1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:03,680 Speaker 1: Holy smokes. Before we begin today's episode, we have a 2 00:00:03,720 --> 00:00:07,360 Speaker 1: special announcement. Ben and I are going on tour. That's right, 3 00:00:07,400 --> 00:00:10,760 Speaker 1: we're hitting the road, nol. We're heading to Philadelphia for 4 00:00:10,840 --> 00:00:13,880 Speaker 1: a live show at Philly's Podcast Festival. Okay, so it's 5 00:00:13,960 --> 00:00:15,800 Speaker 1: less of a tour and more of an appearance. I 6 00:00:16,160 --> 00:00:18,360 Speaker 1: feel like it still counts though. This is so exciting. 7 00:00:18,400 --> 00:00:21,240 Speaker 1: It's our first time out of the studio. We literally 8 00:00:21,280 --> 00:00:23,599 Speaker 1: have never left the studio where they're finally going to 9 00:00:23,720 --> 00:00:25,960 Speaker 1: let us out. We're gonna do this show for you. Um. 10 00:00:26,040 --> 00:00:28,520 Speaker 1: Joining us will be our pals Will and main guest 11 00:00:28,600 --> 00:00:30,480 Speaker 1: from Part Time Genius. They're gonna do like this really 12 00:00:30,480 --> 00:00:33,320 Speaker 1: cool trivia show, which they are famous for their world 13 00:00:33,320 --> 00:00:35,440 Speaker 1: famous trivia show. We're gonna hang out with them. It's 14 00:00:35,440 --> 00:00:37,239 Speaker 1: gonna be some special guests. It's gonna be a lot 15 00:00:37,240 --> 00:00:40,199 Speaker 1: of fun. It is July one, at four pm at 16 00:00:40,200 --> 00:00:43,560 Speaker 1: the Trocadero Theater in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. You can find out 17 00:00:43,560 --> 00:01:11,880 Speaker 1: ticket information at Philly Podfest dot com. Welcome to the show, 18 00:01:11,959 --> 00:01:15,520 Speaker 1: Ridiculous Historians, and thanks for tuning in. Whether you have 19 00:01:15,720 --> 00:01:19,080 Speaker 1: multiple PhDs in various specific aspects of the story of 20 00:01:19,160 --> 00:01:24,360 Speaker 1: human civilization, or whether you consider yourself an armchair history enthusiasts. 21 00:01:24,720 --> 00:01:29,559 Speaker 1: One thing's for sure, you've probably probably met a dog. 22 00:01:30,160 --> 00:01:35,039 Speaker 1: Probably I've I've met at least two dogs that was 23 00:01:35,120 --> 00:01:37,080 Speaker 1: the same dog, Though you think so, I think it 24 00:01:37,160 --> 00:01:38,720 Speaker 1: was the same time. Why do you think that? Because 25 00:01:38,760 --> 00:01:41,440 Speaker 1: you showed me the pictures and I think it's the angle. Yeah, 26 00:01:41,920 --> 00:01:44,360 Speaker 1: that's weird. I'm more of a cat person. Um. But 27 00:01:44,520 --> 00:01:48,280 Speaker 1: now I've met multiple dogs in truth, and I've also 28 00:01:48,760 --> 00:01:52,680 Speaker 1: heard of Abraham Lincoln. Yes, And today's story is about 29 00:01:53,400 --> 00:01:58,120 Speaker 1: the confluence of these two concepts. When we think about dogs, 30 00:01:58,240 --> 00:02:02,440 Speaker 1: we always think about strange dog names too, right. And 31 00:02:02,680 --> 00:02:04,560 Speaker 1: there's one thing that always baffled me when I was 32 00:02:04,600 --> 00:02:07,960 Speaker 1: a kid, when I traveled abroad, I didn't understand that 33 00:02:08,200 --> 00:02:11,640 Speaker 1: dogs who grow up in non English speaking countries don't 34 00:02:11,639 --> 00:02:15,040 Speaker 1: speak English. It's a weird thing, you know. And you 35 00:02:15,120 --> 00:02:17,800 Speaker 1: probably ran into dogs who spoke German when you were 36 00:02:17,800 --> 00:02:20,560 Speaker 1: in Germany. Are you teasing me, ben? No? What you 37 00:02:20,639 --> 00:02:22,880 Speaker 1: mean like like they when they bark, they do it 38 00:02:22,919 --> 00:02:25,400 Speaker 1: with like a German accent. Is that what you're saying? Uh? 39 00:02:25,440 --> 00:02:28,760 Speaker 1: They will, they wouldn't respond to command. There you go. Yeah, 40 00:02:29,360 --> 00:02:32,640 Speaker 1: but I'll twisted around also and something that has nothing 41 00:02:32,720 --> 00:02:35,360 Speaker 1: to do with this episode. I think it's hilarious the 42 00:02:35,400 --> 00:02:39,720 Speaker 1: way that other languages will write the sound of a 43 00:02:39,800 --> 00:02:43,000 Speaker 1: dog bark. You can look it up for yourselves, folks. 44 00:02:43,000 --> 00:02:45,000 Speaker 1: I think you'll enjoy it. Oh, I forgot high. I'm 45 00:02:45,000 --> 00:02:49,560 Speaker 1: Ben Whoa. That was the longest preamble pre name drop 46 00:02:49,880 --> 00:02:52,000 Speaker 1: opening ever. My name is Nol And just to get 47 00:02:52,040 --> 00:02:53,040 Speaker 1: it out of the way, and not get it out 48 00:02:53,040 --> 00:02:55,160 Speaker 1: of the way, there is a cause for celebration. We'd 49 00:02:55,160 --> 00:02:57,760 Speaker 1: like to welcome back with open arms. All right, super 50 00:02:57,760 --> 00:03:03,520 Speaker 1: producer Casey Pegram. It's been too long, Casey, thank you 51 00:03:03,800 --> 00:03:07,360 Speaker 1: so much for returning here to the States, here to 52 00:03:07,480 --> 00:03:11,799 Speaker 1: the studio, here to ridiculous history. Casey's into dogs. You 53 00:03:11,880 --> 00:03:14,760 Speaker 1: like dogs. I'm a dog person, absolutely yeah. What what 54 00:03:14,800 --> 00:03:17,120 Speaker 1: would you say, you're more a dog person or a 55 00:03:17,120 --> 00:03:21,799 Speaker 1: cat person? I'm pretty yeah, I'm both growing up, so 56 00:03:22,000 --> 00:03:28,760 Speaker 1: I'm I'm pretty agnostic or ambidextrous with your animal affection. 57 00:03:29,639 --> 00:03:34,080 Speaker 1: So it's it's interesting because we often hear of this 58 00:03:34,240 --> 00:03:37,240 Speaker 1: divide between cats and dogs, and with just a brief 59 00:03:37,280 --> 00:03:42,800 Speaker 1: nod to the science behind domestication, it's fascinating. Nul dogs 60 00:03:42,880 --> 00:03:47,920 Speaker 1: were domesticated by people, like cats largely domesticated themselves. Cats 61 00:03:47,960 --> 00:03:51,520 Speaker 1: do everything for themselves. Man, They're for nickety little creatures 62 00:03:51,600 --> 00:03:54,480 Speaker 1: who don't need us, and they will eat us when 63 00:03:54,520 --> 00:03:57,400 Speaker 1: we die in our apartments sat and alone, or if 64 00:03:57,440 --> 00:04:00,760 Speaker 1: the size difference was reversed, they would also eat you totally. 65 00:04:00,800 --> 00:04:02,480 Speaker 1: Have I told you about how my cat like brings 66 00:04:02,560 --> 00:04:04,760 Speaker 1: little presents and like like just looks like they look 67 00:04:04,760 --> 00:04:08,480 Speaker 1: like Satanic rituals laid out on my doorstep, like decapitated squirrels, 68 00:04:08,560 --> 00:04:10,960 Speaker 1: and you know, with the guts in the shape of 69 00:04:10,960 --> 00:04:14,600 Speaker 1: a pentagram and horrifying. Yeah, and I share a bed 70 00:04:14,640 --> 00:04:18,440 Speaker 1: with this thing? What am I thinking? Colleague? And someone 71 00:04:18,760 --> 00:04:21,160 Speaker 1: worked within the past, Lauren vocal Bomb has the same 72 00:04:21,200 --> 00:04:24,720 Speaker 1: thing with her cats. That's because you guys have indoor 73 00:04:24,760 --> 00:04:27,479 Speaker 1: outdoor cats. I finally put a bell on that little bastard, 74 00:04:27,480 --> 00:04:29,920 Speaker 1: and now I'm hoping to give those things a fighting chance. See, 75 00:04:29,920 --> 00:04:32,599 Speaker 1: I let my cats just be the agents of chaos 76 00:04:32,680 --> 00:04:36,000 Speaker 1: they were meant to. That's true, and Lincoln appreciated cats 77 00:04:36,160 --> 00:04:38,720 Speaker 1: in addition to dogs. He He referred to cats as 78 00:04:38,760 --> 00:04:42,800 Speaker 1: like one of his hobbies, but his old pal, his 79 00:04:43,360 --> 00:04:46,719 Speaker 1: trusty sidekick. They're thick and fan well up to a 80 00:04:46,760 --> 00:04:49,320 Speaker 1: point was an old dog. Yeah, it was a dog. 81 00:04:49,720 --> 00:04:54,640 Speaker 1: And today's episode that we're finally getting too is about 82 00:04:54,720 --> 00:04:58,960 Speaker 1: this dog. It's also a way to answer a question 83 00:04:59,279 --> 00:05:03,200 Speaker 1: about dog dog names, because when you think of a dog, 84 00:05:03,480 --> 00:05:08,000 Speaker 1: you think of generic dog names, right, Spot, sparky, Yeah, 85 00:05:08,120 --> 00:05:10,880 Speaker 1: things like that. And I don't know about you know, 86 00:05:11,120 --> 00:05:13,440 Speaker 1: but it's it's strange to me when I meet a 87 00:05:13,480 --> 00:05:16,520 Speaker 1: dog with a person named like Stephen or Ashley. I 88 00:05:16,560 --> 00:05:18,080 Speaker 1: love it, though, I'm a fan of it. When I 89 00:05:18,120 --> 00:05:20,400 Speaker 1: first heard of a pet that was named after a human, 90 00:05:20,800 --> 00:05:22,800 Speaker 1: I thought that was the most clever thing in the world. 91 00:05:23,200 --> 00:05:25,600 Speaker 1: I The first one I met was neither dog nor cat. 92 00:05:25,600 --> 00:05:29,120 Speaker 1: It was a turtle, and I was so impressed. His 93 00:05:29,240 --> 00:05:31,520 Speaker 1: name was Robert Louis Stevenson. That's great. He was a 94 00:05:31,600 --> 00:05:38,280 Speaker 1: very trepidacious, explorative turtle, very slowly exploring his surroundings. He 95 00:05:38,360 --> 00:05:43,159 Speaker 1: was tentative. But with dogs, there's one name that always 96 00:05:43,320 --> 00:05:47,400 Speaker 1: feels like the generic, the quintessential name for a dog, 97 00:05:47,640 --> 00:05:50,880 Speaker 1: like a Kleenex, yeah yeah, or z Rock, but you know, 98 00:05:50,920 --> 00:05:53,240 Speaker 1: for a dog, right or Google. But for a dog, 99 00:05:53,520 --> 00:05:57,599 Speaker 1: it's Fido right out here, boy here, Fido here Fido. 100 00:05:57,800 --> 00:05:59,599 Speaker 1: Have you ever heard that? In the Looney Tunes cartoon? 101 00:06:00,400 --> 00:06:02,600 Speaker 1: Very popular and Looney Tunes, and I think some Disney 102 00:06:02,600 --> 00:06:06,480 Speaker 1: stuff as well. These days, Fido isn't even in the 103 00:06:06,520 --> 00:06:09,839 Speaker 1: top one common dog names. They're all named Stephen and 104 00:06:09,880 --> 00:06:13,800 Speaker 1: stuff right there. They're all named George Ashcroft or something. 105 00:06:14,440 --> 00:06:19,840 Speaker 1: But now, even with the popularity of Fido declining, everybody 106 00:06:20,040 --> 00:06:23,120 Speaker 1: in the English speaking world at least associates the name 107 00:06:23,200 --> 00:06:26,760 Speaker 1: Fido specifically with a dog like let me get a coke, 108 00:06:27,000 --> 00:06:30,120 Speaker 1: you mian Anesota, right, let me see that Fido? You 109 00:06:30,120 --> 00:06:33,160 Speaker 1: mean that dog like that? And it turns out right 110 00:06:33,200 --> 00:06:35,920 Speaker 1: that there's a reason for this. There is a traceable, 111 00:06:35,960 --> 00:06:40,880 Speaker 1: specific reason that Fido became known world over as a 112 00:06:41,000 --> 00:06:44,760 Speaker 1: dog's name, and it goes back to our boy, young 113 00:06:44,839 --> 00:06:49,120 Speaker 1: rail splitter himself, Abraham Lincoln. Yeah, yeah, um, the that 114 00:06:49,200 --> 00:06:53,200 Speaker 1: old yellow dog we were talking about. His name was Fido, 115 00:06:53,320 --> 00:06:55,880 Speaker 1: and he was a mongrel, kind of a mixed breed, 116 00:06:56,480 --> 00:07:02,280 Speaker 1: um yellow, floppy eared fellow that Lincoln just adored and 117 00:07:02,360 --> 00:07:07,000 Speaker 1: he loved to play with Fido around his home in Springfield, 118 00:07:07,000 --> 00:07:12,320 Speaker 1: Illinois with his sons Tad and Willie, who are stories 119 00:07:12,360 --> 00:07:15,200 Speaker 1: of their own believe you me. Uh. Yeah, as he 120 00:07:15,360 --> 00:07:20,080 Speaker 1: before he became president, he had several dogs and cats 121 00:07:20,120 --> 00:07:23,920 Speaker 1: in his home in Illinois, and it seems like the 122 00:07:23,920 --> 00:07:27,640 Speaker 1: crowd favorite was Fido. At least Lincoln's favorite was Fido. 123 00:07:27,760 --> 00:07:29,800 Speaker 1: We'll get into a little bit more of the Fido 124 00:07:30,000 --> 00:07:34,120 Speaker 1: lore later, but for now, in his heyday, Lincoln, before 125 00:07:34,200 --> 00:07:37,520 Speaker 1: he became elected president, Fido he would walk around town. 126 00:07:37,840 --> 00:07:40,080 Speaker 1: He would go get a little trim at the barbershop, 127 00:07:40,120 --> 00:07:44,640 Speaker 1: and Fido would wait patiently outside for him, untied, just 128 00:07:44,800 --> 00:07:48,680 Speaker 1: perfectly loyal. Um. What's the word? Fido is short for 129 00:07:48,800 --> 00:07:54,160 Speaker 1: what fidelity? Right? Uh? The name is Latin for faithful. 130 00:07:54,880 --> 00:07:59,440 Speaker 1: And for about five years before Abraham Lincoln became president, 131 00:07:59,520 --> 00:08:02,880 Speaker 1: he was a lawyer and Fido would just follow him 132 00:08:03,080 --> 00:08:05,920 Speaker 1: everywhere that keeps seeing mentions of Fido would even carry 133 00:08:06,000 --> 00:08:09,800 Speaker 1: parcels for Lincoln in his mouth. Yeah, and he became 134 00:08:09,920 --> 00:08:12,880 Speaker 1: sort of this walking business card for Lincoln as well 135 00:08:12,960 --> 00:08:15,400 Speaker 1: in town because they would see the little yellow dog 136 00:08:15,440 --> 00:08:18,000 Speaker 1: and they wouldn't know that the lawyer Lincoln was around. 137 00:08:18,000 --> 00:08:21,400 Speaker 1: It was about yeah, but fame changes things. Right. In 138 00:08:21,520 --> 00:08:24,360 Speaker 1: eighteen sixty three, as he was preparing to move to 139 00:08:24,400 --> 00:08:26,400 Speaker 1: the White House to serve as commander in chief of 140 00:08:26,440 --> 00:08:30,080 Speaker 1: the US. People started to think that Fido was maybe 141 00:08:30,080 --> 00:08:33,079 Speaker 1: a little too friendly, a little too outgoing, not even that, 142 00:08:33,160 --> 00:08:38,360 Speaker 1: maybe even a little fragile, right, because when in his hometown, um, 143 00:08:38,440 --> 00:08:40,840 Speaker 1: you know, when the president won the election, there were 144 00:08:41,280 --> 00:08:43,559 Speaker 1: you know, all kinds of all kinds of commotion, right, 145 00:08:43,600 --> 00:08:49,880 Speaker 1: we had cannon fire, fireworks, screaming politicians, people farting. Yeah, 146 00:08:49,880 --> 00:08:55,240 Speaker 1: oh that various noises. And Fido was spooked by this. 147 00:08:55,440 --> 00:08:58,120 Speaker 1: He was not he was not excited about this. It 148 00:08:58,120 --> 00:09:01,720 Speaker 1: made him very uncomfortable and he, you know, totally kind 149 00:09:01,720 --> 00:09:06,640 Speaker 1: of Withdrew. Yeah, he was described as a frisky mongrel 150 00:09:07,440 --> 00:09:10,440 Speaker 1: in a Life magazine profile of him at the time. 151 00:09:10,880 --> 00:09:17,599 Speaker 1: So he did not accompany originally the Lincoln's to d C. Instead, 152 00:09:17,960 --> 00:09:22,400 Speaker 1: they picked up a dog named Jip and two goats, 153 00:09:22,720 --> 00:09:25,960 Speaker 1: Nanny and Nanco, and get where the goats to mow 154 00:09:26,000 --> 00:09:28,960 Speaker 1: the lawn at the White House. You know, my old 155 00:09:29,000 --> 00:09:31,400 Speaker 1: co host, Scott Benjamin is all about that. Well, there's 156 00:09:31,400 --> 