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

This daguerreotype of Eddie was first published in 1998 in Lincoln's Photographs A Complete Album by Lloyd Ostendorf. Keya Morgan of the Keya Gallery in New York City owns the daguerreotype. For many years the image was overlooked in the collection of Herbert Wells Fay, an early custodian of the Lincoln Tomb in Springfield. I would like to thank Keya Morgan for sending me this scan of Eddie and allowing me to use it on my website.

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.

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 a temporary tomb at Oak Ridge Cemetery. The remains of Abraham and his sons, Eddie and Willie, remained in the temporary tomb before being moved to the permanent tomb on September 19, 1871.

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; just who authored the poem is unknown) wrote a poem entitled Little Eddie which was printed "by request" in the Illinois State Journal. Composed of four stanzas, the words are as follows: