WI: Tad Lincoln Survives?

[Doctor Evulz]

Abraham Lincoln's youngest son, Thomas "Tad" Lincoln III, was a notorious hellion in his dad's White House with a lot of quirks. He would walk around in a military-style uniform, and was impulsive, unrestrained, and did not attend school.

However, as he grew up, he began to mature. He and his mother toured Europe. He had a speech impediment, but he was able to overcome it as a teenager. Unfortunately, he was struck down with some sort of ailment that ended up killing him at age 18. What would have happened had he survived? Would his name be placed in various Republican conventions as his older brother's had? Would it ever gain any traction? Would he even go into politics or something else altogether?

 

[TFSmith121]

Robert Lincoln served as secretary of state;

Abraham Lincoln's youngest son, Thomas "Tad" Lincoln III, was a notorious hellion in his dad's White House with a lot of quirks. He would walk around in a military-style uniform, and was impulsive, unrestrained, and did not attend school.

However, as he grew up, he began to mature. He and his mother toured Europe. He had a speech impediment, but he was able to overcome it as a teenager. Unfortunately, he was struck down with some sort of ailment that ended up killing him at age 18. What would have happened had he survived? Would his name be placed in various Republican conventions as his older brother's had? Would it ever gain any traction? Would he even go into politics or something else altogether?

Robert Lincoln served as secretary of war and ambassador to the UK; if Tad (or Willie, or both) had survived to adulthood, I'd expect anything would be possible, given the name and (undoubted) educational opportunities they would have received.

It is simple speculation, but if Robert went to Harvard, Annapolis and/or West Point would be options for Willie and Tad...the US upper classes did not have the title/church/military triad for sons the European upper classes did, but it is certainly within the realm of the possible.

Basically, if the two younger boys survived, almost anything would be in the realm of the possible...

The secretary of war who is responsible for the publication of the Official Records in BROS has a familar name, for example...

Best,

 

[Emperor Julian]

Maybe Tad walking playing in the military uniform meant he had an interest in the military? I mean, obviously he's a young boy in the middle of a war, but maybe he would enter a military career.

 

[Corjomc]

Hmmmmm, Maybe Tad goes into politics but when he is in his mid 40s and the Spanish American War breaks out he forms his own unit "Lincoln's Liberators" and they triumph at the battle of El Caney.

In 1900 he is chosen as McKinley's running mate. After McKinley's assasination Tad Lincoln becomes president. Many see it as the divine hand of fate. Vice President Hobart dies from illness followed by the McKinley assasination making a Lincoln again president. History comes full circle.

 

[cra0422]

While Tad's survival would probably mean he'd have a lot of possibilities in life due to his family, one thing we haven't discussed in what would happen to his mother Mary Todd Lincoln.

Her second son Eddie (1846-1850) died from tuberculosis. Her third son Willie (1850-1862) died from typhoid fever. And we all know she was widowed in 1865. Tad's death really pushed her into grief, depression, paranoia, and increasingly erratic behavior (maybe from bipolar disorder) to the point where Robert had her institutionalized for a short time.