Introducing Honest Abe
The United States of America was barely formed when Abraham Lincoln took power. The 16th person to hold the office of president, he inherited an America that was increasingly divided. Lincoln fought to close that divide, and his noble nature earned him the nickname of “Honest Abe”. To some, this reputation contributed to him being considered the country’s greatest president—while for others, he’s become a caricature of history. So, who was the man behind the title? Was Honest Abe really so honorable? Let’s find out.
1. He Struggled Early
Lincoln was no stranger to adversity. His early life was one of poverty and struggle. Born in rural Kentucky (considered “the frontier” at this time), the family ultimately settled in Indiana. While his father eventually found stable work, the family would face tragedy again. Lincoln’s mother passed when he was nine years old, leaving the job of raising him to his sister, Sarah, who was only two years his senior. Unfortunately, this was not the end of the family’s struggles.
George Peter Alexander Healy, Wikimedia Commons
2. He Faced Loss After Loss
Fortunately, Sarah Lincoln was not responsible for the welfare of her family for long; their father remarried a little over a year after their mother’s passing, and Lincoln grew close with his stepmother, so much so that he referred to her as "Mother". This support would be great when, 10 years later, Lincoln’s sister, Sarah, passed in childbirth, leaving Lincoln devastated. It was these early years of struggle that taught Lincoln how to persevere.
3. He Was Self Made
Lincoln’s father demanded he work both on the farm and elsewhere to help support the family during Lincoln’s teenage years, so Lincoln spent hardly any time in a proper school. Yet despite a lack of access to formal education, Lincoln had a passion for reading and learning. He would depend upon this self-education to help him rise above the commonality of his upbringing.
Alexander Gardner / Abraham Lincoln, Wikimedia Commons
History's most fascinating stories and darkest secrets, delivered to your inbox daily.
4. He Sought Independence
March 1830 saw a significant change in Lincoln’s life. Now 21, Lincoln moved with much of his family to Illinois to avoid a potential outbreak of the same illness that had taken his mother. Settling in New Salem, Lincoln took this opportunity to finally distance himself from his father. This was also where he met Ann Rutledge—the greatest controversy of Lincoln’s life.
Calvin Jackson, Hannibal, Missouri, Wikimedia Commons
5. His Motives Are Still Questioned
Lincoln and Ann Rutledge were certainly familiar with each other. That is undeniable. However, historians have been debating whether Lincoln’s love for Rutledge was romantic ever since Lincoln’s passing, upon which William Herndon, Lincoln’s friend, first claimed that there had once been a romance between the two. To date, no solid evidence has arisen to prove the argument one way or another, so we’ll stick to the facts.
Internet Archive Book Images, Wikimedia Commons
6. He Was Engaged—Maybe
Lincoln moved to Illinois in March 1930 and became acquainted with Ann Rutledge at some point following that moment. This is where things become murky, based solely on reports of others. The son of one man, John McNamar, claimed his father and Ann Rutledge were engaged. However, an illness delayed his return to Illinois and, reportedly, in the meantime, Rutledge had become engaged to Lincoln instead, believing McNamar to have succumbed to his illness. If this is true, no record of that engagement exists beyond this statement today.
Abraham Byers, Beardstown, IL, Wikimedia Commons
7. He Loved Her Dearly
In another instance, some many years later, Lincoln was reportedly asked by a friend, Isaac Cogdal, whether there was any truth to stories that he’d loved Rutledge. To which Lincoln reportedly replied, “It is true—true indeed I did. I loved the woman dearly and soundly … I did honestly and truly love the girl and think often—often of her now”. If it were not for the element of hearsay, this would seem as good a proof as any that love had bloomed before tragedy struck. Still, historians disagree.
