This Day in History February 12, 1809

I had no idea about today!  On this date in 1809, our sixteenth president, Abraham Lincoln, was born.  I will tell you right now that he is my favorite president.  I am not naive enough to think that he was perfect, but I greatly respect him.  I am looking forward to seeing O'Reilly's Killin g Lincoln this Sunday on the National Geographic channel.  My mom read the book--I haven't had a chance yet.  And I didn't get to see the film  when it was in theaters, but I plan to see it when it comes out on DVD.

For more information on this amazing man, please check out:
http://www.biography.com/people/abraham-lincoln-9382540
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham_Lincoln
http://www.famousbirthdays.com/people/abraham-lincoln.html

This Day in History November 19, 1863

By David Bachrach [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

I thought today's feature coincided well with the current interest in Abraham Lincoln, i.e., Killing Lincoln by Bill O'Reilly and Steven Spielberg's film Lincoln..  It was on this date that one of the greatest presidents of the U.S. to have ever lived (my opinion, I know) gave a speech that is one of the most famous in the world.  That's right.  On this date in 1863, President Abraham Lincoln gave the Gettysburg Address.  I memorized this when I was in fourth grade and actually gave this speech at our local fair the following year.  It was a crowd of 15,000 that listened to his short but powerful speech.

For more information:
http://showcase.netins.net/web/creative/lincoln/speeches/gettysburg.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gettysburg_Address
http://famousdaily.com/history/president-lincolns-gettysburg-address.html

This Day in History April 15, 1865

Well, this was a terrible date in our history.  On this date in 1865, President Lincoln died from the gunshot wound he received nine hours before.  You might know the story how he and his wife were watching a show in Ford's Theater.  John Wilkes Booth shot him in the back.  And it was about 1 P.M. the next day when this revered sixteenth president died.

If ever I am asked who my favorite president is, indeed I will say Abraham Lincoln.  I don't live in a dream world where I worship him or say that he did everything perfectly.  I have learned a lot about him through the years, and sometimes I hear disturbing things.  But when it comes down to it, I feel that he was the finest president we ever had, and it is a terrible shame that his life was snuffed out so early.

For more information, please check out:
http://www.historylink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&file_id=858
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/lincoln-dies-from-an-assassins-bullet

This Day in History October 15, 1860

N Y

Hon A B Lincoln Westfield Chatauque Co

Dear Sir, Oct 15. 1860

My father has just home from the fair and brought home your picture and Mr. Hamlin's. I am a little girl only eleven years old, but want you should be President of the United States very much so I hope you wont think me very bold to write to such a great man as you are. Have you any little girls about as large as I am if so give them my love and tell her to write to me if you cannot answer this letter. I have got 4 brother's and part of them will vote for you any way and if you will let your whiskers grow I will try and get the rest of them to vote for you you would look a great deal better for your face is so thin. All the ladies like whiskers and they would tease their husband's to vote for you and then you would be President. My father is a going to vote for you and if I was a man I would vote for you to but I will try and get every one to vote for you that I can I think that rail fence around your picture makes it look very pretty I have got a little baby sister she is nine weeks old and is just as cunning as can be. When you direct your letter dir[e]ct to Grace Bedell Westfield Chatauque County New York

I must not write any more answer this letter right off Good bye

Grace Bedell
_________________________________________________________________________________________


Ever read this letter?  Ever heard of Grace Bedell?  Maybe I have, but I have to admit I forgot her name, and I don't think I have ever read her full letter until I read it here.  But I had heard the story surrounding this day in history.

On this day in 1860, Grace Bedell (who was 11 at the time) send Abraham Lincoln this letter (written above).

She was the little girl who suggested that Abraham Lincoln run for president, and she also suggested her grow whiskers.  I didn't realize that she wrote to him again when she was 14 to inquire about a job in his treasury department.  When she was 17, she married a former teacher and Civil War Union war veteran.  She and her husband moved to Kansas and raised one son.  And they lived through the typical "Wild West" adventures.  


I remember learning about this girl (though I don't remember ever hearing her name) when I was growing up in school.  I doubt she is ever mentioned in American history now.  Unfortunately, the majority of students don't know a thing about Abraham Lincoln.  Indeed, he is my favorite president in spite of any mistakes or issues there might have been.  No one can deny his historical significance in our country.  And had it not been for Grace Bedell, he may never have been president.  


For more information, check out these links:
http://hd.housedivided.dickinson.edu/panel/this_date/1861-10-15?q=node/25340
http://gracebedellfoundation.org