Robert Todd Lincoln, the son of Abraham Lincoln, was obviously with his father when he passed away. But he also, coincidentally enough, was an eyewitness to the assassination of President James. A Garfield in 1881. He was Garfields Secretary of War. About 20 years later, in 1901, Robert Todd Lincoln was at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York, at the invitation of then President William McKinley and William McKinley was assassinated that day. After this event, Robert Todd Lincoln turned down any future invitations by Presidents to events, fearing that his association led to their deaths.