ON A TRAIN PLATFORM IN JERSEY CITY

We celebrate Abrham Lincoln's birthday  this Thursday FEB 12th-

In late 1864, a young man was waiting for a train in Jersey City, New
Jersey.
The platform was crowded, with passengers standing close to the edge
as trains arrived and departed. It was an ordinary scene—busy, noisy,
and unremarkable.
At some point, the young man lost his footing.
Accounts differ on exactly how it happened, but what’s consistent is the
result: he slipped into the narrow space between the platform and a
moving train. It was the kind of accident that, in the 19th century, often
ended badly.
Before the train could pull fully away, someone nearby reacted.
A man reached forward, grabbed the young man by the collar of his
coat, and pulled him back onto the platform. The incident was over
almost as quickly as it began.
There was no crowd reaction. No report in the papers. No sense at the
time that anything unusual had occurred.
Two strangers crossed paths for a few seconds—one falling, one
helping—and then went on with their lives.

The man who had nearly fallen was Robert Todd Lincoln.
He was in his early twenties and traveling at the time, having recently
served briefly on General Ulysses S. Grant’s staff. Although his last
name was recognizable, Robert generally tried to stay out of the public
eye.

The man who pulled him to safety was Edwin Booth.
Edwin Booth was already well known. He was one of the most respected
stage actors in America, particularly admired for his Shakespearean
performances. He was considered serious, disciplined, and
professionally dedicated.
Neither man knew the other’s identity at the moment it happened.
Later, when Robert learned who had saved him, he wrote Edwin Booth a
letter thanking him for his quick action. Edwin kept the letter and later
spoke of the incident as one of the proudest moments of his life.
At the time, there was no larger meaning attached to it.
That came later.

Several months after the incident on the platform, on April 14, 1865,
President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated at Ford’s Theatre in
Washington, D.C.
The man who shot him was John Wilkes Booth.
John Wilkes Booth was also an actor—and he was Edwin Booth’s
younger brother.
The assassination immediately made the Booth name infamous. While
John Wilkes Booth became one of the most recognizable figures in
American history, the effects extended far beyond him.
Edwin Booth had no involvement in the assassination. In fact, he had
openly disagreed with his brother’s political views and was horrified by
the crime.
Nonetheless, public reaction did not easily separate the two.

In the weeks and months following the assassination, Edwin Booth
withdrew from public life. His reputation suffered, not because of
anything he had done, but because of his family connection.
There are historical accounts suggesting that Edwin considered ending
his acting career altogether. He felt a deep sense of shame, despite
bearing no responsibility for his brother’s actions.
Eventually, with encouragement from colleagues and friends, Edwin
returned to the stage. Over time, he rebuilt his career and remained a
major figure in American theater. He later helped establish The Players
Club in New York, a gathering place for artists and performers.
Even so, his name was never fully separated from the assassination.

Robert Todd Lincoln’s life also continued in public service.
He later served as Secretary of War and as the United States Minister to
Great Britain. Over the years, people noted that he had been present or
nearby during three presidential assassinations—his father’s, James
Garfield’s, and William McKinley’s.
This led to later speculation and myth-making, which Robert himself
dismissed. He disliked the attention and rejected any idea that the pattern
meant something more than coincidence.

The brief encounter on the train platform remained a quiet footnote in
history.
A moment when Edwin Booth saved the life of Robert Lincoln—months
before Edwin’s brother would take the life of Robert’s father.

The episode stands out not because it altered the course of history, but
because it reveals how easily history compresses people into names and
associations.
Two men met as strangers.
One helped the other.
Neither could have known how their families would soon be linked
forever.
It’s a small moment—but one that history didn’t forget.