00:09:33,080 Speaker 1: a service here in Atlanta where you can rent a 157 00:09:33,080 --> 00:09:35,760 Speaker 1: goat that will clean up your their foliage. Yet, and 158 00:09:35,840 --> 00:09:39,160 Speaker 1: it's not just in Atlanta. When Scott recommended to me 159 00:09:39,600 --> 00:09:42,640 Speaker 1: that I instead of repairing my lawnmower rent a goat. 160 00:09:42,960 --> 00:09:45,920 Speaker 1: I thought he was joking, but he doesn't joke about 161 00:09:45,960 --> 00:09:48,319 Speaker 1: stuff like that. He doesn't really joke. He's a very 162 00:09:48,360 --> 00:09:51,160 Speaker 1: sincere dude. That's true. Shout out to Scott Benjamin or 163 00:09:51,200 --> 00:09:55,520 Speaker 1: is I like to refer to him f Scott Benjamin? Um? So, yeah, 164 00:09:55,840 --> 00:09:58,480 Speaker 1: Fido stayed behind and it took a while, but the 165 00:09:58,520 --> 00:10:01,720 Speaker 1: president it was very important for him that that his 166 00:10:01,720 --> 00:10:06,280 Speaker 1: his old trusty yellow dog, Fido, had a suitable home 167 00:10:06,600 --> 00:10:11,960 Speaker 1: with suitable affections and spoilage. Right, yeah, exactly, And that's 168 00:10:12,000 --> 00:10:16,360 Speaker 1: why he decided to have another person, a person who 169 00:10:16,360 --> 00:10:19,160 Speaker 1: could trust, take care of Phido. Back there in Springfield. 170 00:10:19,160 --> 00:10:23,240 Speaker 1: He contacted John Roll, who was a carpenter, and said, hey, 171 00:10:23,480 --> 00:10:26,200 Speaker 1: you and your family, could you take care of Fido. 172 00:10:26,440 --> 00:10:28,960 Speaker 1: He's he's a great dog. You've seen him around town. 173 00:10:29,080 --> 00:10:32,640 Speaker 1: He's the one who carries parcels. They were old pals. Yeah, yeah, yeah, 174 00:10:32,720 --> 00:10:35,600 Speaker 1: And so he was already familiar with Fido. But just 175 00:10:35,679 --> 00:10:40,000 Speaker 1: like any helicopter dog parent. As Lincoln left to pursue 176 00:10:40,040 --> 00:10:47,119 Speaker 1: the presidency, he also left behind detailed instructions for Phido's 177 00:10:47,240 --> 00:10:50,720 Speaker 1: day to day care and spoiling and the stuff he likes, 178 00:10:50,920 --> 00:10:54,559 Speaker 1: stuff he doesn't like. Dare we say conditions, yes, yea, yeah? 179 00:10:55,120 --> 00:10:57,720 Speaker 1: What were some of those hit us? Whenever the role 180 00:10:57,840 --> 00:11:00,920 Speaker 1: family was eating, they had to have scraps from the 181 00:11:00,960 --> 00:11:05,400 Speaker 1: table to Fido. Also, he could never be yelled at 182 00:11:05,640 --> 00:11:08,320 Speaker 1: or scolded for having muddy paws in the house. This 183 00:11:08,400 --> 00:11:11,880 Speaker 1: becomes a theme with Fido always having muddy paws and 184 00:11:11,960 --> 00:11:15,360 Speaker 1: being a little too eager to hop up on people. 185 00:11:15,600 --> 00:11:17,640 Speaker 1: And they gave him some equipment to write, gave the 186 00:11:17,720 --> 00:11:21,120 Speaker 1: rules some equipment. Yeah, it was a custom couch that 187 00:11:21,200 --> 00:11:24,960 Speaker 1: Lincoln himself had built because, as we know, unlike the 188 00:11:25,000 --> 00:11:28,400 Speaker 1: myth of of Napoleon being extra mega super short, he 189 00:11:28,480 --> 00:11:30,559 Speaker 1: was just sort of an average high maybe a little 190 00:11:30,600 --> 00:11:33,520 Speaker 1: shorter than average. Lincoln was in fact quite tall, yes, 191 00:11:33,559 --> 00:11:36,719 Speaker 1: and some people have speculated is due to a condition 192 00:11:36,920 --> 00:11:41,679 Speaker 1: known as Marfan syndrome. But regardless of the cause, Lincoln 193 00:11:41,720 --> 00:11:44,760 Speaker 1: himself was one heck of a scarecrow. He was six 194 00:11:44,800 --> 00:11:48,840 Speaker 1: ft four, very skinny, looked like you could uh tie 195 00:11:48,880 --> 00:11:51,400 Speaker 1: a kite to him and he would fly away. And 196 00:11:51,480 --> 00:11:54,240 Speaker 1: so a couch that you would buy at the store 197 00:11:54,480 --> 00:11:57,160 Speaker 1: was not going to accommodate a man of his height. 198 00:11:57,320 --> 00:12:00,320 Speaker 1: His his his lanky frame, his legs to just be 199 00:12:00,360 --> 00:12:01,719 Speaker 1: hanging off the side if he wanted to have a 200 00:12:01,800 --> 00:12:04,280 Speaker 1: nice lie down, right. Um, so yeah, I say this 201 00:12:04,320 --> 00:12:06,560 Speaker 1: custom couse was made of horse hair, and it was 202 00:12:06,600 --> 00:12:10,520 Speaker 1: also Fido's favorite piece of furniture. And I'm sure you know, 203 00:12:10,679 --> 00:12:14,720 Speaker 1: had familiar smells and all that. And he made sure 204 00:12:14,760 --> 00:12:17,240 Speaker 1: that the family that was taking Fido got this piece 205 00:12:17,240 --> 00:12:19,040 Speaker 1: of furniture so that he could lounge around on it 206 00:12:19,080 --> 00:12:22,840 Speaker 1: and feel super duper at home. And it's tough to 207 00:12:23,000 --> 00:12:28,079 Speaker 1: overstate the importance of this sofa to Fido himself, because 208 00:12:28,160 --> 00:12:32,040 Speaker 1: when he was frightened, this is the sofa he hid under. 209 00:12:32,960 --> 00:12:37,480 Speaker 1: When he was happy, this is the sofa he lounged upon. 210 00:12:38,080 --> 00:12:41,760 Speaker 1: In a very real way, the sofa, second to Abraham 211 00:12:41,840 --> 00:12:44,679 Speaker 1: Lincoln is the most important thing in the home to 212 00:12:44,840 --> 00:12:49,839 Speaker 1: fight him. We mentioned earlier Lincoln's sons, right Tad and 213 00:12:49,840 --> 00:12:52,679 Speaker 1: wheeie ye Tad Willie, And they were of course hit 214 00:12:52,720 --> 00:12:56,760 Speaker 1: by this. This was their childhood dog. They're saying, Ah, chucks, 215 00:12:57,120 --> 00:12:59,360 Speaker 1: good on Dad for being the president, But why can't 216 00:12:59,360 --> 00:13:01,600 Speaker 1: Fido come the end of an era? You know? But 217 00:13:01,760 --> 00:13:04,920 Speaker 1: they I'm sure Dad, all honest Abe explained it to 218 00:13:04,960 --> 00:13:08,679 Speaker 1: the boys very gingerly, and I'm sure they came to understand. 219 00:13:08,720 --> 00:13:11,080 Speaker 1: I'm speculating here a little bit, but they seemed like 220 00:13:11,120 --> 00:13:14,520 Speaker 1: good boys. You might have said, look, I can do 221 00:13:14,559 --> 00:13:17,080 Speaker 1: two goats. That's the best they could do. Well. Yeah, hey, 222 00:13:17,080 --> 00:13:19,559 Speaker 1: that's a good deal, though, man, one dog for two goats. 223 00:13:19,679 --> 00:13:22,400 Speaker 1: I don't know. Dogs don't don't mow your lawn either. 224 00:13:22,440 --> 00:13:26,679 Speaker 1: Those goats, though, apparently, were were hell raisers in the house. 