Abraham Lincoln Trivia on his Birthday Anniversary

Today is the 208th anniversary of the birthday of Abraham Lincoln and we’ve got some knowledge to share about the 16th President of the United States.

1. He was born on February 12, 1809 in Hardin County, Kentucky, on the same day that British naturalist Charles Darwin was born in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England

2. Hannibal Hamlin, a man who would grow up to be Lincoln’s first-term Vice President, was born later in the year (August 27) in Paris, Maine.

3. Two men destined to be poets were also born in 1809: Edgar Allan Poe and Oliver Wendell Holmes (Sr.). Lincoln was rather fond of Poe’s “The Raven” and Holmes’ “Last Leaf.”

4. At 6’4″, Lincoln was the tallest U.S. president, by most sources. Some say Lyndon B. Johnson was also 6’4″ while others put him at 6’3″.

5. Lincoln married Mary Todd on November 4, 1842. The couple had 4 boys. Two died before their father. Robert was the only one to survive their mother.

6. Robert Todd Lincoln, (8/1/1843–7/26/1926) was not quite 22 when Lincoln was assassinated. Robert was a businessman and a lawyer. He served as U.S. Secretary of War from 1881-85 under Presidents Garfield and Arthur. He was the only Lincoln child to marry and have children of his own.

7. Edward “Eddie” Baker Lincoln (3/10/1846–2/1/1850), died at age 3. The cause of Eddie’s death was listed as consumption (tuberculosis)

8. William “Willie” Wallace Lincoln (12/21/1850–2/20/1862) died at the age of 11. The cause of Willie’s death is believed to be typhoid fever.

9. Thomas “Tad” Lincoln III (4/4/1853–7/15/1871) died at age 18. His death has been attributed to various causes: pleurisy, pneumonia, tuberculosis and congestive heart failure. He was 12 years old when his father died. His paternal grandfather was the first Thomas Lincoln, and a paternal uncle the second. The tradition of pardoning turkeys at Thanksgiving has its origins with Tad Lincoln.

10. Abraham Lincoln’s last living grandchild, Jessie Harlan Lincoln, died on 1/4/1948. She was Robert Lincoln’s youngest child. Her son, Robert Todd Lincoln Beckwith who died on 12/24/1985, was the 16th President’s last undisputed descendant.

Finally, here is a video called “Most Obscure Abraham Lincoln Fact Ever” It’s a tough one to get even if you are a zombie movie aficionado. Maybe you just have to know the name of Lincoln’s dog.

Jeopardy! had an easier clue on the pooch in its March 1, 2013 game. You didn’t have to know the pup’s moniker. They gave it to you. You just had to know who was president in the early 1860s.

More Abraham Lincoln Trivia from Constitution Daily