Lincoln's Pocket Watch Reveals Long-Hidden Message

It's not "L.E. Grofs" inscribed there. It's "L.E. Gross" written like "Congrefs" most famously in the script of the Declaration of Independence. And the date following it is not "Sept 1864" but "Sep 1 1864" -- look carefully.

Lincoln truly was the most magnificent man who ever lived, he was "to the manor born", I am in such awe of this man, all of his person, historical and everything about him, just overwhelms me. And I also believe that he was assassinated because he was such a great man, and that evil truly was the cause of his death, as he could have been so much more if he had remained alive. He is one of the greatest tragedies ever, I believe that, and I deplore the fact that we lost him, he was indeed such a treasure, but he lives on today in so many ways, I pray this country he loved so much and did so much for and died for shall not perish from this earth. His memory shall keep us alive. Bless him and what he did for us, so many things, so much wisdom, he was the most awesome and greatest man who will ever live, surely one whom God gave to us, and hopefully we will continue to treasure and honor him always.

What an awesome man!! The greatest who ever lived, he had so much, wisdom, intelligence, the ability to lead and so much else. He gave us so much, and I honor his memory always, I truly believe he was taken from us by the evil in this world, and because he could have done so much more than he did, but he was killed because he was so great, I truly believe that, and that is one of the tragedies I deplore, and he had so much more to offer. What a loss, and I can only - in my mind - give him the credit for the rest. He truly could have brought us so very far, and I grieve for this truly great man and the grievous loss to all of us, I pray that we will always cherish his memory and remember him and what he did, and because of him, I pray that this country he loved so much and did so much for shall not perish from this earth. Surely we can continue what he began and continued on, of course there were others, but he really had the most awesome gifts he brought to us, and I bless him for that. I grieve for this man and his loss to all of us, I pray we can continue in his memory. bless him always, I stood where he gave the Gettysburg Adress, I felt his spirit there, and was renewed, the decisions he made affected so many and his wisdom will always be with us. Bless and keep him and please, let us remember him always and what he brought to us and taught us. He was such an amazing man, and a terrible loss. I am so saddened by all of that. I read about how he lingered and those who were with him, and how terrible that must have been. Hold them close, dear Lord, and keep them too, and the rest of us must always remember and carry on his spirit and his work. Amen

ROFL!!!!!! Lincoln carried "Jeff Davis" next to his heart! I can't believe nobody sees the humor in this. I sure do; apparently not everybody in the North loved Lincoln and this proves it. How come the press isn't focusing on the practical joke on our "number one" president? Its right there in BIG letters...Haw! Haw! Haw!

Who says Lincoln knew that anything was inscribed in his watch,Dave, much less the name of Jeff Davis! Besides, if he carried it over his heart, as you say, and did know what was inscribed, knowing the devout Christian Lincoln was, I am sure it held a reminder to pray for his divided country, and the leader of the South, too. It should serve as a reminder to us to continue praying for this country and its leadership. Thank you for your kind remarks about an awesome man who truly was bigger than life in many ways, Louann.

Lincoln was no "devout" Christian, a man who did not belong to any church. The records show that he authorized the arrest of priest and ministers, while they were administering services, and in one case, during communion, by armed soldiers because they, the ministers and priest, failed to lead or say a prayer for President Abraham Lincoln. These men of the cloth were violently removed from their churches and thrown in jail. The churches were boarded up and closed by Lincoln's troops. In other cases citizens were arrested during church services if they left before or during the prayer for Lincoln, this included old people and women. Lincolns Union cavalry was allowed to confiscate Southern churches to be used as barns for their horses, if they didn’t burn them first. The Catholic churches were reserved for extremely harsh treatment, especially after the Pope publically denounced Lincoln’s war against the South. A Catholic Church cemetery was desecrated when Union troops dug up the graves to place their trenches and artillery. George Washington’s Church in Pohick, Virginia, built by and attended by the father of our country, was stripped for souvenirs, its worship space used as a stable and pockmarked the exterior with bullet holes. All of these outrages to houses of worship were with full knowledge and approval of President Lincoln. “If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be.” Thomas Jefferson.

