Popular Research Topic
The Lincoln Chair
What is the significance of the Lincoln Chair?
President Abraham Lincoln was sitting in this rocking chair during a production of the play Our American Cousin at Ford's Theatre in Washington, DC, when he was assassinated on April 14, 1865.
Who was the original manufacturer of the Lincoln Chair?
The rocking chair was part of a larger parlor set purchased by Harry Ford (no relation to Henry Ford), manager of Ford’s Theatre when the Theatre opened in 1863. The parlor set was used in a lounge area of the Theater. We do not know who originally manufactured the Lincoln Chair.
Why was President Lincoln seated in a rocking chair, as opposed to a regular chair? Was this common at the time, or was it a special request by President Lincoln?
The chair was usually placed in a lounge in Ford’s Theatre, and it was offered to President Lincoln when he first started frequenting the Theatre in 1863. He found the rocker comfortable, and whenever he attended a play, it was specially brought out for him.
Ford's Theatre Presidential Box the Morning after Lincoln was Shot, April 15, 1865/THF121254
How many of that style of chair were made, and how many may still be around?
The rocking chair is known, not ironically, as a “Lincoln Rocker.” Thousands of these were mass produced, beginning in the 1850s and continuing into the 1870s. The Henry Ford owns several more of these rockers used by the Lincoln family at their home in Springfield, Illinois. Many of this type of rocker are still around.
Was the Lincoln Chair in police evidence storage for a while?
Following Abraham Lincoln’s assassination, the Lincoln Chair was seized as evidence by the federal government and remained in Secretary of War Edwin Stanton’s office for at least two years. Our best period images of the chair come from its time in Stanton’s office. In 1867, it was transferred to the Department of the Interior, where it remained in storage. It was catalogued into the Smithsonian Institution’s collection in 1902.
How did The Henry Ford acquire the Lincoln Chair?
The Henry Ford acquired the Lincoln Chair through an auction in 1929. Blanche Chapman Ford, the widow of Ford’s Theatre manager Harry Ford, appealed to the federal government to return her husband’s property, seized at the end of the Civil War. She used a precedent set in 1913, when the heirs of Jefferson Davis sued the federal government for return of his property. Once Blanche Ford took possession of the chair in 1929, she put it up for auction. It was purchased by famed antiques dealer Israel Sack, who immediately offered it to Henry Ford. Henry Ford bought the chair and installed it in the Logan County Courthouse in Greenfield Village. He even filmed the move, unpacking, and installation.
Logan County Courthouse in March 1935, Showing the Abraham Lincoln Chair Then on Exhibit in Greenfield Village / THF121377
When was the Lincoln Chair first preserved in the glass case in Logan County Courthouse?
Photographic evidence tells us that the Lincoln Chair was always preserved in a glass case in the Logan County Courthouse, from its arrival in 1930 to its move to Henry Ford Museum 50 years later.
Why was the Lincoln Chair moved from the Logan County Courthouse?
The Lincoln Chair was always intended by Henry Ford to be displayed in Greenfield Village in the Logan County Courthouse, where Lincoln practiced law as a circuit rider in the 1840s. It was moved into Henry Ford Museum in 1979 as part of the 50th anniversary celebration of The Henry Ford. The Lincoln Chair is now a permanent and integral part of the With Liberty and Justice for All exhibition in Henry Ford Museum, which examines the history of American democracy.
Has the Lincoln Chair ever returned to Ford’s Theatre for special occasions?
No. The Lincoln Chair is on permanent display in With Liberty and Justice for All in Henry Ford Museum.
Watch The Henry Ford’s Curator of Decorative Arts Charles Sable and Chief Conservator Mary Fahey answer some frequently asked questions about the Lincoln Chair.
What are the stains on the Lincoln Chair?
Before the Lincoln Chair was conserved in 1996, small samples were analyzed. Most of the stains on the headrest were determined to be hair oil.
Is there blood on the Lincoln Chair?
Samples from the Lincoln Chair were analyzed prior to our 1996 conservation work. The preliminary presumptive test for blood using the chemical benzidine gave a positive result for two locations on the chair—one on the back, and the other on the front of the seat. More conclusive testing, such as DNA testing, would have required us to have a second known sample of DNA from the president or one of his decedents.
