韦氏词典对“遗物”的定义是“因与圣人或殉道者有关而受到尊敬和崇敬的物品”.“虽然我们历史学会没有烈士的遗骨, 这个林肯发盒(我们收藏的两个之一)是与各种历史人物和事件有关的几件文物之一. As Matthew Dennis notes in the preface to his American Relics and the Politics of Public Memory在美国，文物可以有多种形式(其中大部分可以在这个协会找到):

它们可以是“有形的”(头骨、骨头、血液、牙齿、头发、指甲和各种各样的肉块)。. 它们可以是由重要的个人或事件所拥有或直接接触的非物质物品, 包括衣物、个人财产或其他相关的残余物、手稿或印刷书籍, written texts, letters, 以及带有签名或题词的纸片, 甚至是基督的沟槽小径或西方拓荒者马车的车辙. In whatever form, their common, 他们的基本特征一直是(并且仍然是)将他们在场的人与过去直接利记手机官网起来的非凡能力……

And, indeed, whether this locket or other pieces of mourning jewelry in the collection; hair from George Washington and Alexander Hamilton; the fish hook supposedly made from the bones of Capt. Cook; a cannonball found near the battlefield at Lexington; or tangled roots from the Liberty tree; all have the power to connect researchers to the past as much as, if not more than, words on a page. Although over time, 马萨诸塞州历史学会已经成为一个主要的手稿储存库, books, and like materials, the need to collect artifacts, “人工和自然的奇珍异宝……可以阐明……自然史和政治史”，这也是历史学会从一开始就肩负的使命之一.

“Yesterday, I received from Judge Hoar”

On 5 January 1895, 埃比尼泽·洛克伍德·霍尔把一个包裹寄给了马萨诸塞州历史学会，里面有一个金吊坠和一封信, of which he had been a member since 1864. In it, he delineates the history of this relic:

我想…向马萨诸塞州历史学会赠送一个金盒子，里面装着一绺从被谋杀的总统头上取下的头发, Abraham Lincoln, on the evening of his assassination by Booth. It was given me about the year 1871 by Capt. Geo. D. 怀斯毕业于西点军校，从美国陆军调集.S. Volunteer Service as Brevet Brigadier General Oct. 她的女儿刚刚嫁给了我的大儿子. 怀斯将军告诉我暗杀当晚他在华盛顿, 一位主治总统的医生从林肯的头上取下一绺头发给了他. He said he was an intimate friend, and told me the name of this physician, which I do not feel quite sure that I remember, but my impression is that it was Dr. Robert K. Stone. 怀斯将军说他把那绺头发分开放在两个不同的盒子里. 他送给我的那一件从那时起就一直保存在我手里……我觉得这并不是一件有趣的遗物, commemorative of such an historical event, 应该永远委托给私人持有吗, 而是应该由一些公共历史机构来保存, or other public body, 在哪里可以满足那些被相同的东西感动的人的好奇心呢.”

Even on his deathbed, 霍尔认识到这段历史的重要性和持久价值. 历史学会的成员匆匆给他回了一封信, 接受了这份礼物，并感谢霍尔“把一个如此伟大的、受到越来越多的尊敬和关注的对象托付给它”.” At the end of January, Hoar去世之前他保证林肯的生与死的记忆会以有形的形式继续存在并且永远对公众开放.

Who was Ebenezer Rockwood Hoar?

Ebenezer Rockwood Hoar was born in Concord, Massachusetts, in 1816, the son of Samuel and Sarah (Sherman) Hoar. 他15岁进入哈佛大学，最终在那里学习法律，并于1839年通过律师资格考试. In 1846, 霍尔被选为马萨诸塞州参议员，两年后, 帮助他的父亲建立了马萨诸塞州的自由土地党，该党反对奴隶制向西部扩张. 在被任命为普通上诉法院和马萨诸塞州最高司法法院法官之后, 霍尔被美国总统尤利西斯·S·尼克松任命为美国司法部长. Grant in 1869, a tenure that lasted but a year. In 1870, Grant requested Hoar’s resignation, desperately needing the support of southern senators, 谁想让一个南方人当司法部长. 他继续在解决阿拉巴马州索赔的委员会任职.S. 在失去众议院议员后，霍尔回到康科德从事律师工作. 他被埋葬在康科德的断头谷公墓，墓碑上刻着他是“正义事业中不可战胜的斗士”.”