Il tema di Ann Rutledge (Young Mr Lincoln e The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance), Emanuele Tealdi
8. He Contemplated Drastic Measures
Many historians believe that there is not enough factual evidence (not based on the reports of others) to claim Lincoln loved Rutledge romantically. However, he certainly loved her deeply on some level, for when Rutledge succumbed to typhoid in 1835, Lincoln was distraught. He became so depressed that, according to most sources, he contemplated ending his own life; three years later, on the anniversary of Rutledge’s passing, the local paper published an anonymous poem about taking one’s life. Most believe Lincoln wrote this poem with Rutledge’s passing in mind.
Il tema di Ann Rutledge (Young Mr Lincoln e The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance), Emanuele Tealdi
9. He Made An Offer
Whether Lincoln had a love affair with Ann Rutledge or not will likely remain a mystery forever. However, a year after her passing, Lincoln turned his focus to building a relationship with another woman: Mary Owens. Lincoln and Owens had met briefly in the early 1830s while Owens was visiting her sister, a friend of Lincoln’s at the time. Possibly in jest, though equally possibly with some sincerity (maybe an attempt to get over Rutledge), Lincoln remarked that he would marry her, should she return to New Salem. These are words Lincoln would live to regret.
Internet Archive Book Images, Wikimedia Commons
History's most fascinating stories and darkest secrets, delivered to your inbox daily.
10. He Regretted That Offer
Whether Lincoln was serious or not when he expressed his initial interest in marrying Owens, he lost interest immediately upon viewing her a second time. Lincoln found Owens much changed from his memory. In an 1837 letter, Lincoln described Owens as overweight (obscenely so, by his words), missing teeth, and generally weather-beaten and unappealing. However, as an honorable man, he felt he must uphold his promise and offer Mary Owens marriage. That’s where things got truly awkward.
Internet Archive Book Images, Wikimedia Commons
11. He Was Prideful
Lincoln proposed to Owens believing that she both wanted and expected him to. Owens rejected him. Lincoln proposed again, perhaps believing the initial rejection came from modesty—or perhaps his pride had reared its head. Owens rejected him again. He tried several times before having to accept the rejections as truth. It was a humbling experience for Lincoln, who became aware of his vanities and misperceptions.
Lithographer: Grozelier, Leopold (1830-1865)Painter: Hicks, Thomas, 1823-1890, Wikimedia Commons
12. He Finally Met The One
Fortunately (or perhaps unfortunately, as time would tell), Lincoln’s love life still had hope. By 1839, Lincoln had moved to Springfield, Illinois, and was a practicing lawyer, with middling success. It was in this state that he met Mary Todd, the daughter of a wealthy Kentucky banker. At this point, Todd lived with her sister and brother-in-law, Elizabeth and Ninian Edwards. Edwards was the son of a former governor—and they did not look fondly upon Lincoln.
Mary_Todd_Lincoln2.jpg: Mathew Brady
derivative work: Materialscientist (talk), Wikimedia Commons
13. He Wasn’t Good Enough
Lincoln and Todd met at her sister’s house. They shared a passion for politics, which allowed them to bond quickly; from this, they were soon engaged. However, it would not last. Despite being introduced in her sister’s home, Elizabeth and her husband did not approve of Lincoln. They saw him as beneath them and did not think him suitable for Todd, what with a questionable future ahead of him. They broke their engagement on January 1, 1841.
Nicholas H. Shepherd, based on the recollections of Gibson W. Harris., Wikimedia Commons
14. He Suffered Mentally
Lincoln would yet again take this lost love hard. He referred to their parting as “that fatal first of January”, and his business partner at the time referred to him as being, “reduced and emaciated in his appearance”. Lincoln was doubtlessly in another depression. However, all hope was not lost. The couple would reunite after a year and a half apart, and finally on the November 4, 1942, Lincoln and Todd married. However, the struggle to form that union may have been a sign of the trouble to come.
Pierre Morand, Wikimedia Commons
15. His Marriage Was Fraught
Although Lincoln’s future eventually cleared, proving Todd right in her choice of husband, their marriage was a difficult one, full of many ups and downs. Over the years, reports of Todd frequently insulting and belittling her husband, even going so far as to throw things at him in a temper, have led to history scorning her. However, modern historians have been somewhat kinder, suspecting that Todd suffered from mental illness, possibly bipolar disorder. Their personal life was also marked by tragedy, which undoubtedly strained the relationship.
Katherine Helm, Wikimedia Commons
History's most fascinating stories and darkest secrets, delivered to your inbox daily.
16. He Faced More Loss
The Lincolns welcomed their first child, a son named they named Robert Todd, about a year after their marriage. Three years later, they welcomed their second son, Edward Baker. Sadly, Edward would not survive to see the age of five. He succumbed to tuberculosis in 1850, at the age of four. Both Todd and Lincoln took this passing hard; however, it would not be the end of their tragedy.
Unknown authorUnknown author, Wikimedia Commons
17. He Never Recovered
Edward passed in February 1850. Their third son, William Wallace, was born in December that same year. Their fourth and final son, Thomas, known as “Tad”, was born three years later. While Thomas outlived his father (though barely, passing at the age of 18), William succumbed to typhoid in 1862. Neither Lincoln nor Todd ever truly recovered from these losses, which surely contributed to the struggles within their marriage. Still, they persevered; they had a duty to their country, after all.
Mathew Benjamin Brady, Wikimedia Commons
18. He Found His Voice
During the 1830s, Lincoln struggled to find himself; he took on many careers before settling on law. He even ran for the Illinois House of Representatives, though lacked any real power or influence to win. By 1837, he’d also become vocal about his stance against slavery and support for abolition. By the time of his marriage to Mary Todd, he was firmly involved in the Whig party, and he wanted to play a larger role in its future.
Mathew Benjamin Brady, Wikimedia Commons
19. He Persevered
Although his first attempt at becoming the Whig nomination for Illinois’s seat in the House of Representatives failed, he did not give up. Three years later, when his opponent finished their term, Lincoln ran again and won the nomination. More than that, he won the seat, making him the only Whig in the Illinois delegation. Although Lincoln had little influence at this point in his career, he was building the foundations that would allow him to grow into the man he would become.
George Peter Alexander Healy, Wikimedia Commons
20. He Returned To Law
Lincoln’s first stint in politics was short-lived. He only held his position for one term, and when he did not receive the position he’d hoped for, he declined their offer for an alternative posting and returned to work as a lawyer, which he did for the next 16 years. Lincoln’s law career was prolific; he took nearly any type of case that anyone offered him, including murder trials.
Alexander Gardner, Wikimedia Commons
21. He Was Clever
One case in particular highlighted Lincoln’s quick thinking and success in the field of law. While representing William “Duff” Armstrong, who’d been accused of taking James Preston Metzker’s life, Lincoln did some quick thinking to undermine an eyewitness. With the support of a Farmers’ Almanac, Lincoln argued that the eyewitness could not have seen accurately by moonlight, for the moon was low thus reducing visibility. Armstrong was acquitted—just one of Lincoln’s many successes.
Cleveland Public Library, Wikimedia Commons
History's most fascinating stories and darkest secrets, delivered to your inbox daily.
22. He Lived In A Divided House
By 1850, America was a land divided. The Northern states had abolished slavery nearly 50 years prior. Yet, the Southern states continued to support their economy upon it. The debate over abolition was particularly fraught in the area of land that had been bought during the Louisiana Purchase. Illinois senator Stephen A Douglas wanted to establish territorial governments in this region; however, Southern leaders continuously blocked his movements due to their selfish motivations.