225 00:13:26,679 --> 00:13:28,520 Speaker 1: The staffers did not like them because they would like, 226 00:13:28,559 --> 00:13:30,320 Speaker 1: not only chew up the grass like, they would chew 227 00:13:30,400 --> 00:13:32,280 Speaker 1: up like everything. Have you ever hung out with the 228 00:13:32,320 --> 00:13:34,880 Speaker 1: goat with their weird octopus eyes? You mean, greatest of 229 00:13:34,880 --> 00:13:39,360 Speaker 1: all time? I'm I'm flattered, nol thank you know, the 230 00:13:39,480 --> 00:13:42,400 Speaker 1: physical goat Now I have not the I'd be afraid 231 00:13:42,400 --> 00:13:46,320 Speaker 1: they'd buck. Yeah, they're weird. They can be affectionate, but 232 00:13:46,360 --> 00:13:49,040 Speaker 1: they will eat darn near anything. Yeah, like you know, 233 00:13:49,080 --> 00:13:52,160 Speaker 1: your fist or your heart. But that's just with their 234 00:13:52,200 --> 00:13:58,079 Speaker 1: cuddly nous. Yeah. So yeah. So despite all the gestures 235 00:13:58,160 --> 00:14:02,160 Speaker 1: and all the reassurances you can ache. Anybody who has 236 00:14:02,240 --> 00:14:04,800 Speaker 1: been a parent who had to explain the loss of 237 00:14:04,840 --> 00:14:07,720 Speaker 1: a pet to a child understands that it's heavy and 238 00:14:07,760 --> 00:14:10,800 Speaker 1: deep stuff, whether it's just moving or whether the pet 239 00:14:10,800 --> 00:14:14,840 Speaker 1: has passed away, and perhaps ridiculous historians. As you're listening, 240 00:14:15,000 --> 00:14:17,520 Speaker 1: you're thinking of moments in your life when you were 241 00:14:17,559 --> 00:14:20,960 Speaker 1: a child and you lost a pet or you were 242 00:14:21,040 --> 00:14:25,880 Speaker 1: somehow put out of contact with it. It's very psychologically trying, 243 00:14:26,360 --> 00:14:32,080 Speaker 1: and Lincoln gon go with allegedly here allegedly Lincoln attempted 244 00:14:32,120 --> 00:14:36,560 Speaker 1: to combat this by resorting to a relatively new technology 245 00:14:36,680 --> 00:14:39,040 Speaker 1: at the time. Yeah, he wanted to, you know, have 246 00:14:39,080 --> 00:14:43,200 Speaker 1: a nice family portrait of of Fidoh, and we've got 247 00:14:43,240 --> 00:14:46,080 Speaker 1: these images around today. It's great. You can see him 248 00:14:46,080 --> 00:14:47,960 Speaker 1: like lounging on what is it like I throw rug 249 00:14:48,040 --> 00:14:50,680 Speaker 1: kind of situation. What do we got here? Yeah, it 250 00:14:50,760 --> 00:14:53,800 Speaker 1: looks like he is on a on a table with 251 00:14:53,840 --> 00:14:59,680 Speaker 1: a nice rug or heavy tablecloth, and he's got his paws, 252 00:15:00,280 --> 00:15:03,360 Speaker 1: uh just rogueish lye hanging off like he's ready to jump, 253 00:15:03,440 --> 00:15:05,240 Speaker 1: but he's comfortable. This is back when you would have 254 00:15:05,240 --> 00:15:08,640 Speaker 1: had to stand really still. Doesn't it seem like taking 255 00:15:08,640 --> 00:15:11,560 Speaker 1: a picture of a dog would be challenging and best, Yeah, 256 00:15:11,640 --> 00:15:14,200 Speaker 1: it would have to be a super chill dog. But 257 00:15:14,560 --> 00:15:17,080 Speaker 1: be that as it may. Turned out it worked, and 258 00:15:17,280 --> 00:15:21,360 Speaker 1: there's a pretty good photograph of Fido which you can 259 00:15:21,480 --> 00:15:25,280 Speaker 1: you can find if you just google Fido, Abraham Lincoln. 260 00:15:30,840 --> 00:15:34,160 Speaker 1: We did find one wrinkle to the story here, at 261 00:15:34,240 --> 00:15:37,120 Speaker 1: least in terms of chronology, right, Yeah, and this is 262 00:15:37,120 --> 00:15:39,000 Speaker 1: how we start getting well, I think we can use 263 00:15:39,000 --> 00:15:41,320 Speaker 1: this as a jumping off point into the kind of 264 00:15:41,360 --> 00:15:44,000 Speaker 1: sad part of this story. Um, there is a story 265 00:15:44,040 --> 00:15:46,880 Speaker 1: and by the name of Dr James Cornelius, who curates 266 00:15:46,920 --> 00:15:51,040 Speaker 1: the Abraham Lincoln Collection at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library 267 00:15:51,040 --> 00:15:54,120 Speaker 1: and Museum, who says there are some issues with the 268 00:15:54,200 --> 00:15:57,720 Speaker 1: chronology of of when this photograph was taken. Original reports 269 00:15:57,760 --> 00:16:02,560 Speaker 1: suggested that Lincoln himself commissioned and uh, it seems maybe 270 00:16:02,600 --> 00:16:05,000 Speaker 1: a little more likely that it was done in the 271 00:16:05,040 --> 00:16:09,760 Speaker 1: aftermath of President Abraham Lincoln's assassination, when Fido would have 272 00:16:09,800 --> 00:16:13,720 Speaker 1: been a very famous dog and some eagle eyed photog 273 00:16:13,840 --> 00:16:18,280 Speaker 1: around Springfield thought it might be a hot ticket item 274 00:16:18,360 --> 00:16:20,880 Speaker 1: to have photographs of the dog that that they could 275 00:16:20,880 --> 00:16:25,240 Speaker 1: sell to mourners. Yeah, so you'll hear two different versions 276 00:16:25,280 --> 00:16:28,960 Speaker 1: of the chronology here. You'll hear that the photo was 277 00:16:29,440 --> 00:16:33,160 Speaker 1: made after the assassination, or you'll hear that it was 278 00:16:33,240 --> 00:16:40,320 Speaker 1: made beforehand, and regardless either way, this photo gets into 279 00:16:40,400 --> 00:16:44,800 Speaker 1: newspapers and Fido, the dog himself, and just the name 280 00:16:44,920 --> 00:16:49,640 Speaker 1: Fido becomes universally acclaimed in the US and probably a 281 00:16:49,680 --> 00:16:53,240 Speaker 1: little bit beyond the US as well. So this is 282 00:16:53,280 --> 00:16:57,320 Speaker 1: when people start naming their own dogs Fido. Right, A 283 00:16:57,440 --> 00:17:00,640 Speaker 1: kid sees the dog in the newspaper and the dog's 284 00:17:00,720 --> 00:17:02,600 Speaker 1: name is Fido, and they think, I'm gonna name my 285 00:17:02,680 --> 00:17:07,560 Speaker 1: dog Fido, just like President Lincoln's dog. And when Lincoln 286 00:17:07,680 --> 00:17:12,880 Speaker 1: was assassinated in eighteen sixty and the Ford Theater, this 287 00:17:13,359 --> 00:17:18,159 Speaker 1: did very little to quell Fido's popularity. In fact, it 288 00:17:18,280 --> 00:17:21,680 Speaker 1: added to it isn't that correct, Yes, Ben, that's exactly right. 289 00:17:21,720 --> 00:17:24,840 Speaker 1: People would line up to take, you know, to meet 290 00:17:25,000 --> 00:17:27,960 Speaker 1: the presidential dog. And um, here here's a little bit 291 00:17:28,000 --> 00:17:31,200 Speaker 1: of a breakdown of the story of this photograph, as 292 00:17:31,200 --> 00:17:34,879 Speaker 1: it kind of like weaves into this part of the story. 293 00:17:35,240 --> 00:17:37,840 Speaker 1: So this guy by the name of F. W. Ing 294 00:17:37,920 --> 00:17:43,800 Speaker 1: Meyer had a photo studio in Springfield, UM And according 295 00:17:43,840 --> 00:17:46,639 Speaker 1: to the original story, it was in late eighteen sixty 296 00:17:46,720 --> 00:17:50,359 Speaker 1: or early eighteen sixty one. They're actually three shots of Fido, 297 00:17:50,480 --> 00:17:53,080 Speaker 1: one nice from the front, shot, and then two profile 298 00:17:53,119 --> 00:17:55,240 Speaker 1: shots where he's a little bit more kind of hunkered down, 299 00:17:55,680 --> 00:17:57,960 Speaker 1: like he's swimming, you know, he's trying to afford a 300 00:17:58,000 --> 00:18:01,200 Speaker 1: stream of some kind, right, And the exposure makes them 301 00:18:01,480 --> 00:18:04,280 Speaker 1: all look radically different. Yeah, it's true. The one from 302 00:18:04,320 --> 00:18:07,879 Speaker 1: the front it is very sepia looking um the and 303 00:18:07,920 --> 00:18:10,960 Speaker 1: then there's another cpo looking one from the side that 304 00:18:11,119 --> 00:18:15,320 Speaker 1: is very um high contrast, kind of like the what 305 00:18:15,440 --> 00:18:18,560 Speaker 1: the background is totally white and you can't see any textures, 306 00:18:18,560 --> 00:18:20,680 Speaker 1: almost blown out. And then the last one, which I 307 00:18:20,720 --> 00:18:23,800 Speaker 1: think is by far the most successful of the photographs aesthetically. 