The Man Who Cursed Three Presidents

Robert Todd Lincoln is a man who had an illustrious career. However, it is not this that he is mainly known for but the myth that he was present at not one but three presidential assassinations.

Although this myth is not entirely accurate, it is clear that Robert was surrounded by death his whole life, partly due to the times he lived and partly due to his connection to many a prominent person.

The Lincoln Family

Robert Lincoln was the eldest son of President and Mrs Abraham Lincoln. Although he did not have a close relationship with his father, he was with him the day he died.

Robert lost two of his brothers as well as his father. One of his brothers, Edward, died as a boy in Springfield, Illinois, many years before his father became President.

A second brother would die in the White House on 20th February 1862. Tragedy would follow the family in later life when Robert watched his mother spiral into financial hardship and manic depression.

At one point, his mother became so depressed he had her transferred to an asylum. She died in 1882, aged sixty-three.

Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln's assassination occurred on the fateful evening of 14th April 1865, at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C. Robert had been asked to accompany his father but declined, saying he would prefer to retire early.

The 16th President of the United States was watching a play when John Wilkes Booth, a Confederate sympathiser, entered his private theatre box and shot him in the back of the head.

Several people claim to have informed his son about the assassination. Robert rushed to his father's side, staying until he passed away. Lincoln succumbed to his injuries the following day, making him the first U.S. President assassinated.

After a natural outburst of grief, young Lincoln devoted himself the rest of the night to soothing and comforting his mother. - John Hay

The tragic event sent shockwaves through the nation as it came at the close of the American Civil War, leaving the country in a state of mourning and uncertain about its future.

In a strange twist, Booth's elder brother had saved Robert earlier from possible injury at a New Jersey train station in 1864.

James A. Garfield

Many people tried to convince Robert to run for political office after his father's death. Still, he resisted until early 1881, when he agreed to become Secretary of War for President James A. Garfield.

On 2nd July 1881, at the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad Station in Washington, D.C., Garfield, the 20th President of the United States, was boarding a train.

Although several cabinet members accompanied Garfield, Robert could not travel until the next day. He went to the station in the morning and informed the President he would travel later.

Robert was forty feet away when Charles J. Guiteau, a disgruntled office-seeker who believed he deserved a government position, shot the President twice.

I think I reached him in fifteen seconds.- Robert Lincoln

One bullet grazed Garfield's arm, but the other lodged in his abdomen, causing severe internal injuries. Despite the efforts of medical professionals, Garfield's condition worsened, primarily due to infections caused by unsanitary medical practices at the time.

Robert was instrumental at the time in securing the White House whilst Garfield tried to recover; unfortunately, it was not to be. Garfield endured immense suffering for over two months before succumbing to his wounds on 19th September 1881.

Garfield's tragic assassination underscored the need for improved medical practices and the importance of presidential security measures, leading to reforms in both areas.

Robert finished his term as Secretary of War before returning to his private legal practice; this was not to be his last brush with a presidential assassination, though.

William McKinley

Robert worked as general counsel for Pullman Palace Car Company; when George Pullman passed away in 1897, he was promoted to company president.

On 6th September 1901, he was on holiday. He was handed a telegram when he pulled into Buffalo, New York.

President McKinley was shot down by an anarchist in Buffalo this afternoon. He was hit twice in the abdomen. Condition serious. - Telegram

President William McKinley's assassination occurred at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York. While attending a public event, McKinley was shot twice by anarchist Leon

One bullet grazed his sternum, but the other penetrated his abdomen, causing severe internal damage. Robert immediately rushed to the home of John G. Milburn to visit the President.

McKinley was resting after what seemed like successful surgery to repair the internal damage the bullet had caused. Robert spent a few minutes with McKinley and left, convinced he would survive.

McKinley initially appeared to be recovering, but his condition deteriorated due to infection. On 14th September 1901, he succumbed to his injuries, making him the third U.S. president to be assassinated and the third President Robert had been in contact with.

McKinley's assassination increased presidential security measures and further highlighted the need for vigilance in protecting the nation's leaders.

His death marked a pivotal moment in American history, as his Vice President, Theodore Roosevelt, assumed the presidency and went on to implement significant policy changes during his tenure.

The Truth of the Myth

Although the myth became common knowledge that Robert Lincoln had been present at three assassinations, it was not true. He had, however, been closely connected to all three.

Robert went on to live a long life; during this time, he refused to be around any more Presidents, believing the myth or curse himself.

His last public appearance was on 30th May 1922, when he attended the dedication of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.

Robert died on 26th July 1926, six days before his eighty-third birthday. He had a long and accomplished life, primarily forgotten due to the myth that he cursed three Presidents.