It’s My Birthday!

I Am Born! I was born in Hodgenville, Kentucky on February 12, 1809 in a log cabin that I built myself!

My Parental Units and Ancestry My ancestors came over from England and settled in Virginia I was named for my grandfather who was killed by Indians while working in the fields My father was an uneducated farmer/carpenter named Thomas. He was a mildly successful farmer but could be abusive to me My mother was named Nancy Hanks. She died of the milk sickness when I was nine. It was the first of many deaths. I also had a brother and sister. My brother died at an early age and my sister died giving birth. My father remarried a woman by the name of Sarah Bush Johnston

My Early Life My family moved a great deal. We left Kentucky and moved to Pigeon Creek, Indiana We lived there until we moved to Illinois which I always considered to be my real home

My Early Career I tried several careers including selling beer and whiskey but my business failed I began my political career in 1832, at 23, with an unsuccessful campaign for the Illinois General Assembly I finally won in 1834 and after I came across the Blackstone’s Commentaries on the Laws of England, began to teach myself law I was admitted to the bar in 1837 and became a successful lawyer “If I had another face do you think I would wear this one?”

My Love Life I courted several women The love of my life was Ann Rutledge but she got ill and died I dated another woman (Mary Owens) but she became too fat so I dumped her I became engaged to a Kentucky Belle named Mary Todd who was determined to marry a future president However, I broke off the engagement when I fell in love with a woman named Matilda and “was relieved” of my engagement Eventually I reconsidered and we were married in 1842. Don’t believe those other rumors you heard about me! They have no basis in fact!

My Politics I was a Whig and opposed to slavery following my flatboat trip to New Orleans and my treatment by my Father I served only one term in the US Congress I did not “make much of a mark” while there and was remembered mainly for my opposition to “Mr. Polk’s Mexican War”

Little Known Facts About Me On May 22, 1849, I became the only person to become president who was granted Patent No. 6469 by the U.S. Patent Office (USPO) in Washington, D.C for design to help boats get off of sandbars. I was elected captain of a company in the 4th Regiment of Mounted Volunteers, of Gen. Samuel Whiteside's Brigade and served in the Blackhawk War without seeing any action A few days before my assassination my son Robert’s life was saved when he fell in front of train by the brother of my future assassin, Edwin Boothe Improvement for Buoying Vessels Over Shoals

My Four Sons Mary and I had four sons: 1. Robert Todd Lincoln (1843-1926) 2. Edward “Eddie” Baker Lincoln (1846-1850) 3. William “Willie” Wallace Lincoln (1850-1862 ) 4. Thomas "Tad" Lincoln (1853-1871)

My Grave After being transported home by funeral train I was buried in Springfield, Illinois I was buried temporarily in a small hillside tomb until a larger memorial could be prepared A Bronze bust of me greets visitors who rub my nose for good luck In 1900 my son Robert decided to have my remains and coffin entombed in concrete to prevent theft or desecration Now let’s visit my grave!