308 00:18:24,080 --> 00:18:26,800 Speaker 1: You can see that the wall has kind of a shaded, 309 00:18:27,560 --> 00:18:31,639 Speaker 1: shadowy look to it, and the dog's fur is properly exposed, 310 00:18:31,680 --> 00:18:33,919 Speaker 1: and you can see the texture of the rug, and 311 00:18:34,000 --> 00:18:37,359 Speaker 1: there's a lot more um detail in this one. Yeah, 312 00:18:37,440 --> 00:18:41,239 Speaker 1: there's also the first detailed that it almost looks like 313 00:18:41,440 --> 00:18:44,560 Speaker 1: Phido might have some German shepherd in them. So ing 314 00:18:44,600 --> 00:18:50,600 Speaker 1: Meyer fw ing Meyer has also become the subject of investigation, 315 00:18:50,800 --> 00:18:54,960 Speaker 1: especially by a guy named Dick Hart in his book Springfield, 316 00:18:55,000 --> 00:18:59,960 Speaker 1: Illinois Nineteenth Century Photographers. But the problem is that apparently 317 00:19:00,320 --> 00:19:03,800 Speaker 1: between eighteen sixty and eighteen sixty one. Um ing Meyer 318 00:19:04,359 --> 00:19:08,520 Speaker 1: wasn't didn't have a photography studio. Um. He was actually 319 00:19:08,520 --> 00:19:12,639 Speaker 1: working as a minister in the Baptist faith. Um. I 320 00:19:12,680 --> 00:19:16,240 Speaker 1: guess that was his weekend job. And then he was 321 00:19:16,280 --> 00:19:20,359 Speaker 1: also a sewing machine salesman. Yeah, he was selling sewing 322 00:19:20,440 --> 00:19:24,679 Speaker 1: machines and probably preaching on the side as well. Uh. 323 00:19:24,720 --> 00:19:30,040 Speaker 1: He ran a bunch of ads in various papers for 324 00:19:30,200 --> 00:19:35,760 Speaker 1: his sewing machine agency. But he didn't even start paying 325 00:19:35,800 --> 00:19:39,359 Speaker 1: for a photographer's license until eighteen sixty two. I'm sorry, 326 00:19:39,359 --> 00:19:44,879 Speaker 1: a photographer's license. It was a different time, that seems yeah. Wow. Well, also, 327 00:19:44,920 --> 00:19:47,879 Speaker 1: it's a really new technology, so you probably it's a 328 00:19:47,920 --> 00:19:52,439 Speaker 1: new technology. You probably them just spitballing here. Man. You 329 00:19:52,600 --> 00:19:56,119 Speaker 1: probably have to have some sort of training, safety training. 330 00:19:56,160 --> 00:19:58,360 Speaker 1: They got those flashbulbs. They can take your eye out, 331 00:19:59,160 --> 00:20:02,160 Speaker 1: burn your your He's at the best. I mean, new 332 00:20:02,240 --> 00:20:05,440 Speaker 1: technology is always a pain. Have you ever watched videos 333 00:20:05,480 --> 00:20:09,280 Speaker 1: of someone attempting to start a model t It's crazy. 334 00:20:09,359 --> 00:20:11,560 Speaker 1: You can break your arm. I just would like the 335 00:20:11,840 --> 00:20:14,080 Speaker 1: You gotta like pull it like a lawnmower, like to 336 00:20:14,200 --> 00:20:17,560 Speaker 1: crank it. Yeah, you have to. You have to starting 337 00:20:17,560 --> 00:20:21,159 Speaker 1: a chair crank, crank, and if it gets cantankerous. It 338 00:20:21,240 --> 00:20:24,080 Speaker 1: will fly back with such force that will break your form. 339 00:20:25,560 --> 00:20:28,800 Speaker 1: So probably I would like to think taking a photograph 340 00:20:28,920 --> 00:20:31,960 Speaker 1: was not that dangerous or didn't have that possibility for danger. 341 00:20:32,000 --> 00:20:34,600 Speaker 1: But you have to have some training. And what you 342 00:20:34,680 --> 00:20:38,400 Speaker 1: brought up here is really important because we're looking again 343 00:20:38,800 --> 00:20:43,280 Speaker 1: at the timeline. So that's eighteen sixty two, right, that's right. 344 00:20:43,320 --> 00:20:46,240 Speaker 1: That is allegedly when he began to pay for this, 345 00:20:46,440 --> 00:20:49,800 Speaker 1: uh license and installments I'm imagining, uh, And that's that's 346 00:20:49,880 --> 00:20:54,040 Speaker 1: ten dollars total for the license UM, which was you know, 347 00:20:54,200 --> 00:20:58,240 Speaker 1: a pretty penny back in eighteen sixty two. And he 348 00:20:58,480 --> 00:21:01,919 Speaker 1: first ran an ad for or his photography business in 349 00:21:02,200 --> 00:21:06,840 Speaker 1: October of eighteen sixty four because there were a lot 350 00:21:06,960 --> 00:21:11,320 Speaker 1: of soldiers passing through nearby Camp Butler, it's important to 351 00:21:11,359 --> 00:21:17,000 Speaker 1: say that this chronology of the license and the advertisements, UH, 352 00:21:17,480 --> 00:21:22,840 Speaker 1: this chronology does not prove that Ingmar did not take 353 00:21:22,920 --> 00:21:26,760 Speaker 1: those pictures of this pooch in eighteen sixty or eighteen 354 00:21:26,840 --> 00:21:30,760 Speaker 1: sixty one, but it calls it into question, you know, 355 00:21:30,920 --> 00:21:33,720 Speaker 1: that's right. And this is all from a fantastic post, 356 00:21:34,040 --> 00:21:36,439 Speaker 1: you know, speculating on this chronology, because again, a lot 357 00:21:36,480 --> 00:21:39,000 Speaker 1: of this stuff is is just that speculation, but it 358 00:21:39,040 --> 00:21:42,159 Speaker 1: comes from a pretty solid source. The guy by the 359 00:21:42,200 --> 00:21:44,879 Speaker 1: name of Dr James Cornelius, who's the curator of that 360 00:21:44,920 --> 00:21:49,160 Speaker 1: Abraham Lincoln Collection UM at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library 361 00:21:49,200 --> 00:21:50,919 Speaker 1: and Museum. So if anyone knows, you know he oh 362 00:21:50,960 --> 00:21:55,560 Speaker 1: he ought to know. Yeah, he's he's the lading expert. Literally, 363 00:21:56,440 --> 00:22:00,680 Speaker 1: he sold a matched set ing mar that is sold 364 00:22:00,680 --> 00:22:05,640 Speaker 1: a match set of four photos with identical backmarks, which 365 00:22:05,680 --> 00:22:08,520 Speaker 1: are think of it like you may have seen your 366 00:22:08,560 --> 00:22:10,760 Speaker 1: parents do this writing on the back of a photograph 367 00:22:10,880 --> 00:22:14,360 Speaker 1: with the name and date, the time or description. Yeah, yeah, 368 00:22:14,400 --> 00:22:16,880 Speaker 1: like like a time code that you would see cameras 369 00:22:16,960 --> 00:22:19,480 Speaker 1: these days, actually not so much, but like they used 370 00:22:19,480 --> 00:22:21,879 Speaker 1: to be when you get the prints, maybe that annoying 371 00:22:21,920 --> 00:22:24,199 Speaker 1: little water mark in the bottom left hand corner that 372 00:22:24,240 --> 00:22:26,600 Speaker 1: was the time in the day. There's something kind of similar, 373 00:22:26,600 --> 00:22:30,280 Speaker 1: if not more analog at play here, right, yeah, exactly. 374 00:22:31,000 --> 00:22:35,280 Speaker 1: And in this book that we mentioned by Heart, there's 375 00:22:35,560 --> 00:22:39,160 Speaker 1: this match set of four photographs that Mr sold with 376 00:22:39,280 --> 00:22:42,320 Speaker 1: these back marks, and in the Heart book they're dated 377 00:22:42,359 --> 00:22:46,919 Speaker 1: back to eighteen sixty five and eighteen sixty six. The 378 00:22:47,000 --> 00:22:50,320 Speaker 1: four photographs are the following a hillside tomb at oak 379 00:22:50,400 --> 00:22:56,320 Speaker 1: Ridge Cemetery. Photograph of Lincoln's old home. Photograph of a 380 00:22:56,359 --> 00:22:59,199 Speaker 1: horse known as Old Bob, which I think is a 381 00:22:59,200 --> 00:23:01,920 Speaker 1: cool horse name. Is that the same as old Robin? 