Mathew Benjamin Brady / Alexander Hesler, Wikimedia Commons
23. He Disapproved Of Actions
Thanks to the Missouri Compromise of 1820, no state above a particular latitude—except for Missouri—could allow slavery. Douglas’s new territories should have been a part of this; however, in 1854, he found a compromise that would help him win the support of Southern leaders. Leaning on the principle of “popular sovereignty”, he proposed that the people of his newly formed territories should be able to choose for themselves; therefore, they formed Nebraska and Kansas, and much to Lincoln’s disappointment, the struggle over slavery carried on.
unattributed, Wikimedia Commons
24. He Changed Course
Lincoln spent the next six years, following 1854, delivering over a hundred speeches about abolition in the territories. The Kansas-Nebraska Act drew Lincoln back into politics. However, it also destroyed his former party, the Whigs. Most of the abolitionist Whig supporters defected to the newly created Republican party. Lincoln initially resisted joining, for his loyalty had been with the Whigs, and he feared the rise of extremism. However, he joined the Republicans during the 1856 campaign. This marked Lincoln’s rise as a Republican leader in Illinois.
Internet Archive Book Images, Wikimedia Commons
25. He Made An Iconic Speech
In 1858, the first Illinois Republican convention was held to determine who would be their candidate to run for Senate. Lincoln won with little to no problem. It was following this nomination, that Lincoln delivered one of his most famous lines, “A house divided against itself cannot stand”. Lincoln believed that the country was at a precipice as they had to make a choice: freedom or enslavement. He’d yet to realize that their house truly might fall.
Authenticated News, Getty Images
26. He Was The Main Attraction
Although Lincoln had been arguing against Douglas’s proposals for several years by this point, this campaign was the first time Lincoln and Douglas truly debated each other; thousands of people came to watch these debates. They were the equivalent of the hottest fight; everyone wanted to see what would happen. Lincoln accused Douglas of supporting “Slave Power” and Douglas flung “abolitionist” claims at Lincoln. No one knew what was going to happen.
William Marsh, Springfield, IL
Julian Vannerson, Wikimedia Commons
27. He Lost—But Not Everything
Unfortunately, Douglas won the day and was re-elected. However, Lincoln had proven himself on a larger stage; he now had a political presence on the national stage and was gaining popularity in many areas. Whispers of “President Lincoln” began to swirl. However, Lincoln was uncertain of his success, and unsure if it was a direction that he should take.
Walker, Lewis E. (Lewis Emory), 1822-1880, Wikimedia Commons
History's most fascinating stories and darkest secrets, delivered to your inbox daily.
28. He Considered A Promotion
In January 1860, Lincoln admitted to some allies that if he the party offered him the presidential nomination, he would accept it, and many local papers began to support him. A month later, he appeared in New York to give a speech, which gained him an increase in respect and support, due to his intelligence—even if some found him “awkward and ugly”. Things quickly accelerated as 1960 carried on.
29. He Courted Controversy
Lincoln won the Republican nomination in May 1860, and the political race quickly became the North VS the South. Those in the Northern and Western states knew that the South would oppose Lincoln on principle, so they turned out in droves to support him. Lincoln became the first Republican president, elected in November of that year. However, reality would quickly prove his early beliefs very wrong.
30. He Didn’t See The Threat
Lincoln did not believe that civil war was on the horizon for America. During his “House Divided” speech he did not think “America” would fall. His supporters also denied speculations that electing Lincoln would incite revolt from the South. However, the reaction was immediate. Before Lincoln even took office, seven Southern states made plans and declarations to secede from the United States. After years of a divided house, something was going to fall, whether Lincoln believed it or not.
31. His Union Started To Crumble
Lincoln couldn’t hold the Union together, despite attempts to do so. South Carolina, Florida, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas declared themselves to be the Confederate States of America. Although the “upper Southern” states did not initially agree to the Confederacy, Lincoln had a huge problem on his hands, and he hadn’t even officially taken office yet.
Mathew Benjamin Brady, Wikimedia Commons
32. He Was In Danger
All of this tension surrounding his inauguration demanded additional security needs before the big event. Lincoln traveled in disguise (wearing a soft felt hat, as opposed to his now famous stovepipe hat), and reportedly evaded an attempt on his life in Baltimore. The opposition mocked him for these measures, though history would make them seem less ridiculous.
