Thomas T. Eckert

Born	1825 St. Clairsville, Ohio
Died	1910
Known for	In charge of military telegraph headquarters in Washington D.C. during Civil War

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• Tom

Biographical Sketches

In local history books, Thomas T. Eckert is often remembered for two attributes. First, he was the man who brought the telegraph to Wooster, Ohio in 1849. Second, his sister married one of the Baumgardner brothers who built the Arcadome downtown. Both interesting facts, but probably not warranting a place in the annals of American history.

However, Tom Eckert does have a prominent place in American history because of his close working relationship with our 16th President, Abraham Lincoln. Born in St. Clairsville, Ohio in 1825, Eckert moved to Wooster with his family at a young age. While just a teenager, Eckert developed a fascination with the new technology of telegraphy, and was said to be a voracious reader of anything related to the telegraph system. Eventually, he traveled out of state for a more formal education in the telegraph.

In 1849, Eckert was appointed Wooster's postmaster. As he had learned telegraphy, his office was wired on the northeast corner of the Wooster's downtown square. Eckert's unique skills quickly made him a valued commodity, and he left the postmaster’s position in 1852 to supervise construction of the telegraph line between Pittsburgh and Chicago, which later fell under the control of the Western Union Telegraph Company.

At the outset of the Civil War, Eckert, like so many other men, joined the Union cause. Eckert would never witness a battle, however, as due to his skills General McClellan drafted Eckert to take charge of his military telegraph office. In 1862, he was called to Washington by the new Secretary of War, Edwin M. Stanton, to take charge of the military telegraph headquarters in the War Department buildings next to the White House. Literally, no telegraph went into the War Department or White House without Eckert being the first to receive the news.

This privilege alone makes Eckert an interesting historical figure (Eckert was certainly the first man to read of the Federal victories at Gettysburg and Vicksburg) but it was the company he kept that made him even more fascinating. As most are aware, Abraham Lincoln suffered many restless days and nights anguishing over the lives lost in the War. As such, he was a constant fixture in Eckert's office, always wanting to know the latest news from the front. The men literally spent hours each day together. Lincoln was such a regular, in fact, that the Emancipation Proclamation was penned in June 1862 on Thomas Eckert's desk, using Eckert's pens and brass inkwell to compose his thoughts! Eckert's inkwell is today in the Smithsonian's collection.

Eckert's name and relationship with Lincoln, however, is most strongly connected with that dark April day in 1865, when Lincoln was assassinated. Before leaving for Ford's Theater, Lincoln was aware he needed an escort and requested from Secretary Stanton that Major Eckert accompany him. Lincoln said, "I have seen Eckert break five pokers, one after another, over his arm, and i am thinking he would be the kind of man to go with me this evening. May I take him?" The request was refused by Stanton on the false grounds that Eckert had other work to do, leading to numerous conspiracy theories today.

Lincoln, not to be deterred, went directly to Eckert, who also informed him he was unavailable. Lincoln's last words to Eckert were, "I shall take Major Rathbone along, but i should much rather have you." The rest of Lincoln's story regarding his assassination that night is for the ages. As Wayne County residents, though, we can always ponder the "what if?" scenario had the strong, imposing figure of Tom Eckert been sitting alongside President Lincoln at Ford's Theater.

Tom Eckert was eventually promoted to Assistant Secretary of War by Stanton and later brevetted Major General before leaving the service in 1866. Not only did Eckert return to work for Western Union, but he became its president in 1893 and chairman of the board in1893. He died in 1910 at the age of 85 years— certainly with many fond memories of his time with Lincoln and probably some regrets that he was not at Ford's Theater that fateful night on April 14,1865.

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Birth

• Born in St. Clairsville, Ohio in 1825

Death

• 1910

Census Records

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Places of Residence

• Wooster, Ohio
• Washington D.C.

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Military

• Brevetted Major General during Civil War

Occupations

• Wooster's postmaster
• Telegraph Operator
• Assistant Secretary of War
• President of Western Union Telegraph Company and Chairman of the board in 1893

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References

"The Lincoln Connection" by Jeff Musselman from Wayne County Historical Society of Ohio Spring Quarterly Newsletter Apr.-Jun. 2006: 8.