In a fascinating twist of history, President Joe Biden’s Oval Office, adorned with symbols of admiration towards past U.S. Presidents, has unveiled a remarkable personal connection to Abraham Lincoln, the revered 16th President.
Beyond the mere aesthetic presence of Lincoln’s portrait and bust, recent historical discoveries unearth the story of a link between President Biden’s ancestry and President Lincoln that goes back over a century and a half.
This curious tale unfolds during the unsettling times of the Civil War, precisely on the night of March 21, 1864. Within the bounds of the Army of the Potomac’s encampment by the Rappahannock River near Beverly Ford, Virginia, a violent altercation occurred. Moses J. Robinette, an actual great-great-grandfather of President Biden, engaged in a brawl with fellow Union Army worker John J. Alexander, resulting in serious knife injuries for Alexander.
From the ensuing events, Robinette faced charges of attempted murder, leading to his detention on a secluded island, destined to become part of modern-day Florida. Nevertheless, it was President Lincoln’s unexpected pardon of Robinette that cemented an unforeseen link between two American leaders—one from the country’s gravest era and the other its present guardian.
The depth of Joseph Robinette Biden’s lineage traces back to western Maryland, counting Moses J. Robinette as one of his paternal forebears. Until recently, scant information was recorded about Robinette’s life and deeds. Court-martial documentation found in the National Archives in Washington brought to light the narrative intertwining Biden’s family history with the leadership of President Lincoln during the union’s most critical moment.
This historical gem, held secret for 160 years, crafts an intriguing backdrop to President Biden’s tenure, knitting the fabric of American heritage with the threads of two presidencies that, though separated by epochs, share a unique and enduring bond.
