Presidential Pet. Given the Latin name meaning 'faithful', the floppy-eared dog with yellowish fur was a constant companion to Abraham Lincoln at the time he lived in Springfield, Illinois. He would accompany Mr. Lincoln on his errands and he had the run of the house. A little on the spoiled side, he often claimed the horsehair sofa as his place to sleep. When Mr. Lincoln was elected President, there was a celebration with clanging church bells, loud cannons and exploding fireworks. The noise from the crowd along with the bells, cannons and fireworks terrified the dog so badly that he ran and hid. Mr. Lincoln felt he would not survive the long train ride to Washington, D.C. With a heavy heart he chose to leave him behind with his neighbors, the John Roll family. To make the transaction a little easier, he gave the family the horsehair sofa so the dog would have something familiar in his new surroundings. Before leaving for Washington, they took him to F.W. Ingmire's studio and had his picture taken thus making him the first Presidential dog ever photographed. When President Lincoln was assassinated John Roll brought the dog to greet mourners at the Lincoln family home in Springfield. Less than a year later, the dog was murdered. An entry found in John Roll's journal stated, "One day the dog, in a playful manner, put his dirty paws upon a drunken man sitting on the street curbing who in his drunken rage; thrust a knife into the body of poor old Fido. He was buried by loving hands. So Fido, just a poor yellow dog met the fate of his illustrious master – Assassination."
Presidential Pet. Given the Latin name meaning 'faithful', the floppy-eared dog with yellowish fur was a constant companion to Abraham Lincoln at the time he lived in Springfield, Illinois. He would accompany Mr. Lincoln on his errands and he had the run of the house. A little on the spoiled side, he often claimed the horsehair sofa as his place to sleep. When Mr. Lincoln was elected President, there was a celebration with clanging church bells, loud cannons and exploding fireworks. The noise from the crowd along with the bells, cannons and fireworks terrified the dog so badly that he ran and hid. Mr. Lincoln felt he would not survive the long train ride to Washington, D.C. With a heavy heart he chose to leave him behind with his neighbors, the John Roll family. To make the transaction a little easier, he gave the family the horsehair sofa so the dog would have something familiar in his new surroundings. Before leaving for Washington, they took him to F.W. Ingmire's studio and had his picture taken thus making him the first Presidential dog ever photographed. When President Lincoln was assassinated John Roll brought the dog to greet mourners at the Lincoln family home in Springfield. Less than a year later, the dog was murdered. An entry found in John Roll's journal stated, "One day the dog, in a playful manner, put his dirty paws upon a drunken man sitting on the street curbing who in his drunken rage; thrust a knife into the body of poor old Fido. He was buried by loving hands. So Fido, just a poor yellow dog met the fate of his illustrious master – Assassination."
Bio by: Whispers From The Grave
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