Mary Lincoln Beckwith, A Prominent Descendant of Abraham Lincoln

The name Abraham Lincoln isn’t new to you. If it is, a quick reminder is that Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States. He served from 1861 until he was assassinated in 1865. Under him, United States went into the American Civil War and defeated the Confederacy.

With such a reputation, it is clear that the name Lincoln went down the generations before disappearing. Well, Mary Lincoln Beckwith was a prominent descendant if Abraham Lincoln Beckwith. She was the great-granddaughter of Abraham Lincoln and the family ties are part of why she earned the limelight. Nonetheless, this post will share more details about her to ensure you stay informed on all that you need to know about her.

Early Life of Mary Lincoln Beckwith

Talking about Beckwith, she was born on August 22, 1898. She was the daughter to Jessie Harlan Lincoln and Warren Wallace Beckwith. She was born in Mount Pleasant, Lowa. Growing up, Beckwith was nicknamed “Peggy” by her grandfather Robert Todd Lincoln and he would describe her hair as “flying in the sun.”

Beckwith was raised alongside her brother in Manchester, VT, at the home of their grandfather Robert Todd Lincoln. They were raised in his farm known as Hildene in Vermont. However, she enjoyed her later years growing up in Washington, D.C.

Regarding her educational background, she attended Madeira School and later joined Miss Madeira’s School. However, she didn’t join college after graduating from high school.

More on Her Career and Activities

Before World War I started, Beckwith was a representative on the committee on public information in Cuba. She then returned to the family farm to fill positions left by men who got drafted into the war.

She even took an agricultural course at Cornett with her aim being to organize young women to work in the farm. Moreover, she was interested in aviation and she had her first time flying after she asked for a ride in a plane in Baltimore in 1930.

The experience motivated her and she went ahead to announce that she wanted to learn to fly by herself. She even went on to earn a private pilot’s licence by 1931. Beckwith then built a private landing strip in Manchester, VT, in the 1930s. She then purchased a few airplanes, including a Traveler, a three-seat sports plane, and Cutliss Gypsy Moth.

By the time 1938 was knocking, Beckwith was operating a 412 -acre dairy farm at Hildene. She had inherited it after her grandmother’s death.

Personal Life and Death

Notably, Beckwith lived a life not getting married or having any children. It was even rumoured that that she was a lesbian but nothing was confirmed. She was determined to live a private life working on her farm. However, publicity caught up with her and would often be recognized when running errands in the town.

Regarding her death, Beckwith died on July 10, 1975. Her death came knocking around 2:15 AM at Rutland Hospital in Rutland, Vermont shortly after turning 77 years.