Maybe there are still some words inscribed on the back of that metal plate. Mr. Thomas, did you check it, too? Mr. Dillon must have really written about Lincoln and slavery in that historical watch 45 years after the first shot was fired. How I wish Mr. Stiles and Mr. Ishaam would meet and pose for a photograph. It would be like Lincoln and Dillon meeting for the first time.

L. E. Gross is Louis Edward Gross, born 1841 in Baltimore, Maryland, died 1870. He worked for Mr. Joseph M. Walter of 85 N. Eutaw St., Baltimore, Maryland, listed as a watch maker in 1860 and a jeweler in 1880. L. E. Gross', brothers names match several Gross' who served in the 16th Virginia Cavarly (CSA).

I found that the Mr. Dillon, who first worked on this watch lived in D. C. in 1860 but later showed up on the New York census of 1870. Maybe that is why President Lincoln went to somebody else, and had to use Mr. Walter in Baltimore to work on his watch in 1864; Mr. Dillon had left. Mr. Walter was in Baltimore in 1856 with his business and still there in 1879 so its a very big possibility this is correct and Louis Edward Gross worked on this watch.

We've posted video from the event on the National Museum of American History "O Say Can You See" blog:
http://blog.americanhistory.si.edu/osaycanyousee/2009/03/a-hush-fell-over-the-room-as-the-watchmaker-halted-his-work-a-partially-dismantled-pocket-watch-that-once-belonged-to-pres.html

Somebody get me a towel to clean the slobber off my screen. Lincoln was a criminal, he like Clinton violated the constitution and got away with it. If we had a real president at the time, the war between the states would never have happened. Didn't see any mention in either article I read of Jeff Davis' name being in the watch. Even as we speak the media is re-writing history just as they have done for the past 145 years. Read people and discover the truth, not the revisionist books in schools read to find the truth. Bet most of you have not even read the so called Emancipation Proclamation, read close it did not free slaves, the 14th amendment did. Lincoln was a joke.

Mike Freyder, While your obvious ignorance of historical facts can be easily spotted by any educated high school junior, your lack of basic English skills further underscores your lack of intellect on this subject. In the future, please get your facts straight before shooting off at the mouth. Lincoln DID in fact free the slaves with the Emancipation Proclamation and the passage of the 13th Amendment. The only revisionist history being presented here is coming from you.

According to my European-born and trained watchmaker with 60 years' experience, it is a tradition to inscribe the date and initials (or name) of the watchmaker whenever a fine watch is repaired or cleaned. It is very probable that L. E. Gross would have told Lincoln about the Dillon inscription when he returned the watch after cleaning it in 1864. But since Lincoln died before the watch would ever need cleaning again, my guess is that the "Jeff Davis" was added as a prank much later.

On March 13th, Dave wrote some pretty horrific data regarding the treatment of churches and clergy during the War between the States. While I have never read of such sacrilege by troops from this Republic (which certainly does not say this sort of behavior did not occur!), it DID refresh in my ememory the horrors of the English Civil War, when similar terrible devastation occurred to churches, great and humble, by the Cromwellian, Commonwealth troops. Just goes to show, I guess, that ALL idols have feet of clay! I suppose, too, it certifies my position as a pacifist - too often, soldiers, in the commission of war, are little more than rioting mobs! That cannot speak well for their "cause."