Unknown authorUnknown author, Wikimedia Commons
33. He Fought For Peace
Although Lincoln attempted to broker peace with the Confederacy, stating that they were friends who merely disagreed on one matter, he also would not back down on his own stance. None of the states offered to return, and Lincoln was unwilling to break apart the Union. As the tensions mounted, it was becoming clear that a pivotal confrontation was unavoidable.
Julio Reis, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
History's most fascinating stories and darkest secrets, delivered to your inbox daily.
34. He Let Them Attack First
Lincoln had vowed not to be the one to throw the first stone in this mounting conflict. However, he also would not back down. The only inevitable response was that the Confederates would be the first to fire—which was the case. The Confederates fired upon Fort Sumter on April 12, 1861, and civil conflict began to spread across America.
Currier & Ives.Uploaded by Christophe cage 12:52, 6 September 2006 (UTC), Wikimedia Commons
35. He Demanded Loyalty
Before the firing upon Fort Sumter, the remaining Southern states had been in limbo, neither supporting nor going against the Union. Following the attack, Lincoln called for support to recapture the forts, which forced states to draw lines in the sand. North Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, and Arkansas all seceded. Kentucky, alone, remained neutral. Things quickly dissolved into mayhem.
Perine, George Edward (1837-1885), Wikimedia Commons
36. He Took Drastic Action
Lincoln may have held back from initiating the fight. However, once conflicted started, he did not stop from using extreme measures. One of his earliest moves was to suspend habeas corpus, which gave people the right to question their detainment. In response, the Union detained 15,000 civilians without trial. Others were tried in military courts for “treason”. It was a highly contentious situation that would only get worse.
Alexander Gardner, Wikimedia Commons
37. He Expanded His Power
On top of habeas corpus, Lincoln made many other moves to exert his power over the conflict. He increased his political authority in a way that no one had seen before; however, this was a conflict on a level that no one had seen before either. Lincoln’s goals were simple: keep Washington safe and end this war quickly with an assured victory. A quick victory, as it turned out, was too much to ask.
Mathew Benjamin Brady, Wikimedia Commons
38. He Took Control
Lincoln shaped the entirety of the Union’s strategy during the conflict. He leaned heavily upon his intellectual nature, using various sources, both written and verbal, to craft his strategy. However, this did not stop the conflict from raging. The Battle of Antietam in September 1862 was among the bloodiest in American history. This civil war would leave scars on America forever.
Edwin Forbes, Wikimedia Commons
39. He Was In A Bad Position
The matter of emancipation continued to circle the entire battle. After all, it was the problem that started it all. Twice, Union generals attempted to put out emancipation orders, and twice Lincoln called them off. He feared upsetting the border states into seceding. He, reportedly, supported emancipation. However, he felt his first job, as president, was to save the Union. These two things did not sit happily hand-in-hand. Eventually, however, Lincoln needed to take action.
Alexander Gardner (1821–1882), Wikimedia Commons
History's most fascinating stories and darkest secrets, delivered to your inbox daily.
40. He Banned Slavery
Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863. This banned slavery in the 10 states that had seceded. It also made freeing slaves an objective of Union forces advancing into Confederate territory. The proclamation also dictated that they’d welcome these free men into the Union forces; therefore, enlisting them became a priority as well. By the end of the year, Lincoln would make his most famous address of all.
Francis Bicknell Carpenter, Wikimedia Commons
41. He Made History—Again
There is one line that history knows Lincoln for above all others: “four score and seven years ago…”. This is part of the Gettysburg Address, which Lincoln made at the Gettysburg cemetery in November 1863. The conflict had been raging for two years now, with great loss. This address reinforced the morality of the Union’s fight, bolstering spirits to push forward. They still had a fight ahead of them, as did Lincoln.
42. His Time Was Up
As the conflict raged on, Lincoln faced another problem: His term as President had come up. He now had to run a re-election campaign while still attempting to manage the internal conflict that ravaged the nation. Some felt calling for peace would make his chances at victory greater. However, Lincoln refused to do so. Even he feared his ability to hold on to control.
