Valentine’s Day weekend can be an enjoyable time to shower loved ones with candy hearts, sweet notes, and red roses, but there is another holiday this weekend that must not be forgotten – the 202nd birthday of our 16th president.
Born in Hardin County, Ky. on February 12, 1809, Abraham Lincoln lived a life of honor, dignity, and wisdom that continues to permeate through history and present day in a way that no other president’s legacy has.
Although this man’s life is well-known by many, it may come as a surprise to read the following truths about what made this man so uniquely remarkable.
Lincoln Wrote His Own Speeches
Words came naturally for Lincoln. He spoke with high intellect that often left his audiences in awe. Although described by some as unapproachable and unsociable at times, his speeches connected so well with the people that it is through them that he gained such high respect and admiration.
The most popular speech by Lincoln, the Gettysburg Address, was written in a short amount of time as he traveled on the train through the Pennsylvanian countryside, using a piece of brown paper that had been used to wrap a package of books and a pencil stub he found buried in his pocket. When completed, he sighed, dropped the piece of paper to the ground, and stared out the window. He was disappointed with his efforts.
Lincoln was a Tinker
Fascinated with machines and gadgets, Lincoln liked to take things apart to see how they worked then try and piece them back together. In 1849, he issued a patent for “A Device for Buoying Vessels over Shoals.” Even though the machine never made it, he is still the only president to hold a patent.
Lincoln was Called a Great Many Things
Although the president did not have a middle name, he gained a few nicknames throughout his presidency: Honest Abe, the Rail Splitter, and the Great Emancipator.
Lincoln Grew a Beard
Delegates from his own party often urged Lincoln to grow a beard and wear high collars in hopes hiding his gangly appearance and therefore gaining more votes. Lincoln always resisted. But in 1860, a letter from a young girl changed his mind.
An 11-year-old from N.Y., Grace Bedell wrote Lincoln saying that if she was a man, she would vote for him despite his appearance, but “if [he] would let [his] whiskers grow,” she could convince many men to vote for him. She told him that “all the ladies like whiskers and they would tease their husbands to vote.”
Lincoln’s Height was Immeasurable
Standing at 6’4”, Lincoln still remains the tallest president our country has ever had. The height of his character is no different. Through multiple tragedies that caused the president and his family great pain, he continued to remain strong in his morals and ethics. Lincoln went out of his way to serve beyond his presidential duties.
After the death of his son Willie, Lincoln viewed humanity with a much greater sense of value and recognized the necessity of grace. Once the Civil War had concluded and a decision needed to be made whether or not to follow the customs of war and execute the Confederate P.O.W.s, Lincoln proclaimed that they would still receive punishment, but not execution.
With his 202nd birthday coming up, it is important to remember the heart of the man underneath the scraggly beard and his stovetop hat. The same man who was ridiculed and deemed a hypocrite by many was the same man who knew exactly what it would take to unify a nation and would not let his own morals be compromised in order to do so.
“Be sure you put your feet in the right place, then stand firm.” –Abraham Lincoln