Why is the Lincoln Chair in this condition? And why wasn't it reupholstered?
The fabric on the Lincoln Chair is the same fabric that was on the chair on the evening of President Lincoln’s assassination. As a museum, it is our responsibility to preserve as much original material as possible, including fragile fibers and stains. This is particularly important if the artifact is linked to a significant historical event—as this one is.
How do you keep the fabric on the Lincoln Chair stable?
In 1996, the upholstery on the Lincoln Chair was cleaned to remove dust; the springs in the seat cushion were secured from below to reduce stress on the fragile upholstery; and the upholstery was covered with a custom-dyed sheer fabric to hold the fragile upholstery in place. The sheer fabric also provides some protection from light exposure.
Related Content
Artifacts Related to The Lincoln Chair
Rocking Chair Used by Abraham Lincoln at Ford's Theater the Night of His Assassination, April 14, 1865
Details
Rocking Chair Used by Abraham Lincoln at Ford's Theater the Night of His Assassination, April 14, 1865
Artifact
Rocking chair
Date Made
1855-1865
Summary
President Abraham Lincoln was sitting in this rocking chair during a production of Our American Cousin at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C., when he was assassinated on April 14, 1865. Henry Ford purchased the chair in 1929 for the Museum, where it remains one of the most revered objects associated with the "man who saved the Union."
Place of Creation
Keywords
United States, District of Columbia, Washington
Rathbone, Henry Reed, 1837-1911
Object ID
29.1451.1
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford.
Get more details in Digital Collections at:
Rocking Chair Used by Abraham Lincoln at Ford's Theater the Night of His Assassination, April 14, 1865
What is The Henry Ford?
The national attraction for discovering your ingenuity while exploring America’s spirit of innovation. There is always much to see and do at The Henry Ford.
The Abraham Lincoln Chair Still in Crate after Shipment to Greenfield Village, January 1930
Artifact
Photographic print
Date Made
06 January 1930
Summary
Henry Ford identified with self-made men who came from humble origins -- traits personified by Abraham Lincoln. In the late 1920s Ford began to acquire significant Lincoln-related artifacts including the chair in which President Lincoln had been sitting when he was shot. Ford clearly understood the chair's importance -- this rocker became a symbol of Lincoln's vision and personal sacrifice. Ford had the chair's arrival and unpacking filmed and photographed.
Object ID
64.167.188.P.1610
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of Ford Motor Company.
Location
By Request in the Benson Ford Research Center
Related Objects
Get more details in Digital Collections at:
The Abraham Lincoln Chair Still in Crate after Shipment to Greenfield Village, January 1930
What is The Henry Ford?
The national attraction for discovering your ingenuity while exploring America’s spirit of innovation. There is always much to see and do at The Henry Ford.
Interior of Logan County Courthouse in Greenfield Village, March 1935
Artifact
Photographic print
Date Made
25 March 1935
Summary
Henry Ford admired President Lincoln's humble, down-to-earth character and his embodiment of the ideals of the "self-made man." Ford collected many Lincoln-related artifacts, including the Logan County, Illinois, courthouse in which Lincoln had first practiced law and the chair in which Lincoln was assassinated. He housed his Lincoln collection inside the courthouse when it was re-erected in Greenfield Village.
Keywords
United States, Michigan, Dearborn
Relocated buildings and structures
Object ID
EI.1929.876
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford.
On Exhibit
Not on exhibit to the public.
Related Objects
Get more details in Digital Collections at:
Interior of Logan County Courthouse in Greenfield Village, March 1935
What is The Henry Ford?
The national attraction for discovering your ingenuity while exploring America’s spirit of innovation. There is always much to see and do at The Henry Ford.
"Mrs. Ford to Auction Famous Lincoln Chair," Newspaper Article from November 16, 1929
Artifact
Negative (Photograph)
Object ID
N.B.39331
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford.
Location
By Request in the Benson Ford Research Center
Related Objects
Get more details in Digital Collections at:
"Mrs. Ford to Auction Famous Lincoln Chair," Newspaper Article from November 16, 1929
What is The Henry Ford?