382 00:23:02,160 --> 00:23:04,600 Speaker 1: Is that as short for because I've seen it both ways? 383 00:23:05,160 --> 00:23:07,240 Speaker 1: Did you have two horses? Because Rob could be short 384 00:23:07,280 --> 00:23:10,159 Speaker 1: for Bob, could be short for Robin, Bob could be 385 00:23:10,280 --> 00:23:13,479 Speaker 1: short for yeah, yeah, because Robin is. I don't know 386 00:23:13,600 --> 00:23:17,400 Speaker 1: the photograph that I'm seeing is actually captioned President Lincoln's 387 00:23:17,440 --> 00:23:20,080 Speaker 1: horse Old Robin. It's gotta be the same horse, because 388 00:23:20,080 --> 00:23:22,680 Speaker 1: I've seen the same photograph. And then I'm looking at 389 00:23:23,080 --> 00:23:27,800 Speaker 1: the description from Dr Cornelius. So maybe Dr Cornelis is 390 00:23:27,840 --> 00:23:29,600 Speaker 1: just so familiar with him that he calls him Old 391 00:23:29,640 --> 00:23:32,600 Speaker 1: Bob Bob. He's been a lot of time researching this. 392 00:23:32,680 --> 00:23:34,800 Speaker 1: Also in the photograph of might maybe they were more formal, 393 00:23:35,040 --> 00:23:37,720 Speaker 1: you know, that was the that was the horse's Christian name, 394 00:23:37,960 --> 00:23:40,399 Speaker 1: but if you were familiar, you could call him all Bob. 395 00:23:40,600 --> 00:23:45,440 Speaker 1: But most importantly, that fourth photograph is the high quality 396 00:23:45,800 --> 00:23:50,040 Speaker 1: profile snap. And you know these look like ben These 397 00:23:50,080 --> 00:23:53,239 Speaker 1: look like the kinds of postcards you would buy at 398 00:23:53,280 --> 00:23:56,000 Speaker 1: a gift shop for like the Grand Canyon or President 399 00:23:56,040 --> 00:24:00,159 Speaker 1: Abraham Lincoln's boyhood home or what have you. Right, So 400 00:24:00,440 --> 00:24:03,719 Speaker 1: the theory here is that no, these photos were not 401 00:24:03,760 --> 00:24:07,720 Speaker 1: commissioned by Lincoln himself during his life. They were done 402 00:24:07,840 --> 00:24:10,320 Speaker 1: as a kind of get rich quick scheme by this 403 00:24:10,359 --> 00:24:14,240 Speaker 1: guy Igmire when Lincoln's death brought droves of of mourners 404 00:24:14,280 --> 00:24:18,280 Speaker 1: and uh and um people paying their respects to Springfield. 405 00:24:18,480 --> 00:24:21,959 Speaker 1: So why do we believe Dr Cornelius is a version 406 00:24:22,200 --> 00:24:27,680 Speaker 1: of the events. Well, that's primarily because he has matched 407 00:24:28,320 --> 00:24:32,760 Speaker 1: times and dates into a single, unified chronology. And the 408 00:24:32,920 --> 00:24:37,520 Speaker 1: story about Lincoln commissioning the photographs actually comes to us 409 00:24:37,840 --> 00:24:43,320 Speaker 1: through John Role primarily. And you can't really like, we're 410 00:24:43,320 --> 00:24:45,560 Speaker 1: not saying Role was lying, But it's very easy for 411 00:24:45,640 --> 00:24:48,400 Speaker 1: him to be mistaken. You can't really blame someone forgetting 412 00:24:48,440 --> 00:24:51,760 Speaker 1: the details of a dog picture a little bit off, 413 00:24:52,160 --> 00:24:54,679 Speaker 1: you know, decades and decades later, I have heard of 414 00:24:54,720 --> 00:25:01,800 Speaker 1: worst historical blunders, my friend. So Dr Cornelius finds a 415 00:25:01,920 --> 00:25:07,080 Speaker 1: kicker a nail in the chronological coffin. Here he says 416 00:25:07,160 --> 00:25:11,280 Speaker 1: that if the Lincoln boys Tadam Willie had a photograph 417 00:25:11,320 --> 00:25:14,320 Speaker 1: of Fido in the White House, why does it not 418 00:25:14,520 --> 00:25:18,480 Speaker 1: have that same back mark, the mark that ing Meyer 419 00:25:18,720 --> 00:25:21,960 Speaker 1: used to distinguish his photographs, right, why doesn't have one 420 00:25:22,000 --> 00:25:25,000 Speaker 1: from eighteen sixty eighteen sixty one. The thing is, the 421 00:25:25,200 --> 00:25:29,320 Speaker 1: one surviving copy today is identical to the images from 422 00:25:29,400 --> 00:25:33,560 Speaker 1: eighteen sixty five in both the label and the back mark. 423 00:25:33,720 --> 00:25:37,600 Speaker 1: That indicates the providence of the photo. If someone took 424 00:25:37,800 --> 00:25:40,960 Speaker 1: a photo of Fido for the boys in eighteen sixty one, 425 00:25:41,480 --> 00:25:44,840 Speaker 1: why would it have needed the label President Lincoln's Dog. 426 00:25:45,400 --> 00:25:49,359 Speaker 1: You can find the family's photo album today in the 427 00:25:49,400 --> 00:25:55,800 Speaker 1: Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum or apple Blum. That's 428 00:25:55,800 --> 00:26:00,440 Speaker 1: the acronymic. That's a literal mouthful of word salad. Yeah, 429 00:26:00,600 --> 00:26:03,280 Speaker 1: but you can, you know you you can find the 430 00:26:03,320 --> 00:26:08,359 Speaker 1: photo album today and it doesn't have all of the photos. 431 00:26:08,520 --> 00:26:11,560 Speaker 1: About half of them are missing, but the other half 432 00:26:11,720 --> 00:26:17,119 Speaker 1: are in the Lincoln Financial Foundation collection in Fort Wayne, Indiana. 433 00:26:17,240 --> 00:26:21,560 Speaker 1: And so to Cornelius, to Dr Cornelius, all of this 434 00:26:21,680 --> 00:26:25,520 Speaker 1: evidence points to the photo being taken in eighteen sixty. 435 00:26:26,040 --> 00:26:28,000 Speaker 1: I think that's some good detective work there from the 436 00:26:28,040 --> 00:26:32,280 Speaker 1: good doctor. I agree he is the Sherlock Holmes of 437 00:26:32,320 --> 00:26:43,240 Speaker 1: Abraham Lincoln. Uh dog photos, dog photos, Yeah, guys, you 438 00:26:43,320 --> 00:26:46,240 Speaker 1: might be saying, Look, I get it, the dog picture 439 00:26:46,359 --> 00:26:49,399 Speaker 1: was probably made in sixty five, not sixty one. But 440 00:26:49,520 --> 00:26:52,600 Speaker 1: for Pete's sake, for Phido's sake, can't you just let 441 00:26:52,640 --> 00:26:55,800 Speaker 1: me enjoy a cute picture of a doggo? Yeah? I 442 00:26:55,800 --> 00:26:58,919 Speaker 1: mean seriously, it was like one of the original doggo memes. Um. 443 00:26:58,920 --> 00:27:00,719 Speaker 1: But also, you know, we really had spent a lot 444 00:27:00,720 --> 00:27:03,000 Speaker 1: of time talking about those pictures. I'm fascinated by the 445 00:27:03,040 --> 00:27:05,679 Speaker 1: whole the mystery of it. And then when, when, when 446 00:27:05,880 --> 00:27:10,160 Speaker 1: things make their way into official accounts, that that then 447 00:27:10,200 --> 00:27:12,760 Speaker 1: proved to not be the case. But um, this story 448 00:27:12,960 --> 00:27:15,879 Speaker 1: does take an interesting turn, Dare I say, a pretty 449 00:27:15,920 --> 00:27:20,399 Speaker 1: sad turn for old Fido. Yeah, yeah, you're right. So 450 00:27:20,560 --> 00:27:26,200 Speaker 1: obviously it's a national tragedy when Abraham Lincoln is assassinated 451 00:27:26,640 --> 00:27:31,440 Speaker 1: and it turns out the Fido also met an unfortunate end. 452 00:27:31,600 --> 00:27:35,679 Speaker 1: In eighteen sixty six, about a year after Lincoln's assassination, Fido, 453 00:27:35,720 --> 00:27:38,920 Speaker 1: again very much a dog of the people, never met 454 00:27:38,920 --> 00:27:42,000 Speaker 1: a person he didn't like. Fido is walking along mind 455 00:27:42,000 --> 00:27:45,080 Speaker 1: in his own business, and he sniffs across somebody who 456 00:27:45,080 --> 00:27:47,159 Speaker 1: appears to be sleeping on the sidewalk. I thought you 457 00:27:47,200 --> 00:27:50,439 Speaker 1: were gonna say, sniffs a crotch of someone who appeared 458 00:27:50,440 --> 00:27:52,760 Speaker 1: to be sleeping on the side, possibly both. I bet you. 459 00:27:52,800 --> 00:27:54,960 Speaker 1: I bet you if you if a friendly dog met 460 00:27:55,000 --> 00:27:57,359 Speaker 1: you didn't move, the first thing you would do is sniff. 461 00:27:57,520 --> 00:27:59,640 Speaker 1: But he wants to be sure if you're cool. Um, 462 00:27:59,680 --> 00:28:02,080 Speaker 1: but the sky was not cool. As it turns out, 463 00:28:02,119 --> 00:28:05,480 Speaker 1: there's a couple of accounts of this story, um, conflicting accounts. 