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F o r T h e P e o p l e A NEWSLETTER OF THE ABRAHAM LINCOLN ASSOCIATION VOLUME 22 NUMBER 2 SUMMER 2020 SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS www.abrahamlincolnassociation.org The Lincolns at the Globe Tavern: Reminiscences of William G. Beck Edited by Michael Burlingame, kept the “Tremont” house in Tremont, ALA President Tazewell County, Ills. It was the time of the Shields duel [in 1842]. William Gabriel Beck (1819-1901) of Fair- field, Iowa, was the son of Sarah Evans My mother moved to Springfield not Beck (1792-1877), proprietress of the long after that to keep a hotel there, and the Globe Tavern, and James Beck (d. 1828). next time I saw Lincoln, he had just been In 1896, he was interviewed by Effie M. married, and with his wife had come to our Sparks (Mrs. Ralph S.) of Newton, Iowa. house to board. There’s a great many un- According to his obituary (Fairfield Ledg- true stories written about Mrs. Lincoln. I er, 30 Jan. 1901), there “was a warm inti- knew her intimately, and a better, truer macy between the family of the great hearted woman never lived. The story of statesman and that of his landlady, and the Lincoln’s having deserted her on her wed- Becks were very familiar with the domestic ding day before that is not true I believe. If life of the Lincolns and with the peculiari- The Globe Tavern it had been I know I would have heard of Photograph by S. M. Fassett, 1865. ties of Mr. Lincoln. On Mr. Beck’s mind, of it, and I never did hear of it at the Note the length of the building at that time. course, the drolleries of Mr. Lincoln made time. She loved her husband passionately, the greatest impression, and he always had but I never saw any signs of the mean jeal- telling stories) was ball playing. Not the a fund of Lincoln stories at his command, ous woman she is sometimes said to have base ball we hear about now, but in the old many of which have never found their way been after that. Lincoln was always kind fashioned “score” way. I’ve seen him and into print.” Here are excerpts from that and gentle with her, and they were as lov- Judge Logan play until they were panting interview, which evidently never found its ing and happy a couple as you ever saw. and perspiring with the heat and fa- way into print. They are part of a larger He was always considerate of her feelings, tigue. They had a small ball ground next to manuscript by Effie Sparks, “Stories of except in one way. the court house, and they would throw the Abraham Lincoln,” in the Ida M. Tarbell ball against the side wall of the Court- Papers at Allegheny College in Meadville, Their room (they had only one to them- house, and often we could hear his voice Pennsylvania. selves) was on the second floor at the front two blocks away calling “sco”! He always of the house. The pump was in front of the said “sco” instead of score. I interviewed Mr. Beck. He is a hale, house. It was Lincoln’s habit to come hearty, old gentleman nearly seventy eight down at bedtime to get a pitcher of water. When Robert was born he was as proud a years old. He is proprietor of the principal He always came after partly undressing man as I ever saw, and as kind and loving a hotel of Fairfield, though at the time I saw being usually attired only in shirt and husband. When Robert was about three him, he was living entirely alone at his breeches minus suspenders, though some- weeks old, my mother (who always went in private residence and taking his meals at times his “galluses” were worn improperly to assist in preparing him for the night be- the hotel. He is very deaf but otherwise adjusted After getting his pitcher of water fore she went to bed herself, for Mrs. Lin- age sits but lightly upon him, and his figure if the night was pleasant, he would sit coln being young and inexperienced in is as firm as that of a man half his age. down on the steps of the porch, and tell caring for babies needed assistance) went “Abraham Lincoln” is his favorite theme of stories to whoever happened to be near. If into their room at bedtime and found Lin- conversation, and when he gets fairly start- any one passed they stopped to listen also, coln walking up and down and round and ed to talking about his beloved friend, his and frequently there would be quite an au- round the room with the baby in his face lights up with all the fire of youth. dience gathered round