Brian, although I don't whole heartedly agree with Mr. Freyder I do in spirit. President Lincoln's E.P. did not free any slaves under Lincoln's control. Those slaves in the areas specified in the E.P. had to free themselves if they wanted to be free. The majority of slaves in areas controlled by Lincoln's troops stayed slaves, many were kept picking cotton to supply the North with money to fight the war. Loyal masters were allowed to sell there male slaves at $300 dollars a-head to enlist them into the U.S. Army, making Lincoln's government the largest owner of slaves in the Western Hemisphere. The Union had five slave states on its side contributing to the war effort and not one was told to free its slaves by Lincoln. Lincoln was the last president to creat and admit into the United States a slave state, West Virginia; an act he vowed never to do. As president Lincoln had no powers to approve the 13th Amendment. One more fact, President Lincoln was never president of the the United States, only that section called the "Union"; he never ran a campaign in the South, he did not put himself on the ballots in the South. He was a non-majority, sectional president, put in office by wealthy interest in which he worked for as a corporate lawyer. Lincoln first took the oath after seven states had seceded. He died while the war was still going on, so he NEVER had the privilege to perform the duties of President of the UNITED States. While President Lincoln was giving the Gettysburg Address armed Union troops, he personally sent to Maryland and Delaware, were arresting Democrats trying to vote. His troops were controlling the polls during those local elections to steal the votes for Republicans and Unionist. So much for a "government of the people, by the people, for the people", he didn't practice of believe one word he spoke. Not one of these points are "revisionist" in anyway; they are never taught or discussed in todays populist history.

Dave, your information was interesting but I would sure like to see the names of the "records" where you got the information so I could see them, too.

Go to the Abraham Lincoln Papers at the Library of Congress and do a keyword for Church

Or

http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/mal:@field(DOCID+@lit(d1444700))

[Alexandria Virginia Episcopalians to Abraham Lincoln, Sunday, February 09, 1862 (Report of a disturbance at their church)] This incendent is backed up with a full report in the O.R. Also, the O.R. specifically details the orders in which all Union forces were under in enforcing Lincoln's Prayer.

Also, the word searchable O.R. at Cornell University is absolutely full of information about the war on churches, the involvement of the Pope, ect...

http://cdl.library.cornell.edu/moa/moa_browse.html

I have collected quit a number of reports of arrest, burnings, closings, related to churches from these references.

If those that post a message here want to read more about the interesting man named Abe Lincoln and his times,then perhaps they should read April 1865 - by: Jay Winik an excellant read! A fine example of things I did not know falls on page #359 "The final tribute for "Father Abraham" was more symbolic, but no less appropriate. Searching for some way to express their grief, countless Americans gravitated to bouquets of flowers: Lilies,Lilacs,roses, and orange blossoms, anything which was in bloom across the land. Thus was born a new American tradition: laying flowers at a funeral".

Kevin, The laying of flowers on graves is a European tradition practiced in America way before President Lincolns funeral. Check with American newpapers from the 1850s and you'll find references to it.

Oh My God I love the clouded leopards they are so cute one day I would LOVE to work at the smithsonian and learn about this history. But first I have to get through Middle school without failing Yay

I took a course in American History at Clayton State University last year and learned that the slaves being freed by the EP were only those in the Southern States, not the northern states. I also learned that before becoming President, Lincoln wrote letters to all the governors of non-slave states encouraging them to get their states to accept slavery. The civil war was NOT caused by slavery. It was an issue that has still not been resolved: states rights. More could be said but there is not enough space or time here. Read and study before you try to make Lincoln a saint or even one of our best presidents. One of my ancestors was Lincoln's second grade tutor. He grew to be an exceptional man, a good leader, and had he not been shot his plan for reconstruction would have healed the wounds of this nation. Yet what followed was worse than the war. I too think his death was too soon and very sad. History is written by those who win wars. We need to read and study both sides of that war if we are to ever understand one another. "Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it."

Lincoln is revered because he did a more than competent job in impossible circumstances. True, he did negate most of the bill of rights during the war. And as for slavery, he stated plainly that if freeing the slaves would win the war he would free them and if keeping them slaves would win the war he would do that instead. But he was an absolute genius with words and so it is that his voice, along with Jefferson's and Monroe's, rings through American history. He was also hands down the funniest President ever or ever will be.