464 00:28:06,080 --> 00:28:10,199 Speaker 1: We'll go with the most sensationalized, depressing account, which is 465 00:28:10,280 --> 00:28:15,480 Speaker 1: that first? That is, which is that this intoxicated, uh gentleman, 466 00:28:15,520 --> 00:28:20,359 Speaker 1: this roused about this, this kind of delinquent guy woke 467 00:28:20,440 --> 00:28:25,560 Speaker 1: from his drunken stupor and stabbed the dog, you know, 468 00:28:25,880 --> 00:28:29,960 Speaker 1: to death with with a knife in a panic attacked. Yeah, 469 00:28:30,080 --> 00:28:32,040 Speaker 1: well the yeah, and I've even seen that it was 470 00:28:32,119 --> 00:28:34,000 Speaker 1: even written up that it was more malicious that he 471 00:28:34,040 --> 00:28:36,640 Speaker 1: was just like in his drunken rage. Should probably read 472 00:28:36,640 --> 00:28:39,760 Speaker 1: that one. Actually it was a letter that came from 473 00:28:39,840 --> 00:28:45,040 Speaker 1: um the caretaker of the dog. Yes, in nineteen John Rolled, 474 00:28:45,080 --> 00:28:48,880 Speaker 1: the caretaker of Phido, himself, related the following information to 475 00:28:48,960 --> 00:28:51,240 Speaker 1: Time magazine. Okay, so more of an interview than a letter, 476 00:28:51,280 --> 00:28:53,200 Speaker 1: but here we go. Um, I didn't realize this came 477 00:28:53,280 --> 00:28:55,720 Speaker 1: so late in the game. He must have been quite old, 478 00:28:56,320 --> 00:28:58,640 Speaker 1: so you can see how he can get some facts roll. Yeah, so, 479 00:28:58,720 --> 00:29:00,200 Speaker 1: but the way he tells it is a little bit 480 00:29:00,200 --> 00:29:03,600 Speaker 1: more the This is the most malicious account of this 481 00:29:03,600 --> 00:29:06,160 Speaker 1: this guy. Um, he says, quote, we possessed the dog 482 00:29:06,200 --> 00:29:08,560 Speaker 1: for a number of years until one day the dog, 483 00:29:08,600 --> 00:29:11,240 Speaker 1: in a playful manner, put his dirty paws there's dirty 484 00:29:11,280 --> 00:29:14,080 Speaker 1: paws again upon a drunken man sitting on the street 485 00:29:14,160 --> 00:29:17,400 Speaker 1: curbing which I think that means like whittling, and in 486 00:29:17,520 --> 00:29:20,520 Speaker 1: a drunken rage, thrust his knife into the body of 487 00:29:20,560 --> 00:29:23,800 Speaker 1: poor old Fido. So Fido, just a poor yellow dog, 488 00:29:24,000 --> 00:29:29,240 Speaker 1: met the same fate as his illustrious master assassination. So 489 00:29:29,320 --> 00:29:33,040 Speaker 1: that's that's the most sensationalized version. But as as we've 490 00:29:33,120 --> 00:29:37,480 Speaker 1: established earlier, that may not be entirely accurate, and even 491 00:29:37,520 --> 00:29:43,160 Speaker 1: today people disagree on the specifics. We're talking about this guy, right, 492 00:29:43,240 --> 00:29:46,680 Speaker 1: who's who's on the street whittling his pine stick or whatever. 493 00:29:47,360 --> 00:29:51,280 Speaker 1: But we haven't given him a name yet, No, we haven't. 494 00:29:51,320 --> 00:29:53,719 Speaker 1: And that's the thing about the way these kinds of 495 00:29:53,720 --> 00:29:56,760 Speaker 1: stories get passed around. Um, it's really easy to want 496 00:29:56,800 --> 00:30:00,360 Speaker 1: to demonize the man who murdered Abe Lincoln's old yellow 497 00:30:00,760 --> 00:30:04,760 Speaker 1: mongrel dog in the streets in a drunken rage um, 498 00:30:04,800 --> 00:30:08,040 Speaker 1: but a little less cut and dry when you actually 499 00:30:08,240 --> 00:30:10,280 Speaker 1: realize that this so there was a human here with 500 00:30:10,360 --> 00:30:12,560 Speaker 1: the with the story. Another spin on this story that 501 00:30:12,640 --> 00:30:16,840 Speaker 1: you can find comes from a story in the Illinois 502 00:30:16,920 --> 00:30:20,440 Speaker 1: State Journal from eighteen ninety three, and here is a 503 00:30:20,520 --> 00:30:23,560 Speaker 1: quote from that that also gives some pretty pretty sad 504 00:30:23,600 --> 00:30:26,160 Speaker 1: details to the end of old Fido's life, whichever way 505 00:30:26,200 --> 00:30:30,920 Speaker 1: he ultimately went, whether by force or by accident. Quote 506 00:30:31,200 --> 00:30:33,800 Speaker 1: he Fido was exceedingly friendly and had a habit of 507 00:30:33,880 --> 00:30:37,520 Speaker 1: showing his congeniality by depositing his muddy yellow four paws 508 00:30:37,560 --> 00:30:41,560 Speaker 1: plump on the breast of any who addressed him familiarly. Oh, 509 00:30:41,680 --> 00:30:44,160 Speaker 1: and you can't yell at him for his pause. Yeah, 510 00:30:44,160 --> 00:30:47,200 Speaker 1: that's another one of Lincoln's conditions to the royal family. 511 00:30:47,520 --> 00:30:51,200 Speaker 1: M I continue, his excessive friendliness eventually caused his death 512 00:30:51,200 --> 00:30:53,960 Speaker 1: in a very unique way, and that Fido suffered the 513 00:30:53,960 --> 00:30:57,200 Speaker 1: fate of his master assassination. Uh. The dog, which was 514 00:30:57,240 --> 00:31:00,880 Speaker 1: a yellow fellow of moderate size, ran again Charlie Plank, 515 00:31:01,120 --> 00:31:04,680 Speaker 1: who was whittling a stick with a sharp, long bladed knife. 516 00:31:05,120 --> 00:31:08,480 Speaker 1: By an accidental move while the dog was expressing himself 517 00:31:08,520 --> 00:31:11,760 Speaker 1: in caresses, the blade was buried deep in his body. 518 00:31:12,640 --> 00:31:15,160 Speaker 1: He shot out the door like a flash and was 519 00:31:15,240 --> 00:31:19,120 Speaker 1: never seen again alive. Apparently it was a week or 520 00:31:19,160 --> 00:31:24,080 Speaker 1: more before they found his body. Yeah, behind the old 521 00:31:24,160 --> 00:31:28,120 Speaker 1: chimney stack of the Universalist Church there in Springfield. So 522 00:31:28,360 --> 00:31:32,200 Speaker 1: he got stabbed and ran in fear, right, That is 523 00:31:32,240 --> 00:31:34,800 Speaker 1: what animals tend to do when they are mortally wounded. 524 00:31:34,840 --> 00:31:38,400 Speaker 1: This want to go die alone. I think the house 525 00:31:38,480 --> 00:31:42,520 Speaker 1: or something, and I think humans qualifies animals. That part 526 00:31:43,040 --> 00:31:48,240 Speaker 1: Charlie plank story doesn't end with this murder of Fido. 527 00:31:49,200 --> 00:31:53,320 Speaker 1: We know a little bit more about him. He had 528 00:31:53,360 --> 00:31:56,720 Speaker 1: a couple of other encounters with law enforcement after he 529 00:31:56,800 --> 00:31:59,160 Speaker 1: was Oh, we didn't mention it. He was a veteran, Yeah, 530 00:31:59,160 --> 00:32:01,000 Speaker 1: that's right. He was a are in of the Civil War. 531 00:32:01,080 --> 00:32:04,240 Speaker 1: He was a member of Company G of the fourteenth 532 00:32:04,320 --> 00:32:09,880 Speaker 1: Illinois Infantry Regiment, which was considered a pretty illustrious company 533 00:32:09,880 --> 00:32:14,000 Speaker 1: if I'm not mistaken. Yeah, And we know that he 534 00:32:14,080 --> 00:32:17,600 Speaker 1: had been beaten and robbed by two men on North 535 00:32:17,720 --> 00:32:21,640 Speaker 1: Seventh Street in eighteen sixty five. We know he got 536 00:32:21,680 --> 00:32:24,320 Speaker 1: an argument with a guy named Peter Burns in eighteen 537 00:32:24,400 --> 00:32:30,560 Speaker 1: sixty eight, ending the argument by drawing a revolver with 538 00:32:30,680 --> 00:32:34,560 Speaker 1: small shot and shooting Burns in the shoulder. Again, it 539 00:32:34,640 --> 00:32:39,480 Speaker 1: was a different time he also got he He also 540 00:32:40,160 --> 00:32:43,600 Speaker 1: was involved in a court case. Burns was fined at 541 00:32:43,600 --> 00:32:46,640 Speaker 1: the sum of three dollars quote for using language to 542 00:32:46,760 --> 00:32:50,360 Speaker 1: Charles