Hollywood, MD – Were he alive today, Abraham Lincoln would be 208 years-old. Next to George Washington, Abe might be the U.S.A.’s best known ex-president. Every time you pick a penny off the floor or the ground, there he is! The Lincoln Memorial is a popular rallying point when large groups sense some form of justice or freedom is in peril. His face is on Mount Rushmore. A costumed Abe is part of the field in the president’s races at Nationals Park. Actors have made careers out of playing Abe Lincoln. How America loved him!
Well, actually, in his time Lincoln was despised by a large segment of America. While our most recent presidents have been polarizing figures, none has caused the succession of a significant segment of states—yet. Abe was perhaps the most demonized man to ever serve as president. The fact that he endured this scorn and it took a real bullet to kill him demonstrates that he may be our country’s most human—and superhuman—president ever.
There are plenty of books about Abe Lincoln. Some of the more interesting facts about his amazing life may get obstructed by the details of the Civil War. Rather than rehash all that, we present a quick list of “Abe Facts” that you may or may not know.
Illinois may be the “Land of Lincoln” but Abe was born in Hodgenville, Kentucky February 12, 1809. His place of birth was a one-room log cabin. He also spent part of his boyhood in Indiana.
Abe was named for his paternal grandfather who was killed by Indians (Native Americans).
Abe served eight years in the Illinois House of Representatives and one term in the U.S. Congress.
Abe was originally a Whig but when he reentered politics in 1854 he became a leader in the new Republican Party.
Lincoln’s mother died when he was 9-years-old. She died of milk sickness, a condition of cattle and sheep caused by eating white snakeroot, which contains a toxic alcohol. It sometimes occurs in humans who have eaten meat or dairy products from affected animals.
Other women in Abe’s life met early deaths, too. His sister Sarah died in 1828 while giving birth to a stillborn son. Abe’s first romantic interest, Ann Rutledge, was 22 when she succumbed to typhoid fever.
Although he is known for splitting rails and was quite strong, young Abe hated physical labor and preferred to read.
Abe married Mary Todd in November 1842 in Springfield, IL. They had four sons. Only son Robert lived to adulthood.
Once the Civil War broke out President Abe began using powers that were considered unprecedented. Among the moves he ordered were blockades of all Confederate shipping ports, and the arrest and imprisonment of Confederate sympathizers.
Friends described Abe’s periods of sadness as “melancholy.” Modern clinicians, however, have diagnosed Abe malady as “depression.”
When he was living in the White House one of Abe’s favorite foods was imported oysters.
Contact Marty Madden at marty.madden@thebaynet.com