William Wallace Lincoln

William Wallace "Willie" Lincoln was born in Springfield, Illinois, on December 21, 1850. He was the third son of President Abraham Lincoln and Mary Todd Lincoln. His birth followed the death of his older brother, Eddie, who had died of tuberculosis earlier in 1850, just shy of his fourth birthday. Willie was named after Mary's brother-in-law, Dr. William Smith Wallace.

Willie had at least one younger brother, Tad Lincoln, and was also known among family and acquaintances for his playful demeanor and intellectual interests. Abraham Lincoln's law partner, William Herndon, recounted that Lincoln would bring Willie and Tad to the office, where the boys would engage in various mischievous activities, such as pulling books from shelves, overturning inkstands, and scattering papers, yet these antics did not disturb Lincoln's composure. Willie exhibited a philosophical and reflective side similar to his father and enjoyed writing.

When Edward Baker, a friend of Abraham Lincoln, was killed in 1861 at the Battle of Ball's Bluff, ten-year-old Willie wrote a eulogy for him, which was published in the National Republican. Additionally, during a trip to Chicago in 1859 with his father, Willie wrote correspondence describing the city and their activities, including visiting theaters and describing their accommodations.

In 1861, with Abraham Lincoln's inauguration as President of the United States, Willie and his brother Tad moved into the White House with the rest of the family. To alleviate loneliness, Mary Lincoln arranged for her boys to play with two boys from the Taft family—Horatio Nelson "Bud" Taft Jr. and Halsey Cook Taft—and their sister Julia Taft, who was tasked with supervising. Julia later described Willie as "the most lovable boy I ever knew, bright, sensible, sweet-tempered, and gentle-mannered."

In early 1862, Willie and Tad became ill due to what at the time was called "bilious fever," likely typhoid fever caused by contaminated water systems at the White House. Tad recovered but Willie’s condition worsened over several days. Abraham and Mary Lincoln spent significant time at Willie’s bedside. Willie Wallace Lincoln died on February 20, 1862, at the age of 11.

Following his death, Abraham Lincoln expressed his grief, stating, "My poor boy. He was too good for this earth. God has called him home." After the funeral, Mary Lincoln was profoundly affected, remaining in bed for three weeks and avoiding exposure to Willie’s embalmed body or the room where he died. Abraham focused on comforting Tad, who was also grieving and recovering from illness. Mary Lincoln later barred Willie’s classmates, Bud and Holly Taft, from visiting the White House, as they reminded her of Willie.

Willie Lincoln’s remains were initially interred in a mausoleum at Oak Hill Cemetery in Georgetown, Washington, D.C. After Abraham Lincoln’s assassination in 1865, Willie’s body was reinterred at Oak Ridge Cemetery in Springfield, Illinois. First placed in a receiving tomb, his remains were moved in 1871 to the state tomb alongside Abraham Lincoln and Willie’s brother, Eddie. Tad and Mary Lincoln were later placed in the crypt of the Lincoln Tomb.

In literature, Willie Lincoln’s death and the subsequent grief are depicted in George Saunders’ novel *Lincoln in the Bardo* (2017), which explores Abraham Lincoln’s emotional state during that period. The novel won the 2017 Man Booker Prize and was a New York Times bestseller. A different fictionalized account of Willie's death appears in Seth Grahame-Smith’s novel *Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter* and its film adaptation.

External references include photographs of Willie Lincoln, a brief biography, and sheet music titled *Little Willie's Grave* composed in 1863, dedicated to "Mrs. Abraham Lincoln."