him, listening atten- arms. Young Bob was screaming at the top “Yes I knew Lincoln,” he replied in answer tively to his remarks. When it began to of his voice, Lincoln looked worried and to my question. “He lived in my mother’s grow late, Mrs. Lincoln would begin to anxious and Mrs Lincoln was silently house about two years. His first child Robt. cough as a signal to him to cease talking weeping. “Do you think he’ll die Mother T. was born there. I’ve eaten with him, and go to bed. When she began to cough it Beck” (he always called Mother, “Mother slept with him, travelled with him, and was understood by his listeners that it was Beck”) he inquired, anxiously. Mother loved him and consider him one of the growing late. In this way he was inconsid- examined the baby and seeing that it was greatest men the world has ever known or erate. He sometimes kept her coughing merely experiencing an attack of colic re- will ever. I believe he was intended by until midnight or after. plied that it was in no danger whatever of Providence for the work he did, was guided death. “Does it do him any good to pack by a higher intelligence than man’s in the Lincoln never drank or gambled to my him round this way?” he inquired, glancing troublous times of our country. I well re- knowledge nor did he ever attend church at his wife. “None member the first time I saw him. I was a that I knew of, while they boarded at our young man then, and my widowed mother house. His favorite amusement (next to (continued on page 6) 2 A NEWSLETTER OF THE ABRAHAM LINCOLN ASSOCIATION FOR THE PEOPLE The Abraham Lincoln Association Michael Burlingame President Abraham Lincoln and an Irish Pub in Dublin William E. Bartelt Vice President James M. Cornelius Secretary but elegant Victorian décor. The restaurant side Donald R. Graham of the building used to be Finn’s Hotel, where Treasurer James Joyce first met his future wife, Nora, who Bob Willard worked there. We were also quite pleased to Immediate Past-President Kay Smith read the brochure explaining the history of this Executive Manager pub, which stated that the pub was renamed The Lincoln Inn in 1862 to honor President Abraham Board of Directors Kenneth L. Anderson Lincoln. Now Lincoln has many, many places Douglas M. Barringer named after him, and his statue can now be J. Steven Beckett found almost anywhere in the world. But what Roger D. Billings, Jr. compelled an Irish pub-owner in 1862 to com- Justin A. Blandford Roger D. Bridges memorate an American president, whose great- Julie Cellini ness arguably was not yet then appreciated in the Joshua A. Claybourn United States? Robert J. Davis Chris DeRose Logic and some knowledge of Irish history in the Jim Edgar th Guy C. Fraker 19 century might suggest three possibilities. Sara Vaughn Gabbard First, was the renaming due to the Emancipation Joseph E. Garrera Proclamation that was announced on September Allen C. Guelzo Katherine M. Harris 22, 1862, to be signed 100 days later on January Richard E. Hart 1, 1863? After all, the Irish Potato Famine of David Joens By Bill Shepherd 1846-50 was still fresh in the minds of the Irish - Ron J. Keller ALA Board Member - perhaps the idea of freedom and liberation had Susan J. Koch Michelle A. Krowl a strong appeal to the Irish, who were still be- Robert J. Lenz My wife, Mary Shepherd, and I went on a two- holden to their British landlords. Second, per- Sue S. Massie week tour of Ireland in September 2019. The haps it was President Lincoln’s well-known ad- Dan Monroe miration for the Irish patriot and republican rebel Anne E. Moseley tour began in Dublin, then proceeded to the At- Keri L. Nekrasz lantic West Coast, plus Northern Ireland. We Robert Emmet that appealed to the pub-owner. James W. Patton III had a few hours free before the formal tour start- Emmet’s final words before he was executed by Tiffany A. Player ed, so we took a self-guided walking tour of the hanging (1803) were memorized by Lincoln Mark B. Pohlad Roger D. Rudich area near our hotel, which was close to Trinity when he was young; and he used Emmet’s words William G. Shepherd College. The neighborhood we explored was in his own later orations. Third, perhaps the re- Ronald D. Spears replete with nicely maintained town homes and a naming was in recognition of Mr. Lincoln’s char- Brian Steenbergen wide variety of commercial and cultural venues. itable donation to the Irish Potato Famine relief Robert A.