Plank calculated to provoke a breach of the piece 543 00:32:50,560 --> 00:32:54,840 Speaker 1: language you say fighting words said you was strol, you 544 00:32:55,080 --> 00:32:58,520 Speaker 1: dunderhead castrol is that like a wascally wabbit. It's a 545 00:32:58,560 --> 00:33:01,280 Speaker 1: wasteful or good for nothing in person as that must 546 00:33:01,280 --> 00:33:05,160 Speaker 1: have fallen out of out of popularity that one. Uh 547 00:33:05,360 --> 00:33:09,560 Speaker 1: so we we know what roughly happened to Plank. He 548 00:33:09,600 --> 00:33:13,320 Speaker 1: had his up seat, his downs, He had been in 549 00:33:13,400 --> 00:33:18,640 Speaker 1: some legal altercations. Uh. He moved to Michigan, eventually worked 550 00:33:18,680 --> 00:33:22,480 Speaker 1: as a clerk and expressman, and passed away in March 551 00:33:22,600 --> 00:33:27,840 Speaker 1: of nineteen seventeen. He is buried on the grounds of 552 00:33:27,880 --> 00:33:31,680 Speaker 1: the Grand Rapids Veteran Home. Now this this sounds like 553 00:33:31,760 --> 00:33:34,880 Speaker 1: it's all ending on a downer, but this is that's 554 00:33:34,920 --> 00:33:39,240 Speaker 1: not the case because when we look at Phido, you 555 00:33:39,280 --> 00:33:42,920 Speaker 1: know it reminds me of It reminds me of how Max, 556 00:33:43,000 --> 00:33:47,719 Speaker 1: the guerrilla in South Africa grabbed such attention and really 557 00:33:47,760 --> 00:33:52,880 Speaker 1: locked into the zeitgeist. The photography is a relatively new medium. 558 00:33:53,000 --> 00:33:57,920 Speaker 1: People love animals. There's a picture of an animal that 559 00:33:58,080 --> 00:34:01,880 Speaker 1: is published and syndicated papers across the nation. People are 560 00:34:01,920 --> 00:34:06,680 Speaker 1: against stabbing animals, thank God, generally speaking. That's part of 561 00:34:06,680 --> 00:34:08,560 Speaker 1: the story. I didn't know though. I knew about Fido, 562 00:34:08,680 --> 00:34:12,160 Speaker 1: and I knew he was Abe Lincoln's old yellow mongrel 563 00:34:12,440 --> 00:34:16,360 Speaker 1: um best friend for life. Um, I didn't know that 564 00:34:16,360 --> 00:34:18,520 Speaker 1: that kind of more melancholy part of the story. So 565 00:34:18,640 --> 00:34:21,719 Speaker 1: it's interesting. Um. But yeah, and to this day, I mean, 566 00:34:21,760 --> 00:34:25,840 Speaker 1: like you said, Fido equals dog, like Xerox equals you know, 567 00:34:26,080 --> 00:34:30,560 Speaker 1: photocopy right right right? Or Google equals Internet search you 568 00:34:30,600 --> 00:34:33,680 Speaker 1: mean web crawler when you talking about Google. What are 569 00:34:33,680 --> 00:34:39,360 Speaker 1: the other ones? There's Prodigy? Uh like yeah, and uh, 570 00:34:39,400 --> 00:34:42,560 Speaker 1: you know lactose and that's a different that's the different 571 00:34:42,560 --> 00:34:44,680 Speaker 1: thing entirely. You might still have your A O, L, C. 572 00:34:44,880 --> 00:34:47,319 Speaker 1: D S friends and neighbors. I keep a stack of 573 00:34:47,360 --> 00:34:49,480 Speaker 1: them to use as coasters and just to hand out 574 00:34:49,480 --> 00:34:51,720 Speaker 1: to people as party gifts when they come by the house. 575 00:34:52,320 --> 00:34:55,000 Speaker 1: I always love to frisbee the huh me and my 576 00:34:55,080 --> 00:34:57,920 Speaker 1: old dog would uh would frisbee those things? Oh, man, 577 00:34:58,080 --> 00:35:02,080 Speaker 1: tell us about your old dog. It's too soon, man, really, yeah, 578 00:35:03,600 --> 00:35:06,680 Speaker 1: pet a beloved pet very much. So I love pets 579 00:35:06,760 --> 00:35:11,279 Speaker 1: and we hope you do too. Yes, Fido became the 580 00:35:11,320 --> 00:35:14,520 Speaker 1: world's most famous dog for a time because they of 581 00:35:14,560 --> 00:35:17,279 Speaker 1: a more famous one, because mass media was going out. 582 00:35:17,680 --> 00:35:21,400 Speaker 1: Let's see, there's that one that shot into space, right, No, 583 00:35:21,600 --> 00:35:26,280 Speaker 1: the Russian dog, and then there were um, I can't remember, 584 00:35:26,440 --> 00:35:28,319 Speaker 1: we can find it. His name is on record, and 585 00:35:28,480 --> 00:35:31,680 Speaker 1: we should do a thing on animals in space. But spoiler, 586 00:35:31,760 --> 00:35:35,560 Speaker 1: there are a couple of doubters, and that one, especially 587 00:35:35,560 --> 00:35:38,560 Speaker 1: if you're again like you should be against animal cruelty, 588 00:35:38,920 --> 00:35:42,800 Speaker 1: right right. And so, although Fido's life ended too soon, 589 00:35:43,080 --> 00:35:47,240 Speaker 1: he remains immortal as a symbol v symbol, at least 590 00:35:47,280 --> 00:35:52,600 Speaker 1: in American English, for all things cannot. He is the 591 00:35:52,680 --> 00:35:55,760 Speaker 1: quintessential I believe we used the word earlier, the quintessential 592 00:35:56,080 --> 00:36:01,759 Speaker 1: image of a faithful, friendly dog, a good boy, a 593 00:36:01,840 --> 00:36:05,319 Speaker 1: good boy with bo y e. It comes that good 594 00:36:05,360 --> 00:36:11,000 Speaker 1: boy a snap? What up? Look at it for yourself. Uh. So, 595 00:36:11,200 --> 00:36:15,080 Speaker 1: here ends our story of the rise and fall and 596 00:36:15,160 --> 00:36:20,040 Speaker 1: immortal fame of the most famous presidential dog, the frisky 597 00:36:20,160 --> 00:36:24,239 Speaker 1: yellow Fido. But the story doesn't stop there, and it 598 00:36:24,280 --> 00:36:27,560 Speaker 1: doesn't stop with Fido. If you haven't checked it out yet, 599 00:36:27,680 --> 00:36:32,040 Speaker 1: do check out our community page Ridiculous Historians, where I 600 00:36:32,080 --> 00:36:35,239 Speaker 1: believe Noel. Was it you or was it one of 601 00:36:35,239 --> 00:36:39,279 Speaker 1: our fellow listeners who started that awesome threat about Pat 602 00:36:39,360 --> 00:36:41,920 Speaker 1: there's a cat threat. I think it's specifically about cats, 603 00:36:42,200 --> 00:36:45,200 Speaker 1: and um, yeah, I posted a picture of my my 604 00:36:45,320 --> 00:36:50,279 Speaker 1: good boy, bad boy Robert Fernando. Um, because he's you know, 605 00:36:50,400 --> 00:36:51,840 Speaker 1: like I said at the top of the show, always 606 00:36:51,840 --> 00:36:58,000 Speaker 1: bringing creepy little uh tribute dismembered tributes. Not not a fan. 607 00:36:58,360 --> 00:37:01,520 Speaker 1: He might be trying to teach you to hunt. Yeah, 608 00:37:01,560 --> 00:37:05,360 Speaker 1: but uh but do let us know about the dogs 609 00:37:05,520 --> 00:37:09,400 Speaker 1: in your life. Send Casey and Nolan I some pictures, 610 00:37:09,400 --> 00:37:12,000 Speaker 1: find us some Ridiculous Historians. You can also find us 611 00:37:12,000 --> 00:37:17,480 Speaker 1: on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, where we are Ridiculous History 612 00:37:17,560 --> 00:37:20,480 Speaker 1: or some variation thereof. It's true and as always, thank 613 00:37:20,520 --> 00:37:24,160 Speaker 1: you to our super producer Casey Pegram are super researcher 614 00:37:24,360 --> 00:37:29,200 Speaker 1: Christopher Hastiotes and Alex Williams, who composed our banging theme 615 00:37:29,560 --> 00:37:33,319 Speaker 1: and uh super special thank you to our returning contributor 616 00:37:33,520 --> 00:37:36,719 Speaker 1: Lori L. Dove. We worked on a sound cue for you, Lori. 617 00:37:36,960 --> 00:37:44,520 Speaker 1: Here we go like that, and please don't forget to 618 00:37:44,560 --> 00:37:47,240 Speaker 1: join us next time when we talk about historical mooning. 619 00:37:47,880 --> 00:37:56,399 Speaker 1: We're so proud of it. Yes, yeah,