The national attraction for discovering your ingenuity while exploring America’s spirit of innovation. There is always much to see and do at The Henry Ford.
The Abraham Lincoln Chair after Shipment to Greenfield Village, January 1930
Artifact
Photographic print
Date Made
06 January 1930
Summary
Henry Ford identified with self-made men who came from humble origins -- traits personified by Abraham Lincoln. In the late 1920s Ford began to acquire significant Lincoln-related artifacts including the chair in which President Lincoln had been sitting when he was shot. Ford clearly understood the chair's importance -- this rocker became a symbol of Lincoln's vision and personal sacrifice. Ford had the chair's arrival and unpacking filmed and photographed.
Object ID
64.167.188.P.1612
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of Ford Motor Company.
Location
By Request in the Benson Ford Research Center
Related Objects
Get more details in Digital Collections at:
The Abraham Lincoln Chair after Shipment to Greenfield Village, January 1930
What is The Henry Ford?
The national attraction for discovering your ingenuity while exploring America’s spirit of innovation. There is always much to see and do at The Henry Ford.
The Abraham Lincoln Chair Arriving in Greenfield Village, January 1930
Artifact
Photographic print
Date Made
06 January 1930
Summary
Henry Ford identified with self-made men who came from humble origins -- traits personified by Abraham Lincoln. In the late 1920s Ford began to acquire significant Lincoln-related artifacts including the chair in which President Lincoln had been sitting when he was shot. Ford clearly understood the chair's importance -- this rocker became a symbol of Lincoln's vision and personal sacrifice. Ford had the chair's arrival and unpacking filmed and photographed.
Keywords
Object ID
64.167.188.P.1608
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of Ford Motor Company.
Location
By Request in the Benson Ford Research Center
Related Objects
Get more details in Digital Collections at:
The Abraham Lincoln Chair Arriving in Greenfield Village, January 1930
What is The Henry Ford?
The national attraction for discovering your ingenuity while exploring America’s spirit of innovation. There is always much to see and do at The Henry Ford.
The Abraham Lincoln Chair Still in Crate after Shipment to Greenfield Village, January 1930
Artifact
Photographic print
Date Made
06 January 1930
Summary
Henry Ford identified with self-made men who came from humble origins -- traits personified by Abraham Lincoln. In the late 1920s Ford began to acquire significant Lincoln-related artifacts including the chair in which President Lincoln had been sitting when he was shot. Ford clearly understood the chair's importance -- this rocker became a symbol of Lincoln's vision and personal sacrifice. Ford had the chair's arrival and unpacking filmed and photographed.
Object ID
64.167.188.P.1609
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of Ford Motor Company.
Location
By Request in the Benson Ford Research Center
Related Objects
Get more details in Digital Collections at:
The Abraham Lincoln Chair Still in Crate after Shipment to Greenfield Village, January 1930
What is The Henry Ford?
The national attraction for discovering your ingenuity while exploring America’s spirit of innovation. There is always much to see and do at The Henry Ford.
The Abraham Lincoln Chair as Photographed in April 1865, "The Chair Lincoln Sat in When He Was Shot"
Details
The Abraham Lincoln Chair as Photographed in April 1865, "The Chair Lincoln Sat in When He Was Shot"
Artifact
Stereograph
Date Made
1885-1892
Creators
Place of Creation
Object ID
67.171.1
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford.
Location
By Request in the Benson Ford Research Center
Related Objects
Get more details in Digital Collections at:
The Abraham Lincoln Chair as Photographed in April 1865, "The Chair Lincoln Sat in When He Was Shot"
What is The Henry Ford?
The national attraction for discovering your ingenuity while exploring America’s spirit of innovation. There is always much to see and do at The Henry Ford.
"The Chair that President Lincoln Occupied at the Time of His Assassination," 1865-1866
Artifact
Stereograph
Summary
President Abraham Lincoln happened to be sitting in this rocking chair when he was mortally wounded at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C., on the evening of April 14, 1865. Mathew B. Brady made the photograph for his Brady's National Portrait Gallery. At a time before television and internet news, this stereograph view helped people visualize events surrounding President Lincoln's death.
