Edward Baker Lincoln, second son of Abraham and Mary Ann Todd, was born March 10, 1846.

Regarding Eddie's arrival, Abraham wrote to his friend,
Joshua Speed, "We have another boy, born the 10th of
March last. He is very much such a child as Bob was at
his age - rather of a longer order." Eddie was named for
Edward D. Baker, Abraham's friend and political
associate. Along with his older brother (Robert) and his
parents, little Eddie set out for Washington, D.C. in October of 1847 because
Abraham had been elected to the House of Representatives. In Washington the
Lincoln family boarded at Mrs. Ann G. Sprigg's boardinghouse. In the spring of
1848 Mary and the boys left Washington to visit her family in Lexington, Kentucky.

One day during the stay in Lexington, young Robert brought home a kitten. Eddie
was a tender boy, and when he saw the kitten, he immediately asked that it be
brought water and fed it himself. Mary Todd's stepmother, who didn't like cats,
ordered a servant to throw the cat outside. Eddie screamed and protested long
and loud. Eddie had loved the helpless kitten.

In December of 1849 Eddie became quite ill with what was
thought to be diphtheria. Most likely the disease was really
pulmonary tuberculosis. Mary rubbed his chest with balsam.
However, after 52 days of acute illness, Eddie passed away on
February 1, 1850. He wasn't even four years old. On the
following Sunday, services were conducted by Reverend James
Smith of the First Presbyterian Church. The little boy was
buried in nearby Hutchinson's Cemetery a few blocks west of
the Lincoln home. For the next 15 years his remains lay under
the headstone pictured to the right. (The photograph is from
the Meserve/Kunhardt Collection). Then in 1865 Eddie's
remains were moved to the Lincoln Tomb.

Eddie was an affectionate and deeply loved little boy. His loss
left permanent scars in the hearts of his loving parents. A week
after Eddie's death, Mary (possibly assisted by Abraham) wrote
a poem entitled "Little Eddie" which was printed "by request" in the Illinois
State Journal. Composed of four stanzas, here is the last stanza of that poem:

                         Angel Boy - fare thee well, farewell Sweet Eddie, We bid
                         thee adieu! Affection's wail cannot reach thee now Deep
                         though it be, and true. Bright is the home to him now given
                         For of such is the Kingdom of Heaven.