William+10's+First+Biagraphy

Abraham Lincoln 1809-1865

Abraham Lincoln was the first president to have a beard. In the following paragraphs you’ll learn stuff about Lincoln from his childhood to his assassination. You might learn some fun facts along the way.

Abraham Lincoln was born February 12, 1809 3 miles south of Hodgenville Kentucky. The Lincolns lived on a farm and it was the same place where Abe was born. They lived there for two years. Than the Lincolns moved to Knob Creek. 10 miles from their old farm. Abe’s sister Sarah went to a log schoolhouse and learned writing, reading, and arithmetic. But the Lincolns were very poor even though Sarah and Abe were well clothed for and fed. One sad problem was Abe’s brother Thomas died as an infant. Later in 1816 the Lincolns moved to Indiana. There they can buy land directly from the government. Anyway there was no slavery in Indiana and the Lincolns did not believe in slavery. When they got there Abe’s father started turning 160 acres of forestland into farmland.

Life in Indiana was harder than in Kentucky. They arrived in the early winter with no shelter. Abe and his dad built a three sided shelter out of logs called “half-faced camp” After finishing the shelter Abe and his father built a log cabin. They moved in to in February 1817. Trees had to be cut so that there is room for plants to be planted. Abe was only 8 when he can swing an ax. Abe called the ax "that most usful instrument." Life later became happier in Indiana. Sadly though in October 1818 Abe's mother died of a poison in milk caused by cows eating snakeroot. This disease is called "milk sickness." She was buried by on a hill near their cabin. After Nancy Lincoln's deaf (Abe's Mom) the farm was sad, dull, and cheerless. Abe's dad went to visit Kentucky. When there on December 2nd 1819 he married a widow named Sarah Bush Johnston. When Abe's Father and his new mother returned Abe remained really close.

Abe said about school "There were some schools, so called; but no qualification was ever required of a teacher, beyond //readin,writin, and cipherin,// to the rule of three. If a straggler supposed to understand latin, happened to sojourn in the neighborhood, he was looked upon as a wizzard. There was absolutely nothing to excite ambition for education. Of course when I came of age I did not know much. Still somehow, I could read, write, and cipher to the rule of three; but that was all" Abe only went to school for a year. There were very few books and paper on the frontier. Abe would walk a long way for a book. Lincoln would borrow books as well. Abe rarly attended church. But Abe did know the bible a lot. But Abe also liked a book about Gourge Washington that he borrowed from a neighbor.

While the economy was booming Abe purchased a small general store in New Salem, Illionois. Later Abe sold the store and got into $1,000.00 debt. He did not pay it until another 17 years. Abe also became a captain in the Illinois militia in the __Black Hawk War__ but did not fight at all. Abe also was a postmaster and a surveyor. Later Abe became a Lawyer.

In the early 1830's Abe met a person who was visiting her sister Mary Owens from Kentucky. In late 1836 Abe started dating Mary and they went to New Salem. Sadly in 1837 wrote to her and she never replied there relashinship was over. But in 1840 Abe became engaged to Mary Todd. Their wedding eventually took place November 4, 1842. They bought a house close to Abe's law office in Springfield. Sadly only their son Robert lived past the age of 18. Their kids William "Willie", Edward, and Thomas "Tad" all died from the ages 18 and yonger. Abe had depression.

In Abe's election he was known as "The Rail Canidate". Abe's vice president canidate was Herschel Vespaion. They gave speaches, put up campain posters, and newspaper editorials. When in the election Abe Went to Council Bluffs Iowa and talked to man General Doudge and he gave Abe a route for the __Transcontinintal__ Railroad. Finally Abe won the election. During his presidenticy Abe leglizied slavery and the cival war started and Abe union side or the North won. During that Abe started the Transcontinintal Railroad and finished it when the cival war was over.

When Abe was President one night when he was at Fords theater he was shot by a man named John Wilkes Booth. After assassinating Abe Booth headed to Maryland on horseback. Booth later was shot and killed. There was a conspiritcy over killing other goverment officals but it failed.