One of the first ghost stories I ever read was about Abraham Lincoln’s spirit knocking on a White House bedroom door at midnight. Though I’ve forgotten the book’s title, I never forgot the eerie image it left behind. Lincoln’s ghost is one of the most famous White House hauntings, often the first story people come across when searching for its spectral past. But he’s not the only lingering spirit tied to the Executive Mansion. So, I’m diving into the haunted history of the White House, starting with the Lincoln family.
And if the rumors are true, Lincoln’s presence is still felt in the White House today….
The Death of William Wallace Lincoln
The middle child of President and Mrs. Lincoln, Willie Lincoln was said to be a very friendly and happy child; he was also the son with whom Lincoln was closest to. Willie and his younger brother Tad both became ill in early February 1862 with what is believed to have been Typhoid Fever. 1Family: William Wallace LincolnHe lay very ill, in the Lincoln Bed, in what was an upstairs guest room of the White House. This room is now called the Private Dining Room.
On February 20th, 1862 he passed away, throwing the Lincoln’s (especially Mrs. Lincoln) into an inconsolable grief. The picture below, taken in 1908, is the room Willie Lincoln died in, which at that time was the McKinley bedroom. 2Family Residence Dining Room
A Funeral in the White House
When Willie Lincoln’s body was laid out in the Green Room, visitors noted how peaceful he looked, dressed in a black jacket and pants, white stockings, and low shoes. His white collar and wristbands were neatly turned over his dark jacket. Though death had left its mark, his expression remained calm, as if merely asleep. The Green Room was Mrs. Lincoln’s favorite room up until this point. In 1861 she went to great lengths redecorating it and was very proud of the purple drapes.3Green Room History
Grief and Mourning in the White House
The White House was draped in mourning. Black cloth covered the mirrors in the East Room and reception areas, a common practice meant to prevent the deceased’s spirit from becoming trapped. Willie’s body remained in the Green Room for the entire funeral service, as the family could not bear to move him. Mrs. Lincoln came to view her son’s body only once. She laid a piece of laurel on his chest and then quickly left the room. She never set foot in the room again and did not attend his funeral. But if White House lore is to be believed, Willie Lincoln never truly left the Executive Mansion. His presence has been felt by those who followed—from grieving family members to startled presidents and their staff.
At 2pm on February 24th, 1862 in the East Room, the Rev. Dr. Gurley led the funeral service as government officials, military officials, and foreign dignitaries gathered to pay their respects. The weight of grief in the White House was palpable. Though his father, President Lincoln, was known for his composure, those close to him would later recall that Willie’s death had shaken him to his core. After the service, the small casket was carried to Oak Hill Cemetery in Georgetown where Willie was laid to rest. Mrs. Lincoln remained at the White House, in bed.
Seances In The White House
Grief-stricken and desperate for connection, Mary Todd Lincoln turned to the growing spiritualist movement. She attended séances across Washington, hoping to reach her lost son. But at least once, she didn’t have to leave home—she hosted a séance inside the White House, with President Lincoln himself in attendance. They referred to the seances as “calls to the dead” and Mrs. Lincoln’s favorite medium was Cranston Laurie. 4First Ladies & The Occult Shortly after she attended these seances she began to talk of both of her dead sons (Willie, and a son Eddy who died years before). She told friends that Willie would come and stand at the foot of her bed in the middle of the night.
Ghostly Sightings of Willie Lincoln
The first published mention of the White House being haunted that I could find comes from The Washington Critic on April 22nd, 1883 and is titled “Is The White House Haunted?”. However we’ll get to that article in a future post because it does not involve a Lincoln ghost.
Grant Administration – 1869 – 1877
Ulysses S. Grant was in the White House from 1869 until 1877. In the 1870’s, a member of Ulysses S. Grant’s staff reported he had a conversation with the ghost of Willie Lincoln. Members of the Grant Administration also said that his ghost was spotted throughout the White House from time to time. I found a couple of vague newspaper articles that all mentioned the same thing. However, no one was ever quoted by name.
Taft Administration – 1909 – 1913
The first direct Willie Lincoln ghost mention comes from someone pretty well connected to the White House in his day, Major Archibald Willingham Butt. What a name huh? Major Butt, a trusted military aide to Presidents Roosevelt and Taft, took White House ghost stories seriously. But his own time in history was cut short—he perished aboard the Titanic in 1912.
In July 1911 he wrote a letter to his sister stating “It seems that the White House is haunted.” He went on to detail an event where he overheard a few of the servants talking about some ghostly activity. Maj. Butt relayed the gossip to President Taft who “went into a towering rage”. Taft threatened the staff saying the next person to talk about ghosts again would be summarily fired.
Noting the President’s reaction, he waited for him to calm down before asking about the ghost stories. A short while later Major Butts and President Taft talked about the servants being upset over the ghostly activity. The President said the ghost was felt more than seen, and staff believed it was Willie Lincoln’s spirit.
They told him that more than one person has felt a hand placed on their shoulder when they’re alone working in the White House. They said it felt as if someone was trying to look over their shoulder to see what they were doing. 5The Brooklyn Daily Eagle · Thu, Sep 4, 1930, · Page 6
Eisenhower Administration 1953 – 1961
During an event at the White House in the 1950’s, the young daughter of a Belgian Ambassador was seen playing peek-a-boo with an unseen playmate. When her parents asked what she was doing, she explained she was playing with a boy. She described him in detail but no one else had seen any other children. At the Smithsonian, she pointed to a boy’s picture, saying he was her White House playmate. It was a picture of Willie Lincoln. 6Arizona Republic 31 Oct 1978, Tue • [First Edition] • Page 20 Had she been interacting with the ghost of Willie Lincoln?
Johnson Administration 1963 – 1969
The last reported sighting of Willie Lincoln took place during the John Administration. Lyndon Johnson’s daughter, Lynda Robb was staying in the room in which he died. Not only did she report seeing his ghost, but she also spoke to him. I would love to know the details of this encounter, but that brief mention is all that I could find. 7Ghosts of Presidents Past
I reached out to Lynda Robb, hoping she’d share her story. To my surprise, she called just days after receiving my letter. She said that upon moving into the White House, which she considered a great honor, she eagerly researched its past residents.
So she began to ask around and no one really could give her answers prior to the Eisenhower Administration. That wasn’t good enough for her! So she began to research and found all the macabre history of her room. She said her research over the years was misinterpreted as seeing and speaking with Willie Lincoln.
“Unfortunately,” She said “I never saw or spoke with Willie Lincoln. I wish I had a better story to tell you!”
So there you have it! Reports of ghostly activity at the White House seems to have dwindled since massive reconstruction was done in the 1950’s. The ghosts may have calmed down over time, or perhaps people now ignore the strange things they notice. Maybe Willie Lincoln’s ghost still wanders the Executive Mansion, but his story no longer escapes those historic walls.
The most famous White House ghost is next, the one who walked its halls in life and, some say, never left. Could Abraham Lincoln himself still be watching over the Executive Mansion?
