Willie and Tad Lincoln get the measles
On this day in 1861 President Abraham Lincolns sons Willie and Tad are diagnosed with the measles adding to the presidents many troubles.Few U.S.presidents worked as hard in office as Abraham Lincoln did during the Civil War.Besides managing his generals and the war effort Lincoln had to deal with prospective office-seekers foreign affairs and the basic functions of government.
The presidents third and fourth sons Willie born in 1850 and Tad born in 1853 offeredLincoln a welcome respite from the rigors of the executive office.The playful boys caroused in the White House invaded cabinet meetings and accompanied their father when he inspected troops in the camps around Washington D.C.They enjoyed playing with the soldiers that guarded the White House members of the Pennsylvania Bucktail regiment who entertained Willie and Tad with stories and races.
The boys set up a fort on the roof of the executive mansion and armed it with small logs painted to look like cannon.The boys often played with pets given to them by friends including a pony and two goats that roamed the White House lawn.The boys recovered from the measles however in 1862 Willie contracted typhoid fever.He lay sick for weeks before dying on February 20.
His death crushed Lincoln who cried to his secretary John Nicolay my boy is gonehe is actually gone.Lincoln and his wife Mary grieved for months and the president never fully recovered from the loss.Tad Lincoln died from illness at age 18 in 1871.
The Lincolns second son Eddie died shortly before his fourth birthday in 1850.Only the Lincolns first child Robert lived to an advanced age he passed away at age 82 in 1926.
