Last Lincolns The Rise & Fall of a Great American Family

Most books about Abraham Lincoln end on April 14, 1865, the day he was assassinated at Ford's Theatre. But that historic event takes place near the beginning of The Last Lincolns, a singular title in the vast output of Lincolnia and one of the most unusual books ever written on the sixteenth president and his family. Going far beyond that fateful day into uncharted territory, it's a gripping page turner written by a TV producer with proven storytelling skills. This absorbing American tragedy tells the largely unknown story of the acrimony that consumed the Lincolns in the months and years that followed the president's murder. This was not a family that came together in mourning and mutual sadness; instead, they fell out over the anguished mental condition of the widowed Mary. In 1875, Robert — the handsome but resentful eldest Lincoln child — engineered her arrest and forcible commitment to an insane asylum. In each succeeding generation, the Lincolns' misfortunes multiplied, as a litany of alcohol abuse, squandered fortunes, burned family papers, and outright dissipation led to the downfall of this once-great family.

Charles Lachman traces the story right up to the last generation of Lincoln descendants: great-grandson Bob Lincoln Beckwith, his estranged wife, Annemarie, and her son, Timothy Lincoln Beckwith. Bob, who was according to all medical evidence sterile, believes the son who bears the Lincoln name was the product of an adulterous affair. Annemarie, however, wanted the boy to be a "Lincoln," putting the child in line for a vast inheritance. There's even evidence — uncovered by Lachman for the first time — that a scheme to obtain possession of the Lincoln fortune was orchestrated by Bob Beckwith's chauffer, who may have been the notorious outlaw and skyjacker, D.B. Cooper.

Published in advance of Abraham Lincoln's 200th birthday in February 2009, The Last Lincolns provides an unforgettable glimpse into the personal legacy left by the man who could unite a nation…but not his own family.

An unusual family history reveals that:

• Abraham and Mary Lincoln were very lenient with their younger sons — and rarely imposed discipline on them.
• At age 12, young Tad Lincoln — whose education during the family's White House years was very lax — could still not read.
• Eldest son Robert Lincoln objected to the intense attention the media paid to the Lincoln family.
• After her husband's assassination, Mary Lincoln pleaded for financial assistance from family friends and people in government.
• Mary's erratic behavior led Robert to swear out a warrant for her arrest and institutionalization.

"Lincoln enthusiasts will still find much to enjoy here." Booklist

"Lachman...strives to make something of a connection between a Lincoln descendant and lost highjacker D.B. Cooper." Library Journal

"[An] easy read, one trivia buffs will enjoy." Houston Chronicle

"[A]n absorbing, well-researched account....[C]ompelling....[A]n important and engaging contribution not just to the burgeoning field of Lincoln studies, but to our understanding of American social history." Jean H. Baker, author of Mary Todd Lincoln: A Biography

"[A] spellbinding account of Abraham Lincoln's family." Frank J. Williams, Founding Chair of The Lincoln Forum, and Chief Justice, Rhode Island Supreme Court

"[An] intimate portrait of decline. Throughout, the contrast between the great President and his descendants — living lives of little social impact or public purpose — is crystal clear." Kenneth D. Ackerman, author of Dark Horse: The Surprise Election and Political Murder of President James A. Garfield

Written by a TV producer with proven storytelling skills, this absorbing American tragedy tells the largely unknown story of the acrimony that consumed the Lincolns in the months and years that followed the president's murder.

Charles Lachman is Executive Producer of the top-rated TV news magazine show Inside Edition. Prior to that, he was Senior Producer and Co-Executive Producer of American Journal; Managing Editor of the nightly news broadcasts at WNYW-TV (Fox) in New York; and a producer at A Current Affair. He has also been a staff reporter at The New York Post and The Fort Lauderdale News. He is also the author of a novel about the criminal justice system called In the Name of the Law (St. Martin's, 1989), which PW called "scorching and truly gripping."