Mathew Benjamin Brady, Wikimedia Commons
43. He Feared Defeat
In the leadup to the election, Lincoln prepared a document that pledged, in the event of him losing, he would “co-operate with the President-elect, as to save the Union between the election and the inauguration; as he will have secured his election on such ground that he cannot possibly save it afterward”. The cabinet signed it without anyone reading it. However, in the end, Lincoln did not need it.
Unknown Author, Wikimedia Commons
44. He Was Saved In Time
The tide of the conflict turned just in time. Public opinion changed due to victories in the Shenandoah Valley and Atlanta; Lincoln won re-election. When making the Lincoln memorial, they inscribed the speech he gave at his second inauguration into the monument. Lincoln vowed to focus on healing the nation in his second term. Unfortunately, while he played a role in that, he would never see the results.
45. He Focused On Unity
Lincoln went to work focusing on rebuilding as soon as he was re-elected, even as the conflict continued on around them. He did not wish to divide the country further but rather move forward. He moved for reconstruction and offered pardons to those who swore allegiance to the nation. By April 9, 1965, the conflict was drawing to a close, and Lincoln was planning for a future he’d never see.
Alexander Gardner (photographer), Wikimedia Commons
History's most fascinating stories and darkest secrets, delivered to your inbox daily.
46. He Saw A Play
On April 14, 1965, Lincoln and his wife went to the Ford’s Theatre. They were going to watch a play, Our American Cousin. General Grant was set to join them. However, at the last minute, Grant changed his plans, deciding to visit his children in New Jersey instead. It was a decision that would save his life, though Grant did not know it at the time.
Brady-Handy Photograph Collection, Library of Congress, Wikimedia Commons
47. His Views Were Controversial
Four days earlier, John Wilkes Booth had attended an address by Lincoln. Lincoln had been discussing granting the right to vote to some Black men. Booth, a Confederate spy and sympathizer, would not stand for this. He decided something had to be done to stop the President from making these changes to the country. If no one else was going to do it, then Booth would.
Alexander Gardner, Wikimedia Commons
48. He Was A Target
Booth entered the Ford’s Theatre at 10:15 pm. He approached Lincoln from behind and fired at the back of his head. If Grant had been there too, Booth had intended to fire at him too. Lincoln did not pass immediately. They took him across the street, where he succumbed to his wounds nine hours later. Booth was found and shot two weeks later, and he succumbed to those wounds as well.
49. He Was Mourned
While there were a few people who celebrated Lincoln’s passing, the majority of the country was shocked and saddened by this loss. They laid him in state for three days in the White House and the Capitol Rotunda. After that, his body traveled by train for two weeks, between Washington DC and Springfield Illinois. The nation gathered to mourn their lost leader.
Unknown authorUnknown author, Wikimedia Commons
50. He Changed History
The United States of America has had many presidents throughout its history. They have all left their mark on the country in some way or another. However, few of them have had the impact on the nation that Abraham Lincoln had. His rise from poverty was the quintessential “American dream”, and he fought for an image of the country that many continue to fight for today. However, there’s still one dark stain on his legacy that many have forgotten—or choose to turn a blind eye to.
51. He Could Be Ruthless
In 1862, Abraham Lincoln ordered the largest mass execution in the history of the United States. On December 26, 38 Dakota Native Americans were hanged, upon Lincoln’s orders, for their participation in the Santee Sioux Uprising that led to the deaths of 490 white settlers in the frontier state of Minnesota. Lincoln’s treatment of these Native Americans stands in sharp contrast from the way he treated Confederate generals following the Civil War—despite the demise of over 400,000 Union soldiers, Lincoln did not order the execution of a single Confederate General.
You May Also Like:
One Bizarre Fact About Every US President
Ranking The Presidents From Best To Worst
Joseph P Kennedy Jr: The President That Never Was
Benjamin Franklin Upton (1818-), Wikimedia Commons
.jpg){kind=link}
