Old Bob
Equus ferus | |
Sex | Male |
---|---|
Born | c. 1849 |
Occupation | Driving horse |
Appearance | Bay |
Old Bob or Old Robin (c. 1849 – unknown) was a driving horse used by Abraham Lincoln during the period prior to his presidency of the United States. He later participated in Lincoln's funeral. Old Bob's exact fate and date of death are unknown; he was sold to drayman John Flynn by Lincoln in 1860.
Name
There is confusion about whether the name of the horse was "Old Bob" or "Old Robin", though "Old Bob" is the name most widely used. It is believed Lincoln named the horse "Old Bob" to differentiate the animal from his son,
Early life
Lincoln acquired Old Bob while practicing law in Springfield, Illinois, and used the animal as a carriage horse when traveling on his circuit in areas unconnected by the railroad.[2] Old Bob replaced Lincoln's other horse, Old Buck, who had become too old for regular use. He was stabled in a barn behind the Lincoln home with another Lincoln-owned horse, Old Tom.[3]
Following his 1860 election as President of the United States, and prior to his subsequent move to Washington, D.C., Lincoln sold Old Bob to John Flynn, a Springfield drayman.[4]
By 1865 Old Bob had been put to pasture, however, on April 4 of that year he was brought out of retirement to participate in a parade in Springfield celebrating the capitulation of the
Lincoln funeral and later life
Following the
After the funeral, it is believed there were several attempts to acquire the horse by showmen who wished to put it on exhibition, but that John Flynn declined offers to sell the animal. Old Bob's ultimate fate is unknown.[3]
Legacy
A statue by Ivan Schwartz, Stuart Williamson and Jiwoong Cheh depicting Lincoln with a horse modeled on Old Bob was installed in 2008 at
During the 2015
See also
- Abraham Lincoln's hearse
- Lyndon Johnson
- Riderless horse
- List of historical horses
Notes
- ^ Mary Lincoln became hysterical following the assassination. Unable to participate in the funeral observances, she remained cloistered at the White House with Tad Lincoln throughout.[6][3]
References
- ISBN 978-1602399945.
- ^ ISBN 978-1476602370.
- ^ ISBN 978-1556523830.
- ISBN 0786431024.
- ISBN 0813191513.
- ^ Wead, Doug (2004). All the Presidents' Children. Simon & Schuster. pp. 92–95.
- ^ Washington Times. August 17, 2008. Retrieved February 23, 2017.
- ^ "Bronze statue of Abraham Lincoln and his horse at the Lincoln Summer Home located on the grounds of the Armed Forces Retirement Home in northwest Washington, D.C." Prints and Photographs Online Catalog. Library of Congress. Retrieved February 23, 2017.
- ^ "Illinois will relive Lincoln's assassination and funeral". Los Angeles Times. April 10, 2015. Retrieved February 24, 2017.
- ^ "An Affectionate Farewell: The Story of Old Abe and Old Bob". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved February 24, 2017.
- ^ Dettro, Chris (April 10, 2015). "Events abound leading up to Lincoln funeral re-enactment". State Journal-Register. Retrieved February 24, 2017.