Object ID
79.26.1
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford.
Location
By Request in the Benson Ford Research Center
Related Objects
Get more details in Digital Collections at:
"The Chair that President Lincoln Occupied at the Time of His Assassination," 1865-1866
What is The Henry Ford?
The national attraction for discovering your ingenuity while exploring America’s spirit of innovation. There is always much to see and do at The Henry Ford.
The Abraham Lincoln Chair Being Uncrated after Shipment to Greenfield Village, January 1930
Artifact
Photographic print
Summary
President Abraham Lincoln was sitting in this rocking chair during a production of Our American Cousin at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C., when he was assassinated on April 14, 1865. Henry Ford purchased the chair in 1929 for the Museum, where it remains one of the most revered objects associated with the "man who saved the Union."
Place of Creation
Object ID
64.167.188.P.1611
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of Ford Motor Company.
Location
Not on exhibit to the public.
Related Objects
Get more details in Digital Collections at:
The Abraham Lincoln Chair Being Uncrated after Shipment to Greenfield Village, January 1930
What is The Henry Ford?
The national attraction for discovering your ingenuity while exploring America’s spirit of innovation. There is always much to see and do at The Henry Ford.
Abraham Lincoln Chair Still in Shipping Crate after Arrival in Greenfield Village, January 1930
Details
Abraham Lincoln Chair Still in Shipping Crate after Arrival in Greenfield Village, January 1930
Artifact
Photographic print
Date Made
06 January 1930
Summary
Henry Ford identified with self-made men who came from humble origins -- traits personified by Abraham Lincoln. In the late 1920s Ford began to acquire significant Lincoln-related artifacts including the chair in which President Lincoln had been sitting when he was shot. Ford clearly understood the chair's importance -- this rocker became a symbol of Lincoln's vision and personal sacrifice. Ford had the chair's arrival and unpacking filmed and photographed.
Object ID
64.167.188.P.1614
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of Ford Motor Company.
Location
By Request in the Benson Ford Research Center
Related Objects
Get more details in Digital Collections at:
Abraham Lincoln Chair Still in Shipping Crate after Arrival in Greenfield Village, January 1930
What is The Henry Ford?
The national attraction for discovering your ingenuity while exploring America’s spirit of innovation. There is always much to see and do at The Henry Ford.
Logan County Courthouse
Artifact
Courthouse
Date Made
1840
Summary
Between 1840 and 1847, Abraham Lincoln tried cases here as a traveling lawyer. Visiting once or twice a year, he worked mostly on cases resolving neighbors' disagreements over land, contracts, and debts. As Lincoln traveled, people got to know him because he always took time to talk to them. This helped him earn votes later when he went into politics.
Place of Creation
Object ID
29.3046.1
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford.
Get more details in Digital Collections at:
Logan County Courthouse
What is The Henry Ford?
The national attraction for discovering your ingenuity while exploring America’s spirit of innovation. There is always much to see and do at The Henry Ford.
New York Evening Post Article from June 18, 1929, "Lincoln Box Chair Goes to Mrs. Ford"
Artifact
Negative (Photograph)
Object ID
N.B.39330
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford.
Location
By Request in the Benson Ford Research Center
Related Objects
Get more details in Digital Collections at:
New York Evening Post Article from June 18, 1929, "Lincoln Box Chair Goes to Mrs. Ford"
What is The Henry Ford?
The national attraction for discovering your ingenuity while exploring America’s spirit of innovation. There is always much to see and do at The Henry Ford.
Ford's Theatre Presidential Box the Morning after Lincoln was Shot, April 15, 1865
Artifact
Negative (Photograph)
Date Made
08 December 1960
Object ID
N.B.27108
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford.
Location
By Request in the Benson Ford Research Center
Get more details in Digital Collections at:
Ford's Theatre Presidential Box the Morning after Lincoln was Shot, April 15, 1865
What is The Henry Ford?
The national attraction for discovering your ingenuity while exploring America’s spirit of innovation. There is always much to see and do at The Henry Ford.
