There is no doubt that our 16th President Abraham Lincoln adored animals, especially Dogs:
“I am in favor of animal rights as well as human rights.
That is the way of a whole human being.”
Abraham Lincoln: Preparing for Greatness, Illinois College.
Bronze by Doris Park. Image: Max-Cast
Mary Todd Lincoln? Well…
Not so much.
Mrs. Lincoln did not share Abraham’s love of Pets or people. She felt he was too indulgent of both.
Image: The Library of Congress, Brady
When President Lincoln fed a cat named “Tabby” seated next to him at a White House dinner, Mrs. Lincoln asked:
“Don’t you think it’s shameful for Mr. Lincoln to feed Tabby with a gold fork?”
Mr. Lincoln replied:
“If the gold fork was good enough for former President James Buchanan, I think it is good enough for Tabby.”
I think Pets were a bone of contention between the Lincolns long before their move to the White House.
Take the Lincoln’s Dog Fido pictured below:
Fido, President Lincoln’s Dog. Image: F. W.Ingmire, 1861.
Fido was the companion of the future President while a lawyer in Springfield, Illinois. The Dog was known to follow him everywhere.
At a time when most Dogs were routinely kept outside, Fido was welcome inside the Lincoln home.
President Abraham Lincoln’s House, Springfield, Illinois.
Image: Harper’s Weekly, May 20, 1865
At least Fido was welcomed by Lincoln and his sons Tad & Willie.
Fido brought dirt into the house, shed, begged at the dinner table, and like many Dogs, even jumped on the furniture.
Fido was especially fond of Abraham Lincoln’s sofa in the parlor.
Image: The Life of Abraham Lincoln,Volume II, 1900
In 1837, Lincoln ordered the sofa from Daniel & Jacob Ruckel, cabinetmakers in Springfield.
The sofa was a major purchase for a young lawyer without a residence to call his own, not to mention a horse to ride on.
Measuring in at almost 7 feet long, to fit Abraham Lincoln’s 6’ 4” frame, the sofa was crafted of imported mahogany and was upholstered in horsehair (known for its durability).
You might have seen the heavily carved, fussy Victorian furnishings in the Lincoln Bedroom of the White House (that Lincoln never slept in).
The sofa is noteable because Abraham Lincoln personally selected the piece of furniture.
It is a true reflection of his style & character:
- Comfortable
- Simple
- Practical
- Solid
- Authentic
- Unpretentious
The Lincoln Sofa in former U.S. Congressman Paul Findley’s office.
Image: Lincoln’s Pursuit of “Egalitarian Refinement”
Like many Dogs, Fido was frightened of thunderstorms, fire crackers and other loud noises. The Dog would often seek refuge under the sofa in the Lincoln’s parlor.
Image: Mr. Lincoln’s Dog, Mark Corcoran Illustration
After Abraham Lincoln was electedin 1860, Mrs. Lincoln viewed the Presidency as the perfect opportunity to find a new home for the Dog since:
“the public would not tolerate a Dog that soils the White House carpets or damages furniture in the mansion.”
Sadly, the decision was made to leave Fido behind in Springfield.
It is often reported that Fido’s fear of loud noises denied the Dog’s rightful place with the family in Washington. The noisy train ride would be too much for Fido, the children were told.
You can imagine the broken hearts of the Lincoln boys. Tad even promised to take care of the Dog if they could take him to Washington.
President Lincoln & son Tad. Image: Mathew B. Brady,1864
Fido was to have a new home with the family of John Eddy Roll, one of Abraham Lincoln’s oldest friends in Springfield. His boys, John & Frank, were about the same age as Willie & Tad Lincoln. They had often played with & loved Fido.
Explicit instructions were given to the Roll Family. Fido was:
- Never to be left tied up in the backyard by himself
- To be allowed in whenever he scratched at the door
- Not to be scolded for wet, muddy, or dusty paws
- To be welcomed in the dining room (Fido was used to getting morsels from the diner table)
On January 30, 1861 a public auction was held for the Lincoln’s furniture not taken to the White House. Mr. John Eddy Roll purchased the Lincoln sofa that Fido found so comforting.
Mr. Roll said he bought the sofa “for the purpose of securing a keepsake by which to remember his old friend.”
Shortly before leaving town, Willie & Tad asked for a photograph of Fido so they could remember their beloved Dog in Washington.
Fido was taken to F. W. Ingmire’s studio where the photographer draped fabric over a washstand and took the first photographs of a Presidential Pet.
Image: F. W.Ingmire, Photographer
Once sold as souvenirs in the months following Lincoln’s death, today the photographs ,or cartes-de-visite (CDV’s), of Fido are highly sought after by collectors.
This original CDV of Fido fetched $3220 at auction in 2004.
Fido CDV, Back. Image: Cowan’s Auction
Fido CDV, Front. Image: Cowan’s Auction
Happy President’s Day!
Later, I’ve got to let the Dog out,
For further information check out The Paw Prints of History, a delightful book that includes tales about Honey, Jib & Fido the beloved Dogs of Abraham Lincoln, Here.
Taffy, our charming 
