about Lincoln as a father? This article explores several questions: What do we know about the Lincoln boys? What kind of parent was Lincoln? How did he balance the demands of fatherhood with his public career? And, how did fatherhood shape his personality and approach to politics? Fatherhood might provide scholars with a unique lens by which to further examine the 16th President. Lincoln has been the subject of an impressive array of worthy biographies, journals, centers, conferences, and scholars. Lincoln is one of if not the best known and most studied of all the presidents. It also provides a novel way of studying the president, as there are insights to be gleaned about presidential character from assessing his relationship with his children and his approach to fatherhood. This situation not only fascinated the public and press, and tested the patience of Lincoln’s staff, but it presented a whole new way of viewing the president and presidency. Lincoln’s presidency marked the first time in American history that a president had young children in the Executive Mansion. Accordingly, in 1860, when Lincoln was campaigning, the idea of young children as part of the presidency was a novel one for the public. Three additional Cleveland children were born – Marion in 1895, Richard in 1897, just after Cleveland’s term concluded, and a baby named for her mother who died in infancy in 1903 (Watson 2004 Watson 2000).Īll three of these First Families, however, were in the Executive Mansion after Abraham Lincoln. Cleveland became the only first lady to give birth in the White House when, in 1893, she had a daughter, Esther, during the first year of Cleveland’s second term. Aside from the Lincolns, the only presidencies to have young children as a part of them were Grant, Hayes, and Cleveland, whose recent, young wife Frances had a daughter, Ruth, in 1891 during the interim between Cleveland’s two non-consecutive terms. But few young children were a part of the presidency during the 19th century. The Washingtons had two grandchildren living with them during the inaugural presidency and a few First Families had relatives, including nieces, nephews, and grandchildren who periodically visited and stayed in the Executive Mansion. Young children were a part of only six presidencies during the 20th century: Teddy Roosevelt had a full and active brood Calvin Coolidge had two boys, John and Calvin John Kennedy had a daughter, Caroline, and son, John Jimmy Carter had a daughter, Amy, who was 10 when the Carters moved into the White House Bill Clinton had a daughter, Chelsea, who was 13 during Clinton’s first year in office and Barack Obama has two young girls, Sasha and Malia. Both Franklin Pierce and William McKinley had children – three and two, respectively – but, tragically, all of them died in their youth (Watson 2004 Watson 2000).Įven though most presidents had children, only a few of them had young children during their White House years. Polk, and Warren Harding were also childless. Like the two Founding Fathers, Andrew Jackson, James K. This includes George Washington and James Madison, both of whom adopted their wives’ children from earlier marriages. Many presidents had children, although several presidents had no descendents. The Lincolns were not the only First Couple to have children. ![]() Eisenhower Presidential Library, presented a paper at the “James and Dolley Madison” conference hosted by the International Lincoln Center for American Studies at Louisiana State University, and has published papers with the Eisenhower Institute, the journal The Lincoln Herald, and in the book Creative Breakthroughs in Leadership (Pencraft International). Berger served as an intern at the Dwight D. in Political Science from Florida Atlantic University. in Political Science with a minor in U.S. history and government at Sheridan Hills Christian School in Florida. He runs the American Studies program at Lynn University in the USA. has published nearly 30 books and hundreds of scholarly articles, chapters, and essays on American politics and history, and is a frequent media commentator appearing on numerous American and international television, print, and radio outlets. ![]() ![]() "Lincoln’s Boys: The Legacy of an American Father and an American Family" by Robert P.
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