MARY TODD LINCOLN came from a wealthy family in Lexington, Kentucky. Her father was a banker, many of her relatives were politicians, and slaves took care of her household. In 1839, she moved to Springfield, Illinois, where she met Abraham Lincoln. He was nearly her polar opposite, yet the two got engaged in 1840. They got cold feet just before the planned wedding; then, a year and a half later, they changed their minds and went through with the marriage. Mary was smart and high-spirited, but her life was often marked by tragedy. In 1875, while on a trip to Florida, Mary became convinced that her son Robert was dying. She rushed home to Chicago and was shocked to find Robert perfectly healthy. Robert ended up committing her to an asylum. Mary was released after three months, but she held a grudge against Robert for the rest of her life. She died in 1882.