Robert Todd Lincoln Beckwith
Encyclopedia
Robert Todd Lincoln Beckwith (July 19, 1904 – December 24, 1985) was the great-grandson of Abraham Lincoln
. In 1975, he became the last undisputed descendant of Lincoln when his sister, "Peggy" Beckwith
, died without children.
, to Jessie Harlan Lincoln
and Warren Beckwith. As a young adult, he showed little interest in his schooling, passing two uneventful years at his grandfather Robert Todd Lincoln's previous boarding school, Phillips Exeter Academy
. He then entered prep school in Washington, D.C.
, and a military academy in New York
. He did not attend college, yet was said to have earned a degree from the National University Law School (founded in 1869 and merged with George Washington University Law School in 1954) as an attorney. Despite this, he tended to list his profession as "gentleman farmer of independent means" rather than lawyer. He served in the Coast Guard
during World War II
, which resulted in a lasting hobby of boating and sailing. He generally avoided the media and publicity. On one occasion, a newspaper published pictures of him smiling as a young man when arrested for speeding in the city of Omaha, Nebraska
.
Beckwith's first marriage, which lasted 30 years, was to an older widow whose son was only ten years his junior. His second wife had a child and named him Timothy Lincoln Beckwith
. During a divorce battle, the court ordered her to have her son undergo a blood test. Robert Beckwith lived most of his life in Vermont
and Washington, D.C.
Robert "Bud" Beckwith died at the age of 81 on December 24, 1985 at around 6:05 pm.
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
. In 1975, he became the last undisputed descendant of Lincoln when his sister, "Peggy" Beckwith
Mary Lincoln Beckwith
Mary Lincoln "Peggy" Beckwith was a prominent descendant of Abraham Lincoln. She was one of the last two descendants of Abraham Lincoln, along with herbrother Robert Todd Lincoln Beckwith....
, died without children.
Biography
Beckwith was born in Riverside, IllinoisRiverside, Illinois
Riverside is an affluent suburban village in Cook County, Illinois. A significant portion of the village is in the Riverside Landscape Architecture District, designated a National Historic Landmark in 1970. The population was 8,895 at the 2000 census...
, to Jessie Harlan Lincoln
Jessie Harlan Lincoln
Jessie Harlan Lincoln was the second daughter of Robert Todd Lincoln, the granddaughter of Abraham Lincoln, and the mother of Mary Lincoln Beckwith and Robert Todd Lincoln Beckwith, the last Lincoln descendant.-Early life:...
and Warren Beckwith. As a young adult, he showed little interest in his schooling, passing two uneventful years at his grandfather Robert Todd Lincoln's previous boarding school, Phillips Exeter Academy
Phillips Exeter Academy
Phillips Exeter Academy is a private secondary school located in Exeter, New Hampshire, in the United States.Exeter is noted for its application of Harkness education, a system based on a conference format of teacher and student interaction, similar to the Socratic method of learning through asking...
. He then entered prep school in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, and a military academy in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. He did not attend college, yet was said to have earned a degree from the National University Law School (founded in 1869 and merged with George Washington University Law School in 1954) as an attorney. Despite this, he tended to list his profession as "gentleman farmer of independent means" rather than lawyer. He served in the Coast Guard
Coast guard
A coast guard or coastguard is a national organization responsible for various services at sea. However the term implies widely different responsibilities in different countries, from being a heavily armed military force with customs and security duties to being a volunteer organization tasked with...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, which resulted in a lasting hobby of boating and sailing. He generally avoided the media and publicity. On one occasion, a newspaper published pictures of him smiling as a young man when arrested for speeding in the city of Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
.
Beckwith's first marriage, which lasted 30 years, was to an older widow whose son was only ten years his junior. His second wife had a child and named him Timothy Lincoln Beckwith
Timothy Lincoln Beckwith
Timothy Lincoln Beckwith is the son of Annamarie Hoffman and once was thought to be the son of her husband Robert Todd Lincoln Beckwith....
. During a divorce battle, the court ordered her to have her son undergo a blood test. Robert Beckwith lived most of his life in Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
and Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
Robert "Bud" Beckwith died at the age of 81 on December 24, 1985 at around 6:05 pm.