6 ullf'tin ot Tb~ Lin('o1n Nationa l Lite Foundatlo-n • , • Dr . R~ cf' ... ld !.U('~Iurtry, EditOf' Publi.eh4'CI ~o('h month b:r Th~ U n~ln National U fe ln,ur•nee Compan.r. Fo11 Wayne. lndi.aaa Number 1557 FORT WAYNE, INDIANA November, 1967 Mr. Lincoln's Whiskers Abraham Lincoln was the oft.-N-J>f!lltfd vlewe o( the dauuer~tyr~; which we first President of the United woor •u• tokcne or our de-­ States to wear a beard, and ~·ot~nt>M w you: we have com~ to the c.andkl det~tnnln­ in the late months of 1860 allon ttUit these medal• wo\lld and the early months of be much im11roved in BPa>eAr• 1861 practically everybody nnce, provided Y'OU would cul­ was talking about this tivat~ whlakeNI and Wl!'ar "noble hirsute a-ppendage" eundinsr eolla.rs. Believe u:fl nothinll but an which the President- elect t'arnest dHire thAt "out" can· had affected. When Lincoln's didate.. should bt the beet beard first started to grow, Jookinll •e well aa the be3t of a newspaper reporter with the rival c-andidate.. would induce u• to upon a whimsical sense of hun1or YOur valued time.'""'*" wrote that uthe President Your moat .Sncere and was putting on (h)airs." t'ftr-n('tl.t. we11 wi~C'rlf. Those close to Lincoln in True ~Publicans the Republican party were P.S. We rt!all1 fear Yot('5 will be 101\t t.O ··,b~ c-ause·• unlt"M quick to point out that OUT "~eent1C' hinte'" are atl~nd· bearded men of action were cd ,o, now destined to take over '!'. R. t.he reins of government Add~ in N>PI.y box U.U, New York Cit.Y. from clean-shaven men who c. o. L. dressed in broadcloth and \Vhose chief attribute was It was eleven- year - old oratory. The opposition Crace Bedell of Westfi eld, press saw "something su­ New York. who forthright­ preinely ridiculous ... in ly broached the subject. She having a President-elect . .. wrote Lincoln that her fath­ devote his energies to culti­ er (Norman Bedell, a foun­ vating whiskers." Neverthe­ dry man) had brought Lin­ les:;, beards were becoming coln's picture home from popular in the 1860s. the fair, along with that of Mr. Hamlin (Lincoln's vice· Perhaps there were sev­ presidential running mate). eral good reasons why Lin­ She discreetly pointed out coln grew a beard while in her letter that "all the waiting to assume office. ladies like whiskers and Lincoln had no illusions they would tease their hus­ about his appearance, but bands to vote for you ... no one knows for certe.in If you would let your that he grew whiskers to whiskers g-row." Grace was cover up his home1iness. convincing. S he wrote, 'IJ Some influentia l political have got four brothers and leaders in the Republican part of them will vote for party advised a beard to Gruec Ued ell wrote 1\f r. Lincoln that " My fa ther ha.s ou anyway and i r you w ill give the incoming Presi­ r.et your whiskers grow 1 dent a look of distinction. just (come) home !rom the fair and b rought home your will try to get the rest of In the Robert Todd Lincoln p icture u.nd Mr. Hamlin's." Further on iii her letter •he them to vote for you/' She papers of the Library of made 1he comment that "your fate is so thin.n Undoubt­ continued, "You would look Congress. there is a let.tea· edly sh e "'as referring to the " National .Re publican Chart'"' a great deal better for your addressed to Lincoln, by the face is so thin." Lincoln's True Republicans, suggest· featuring the Prc.sidentiol Campaign or 1860. This broad· eleven-year.. old conespon­ ing that be should "culti­ side, n umsuring 2 8"x36"', was copyrighred in 1860 by ll. dent assured him, "My fath­ vate whiskers and wear II. Lloyd or' d Co., Inc. through the Clerk's Office of the er is going to vote for you standing collars." The let­ DiJS trict Co1trt for tlte Southern District New York. In ... i! I was a man I would ter, dated October 12. 1860, or vote for you to but I will (three days before Grace u lette r to It. W. F ny o ( DeKalh, Illinois, d nted April 3, try to get everyone to vote Bedell wrote Lincoln) fol­ 1890 1\lrs. Billings sta ted tha t '"a g lance ot the huge a n d for you that 1 can." lows: ga udy poster bro ug ht us children b y our (other WU:f ruther Lincoln replied to Grace Oeto~r 12. IS60 cli.s.np1)0inting ...'' Thi~ political broad side in color i$ on October 19, 1860, "As to To the Hon. Abm. Lintoln l)erb ap5 one of the mosl voluable ao be found tod oty i n the whiskers, having never Oett•• Sir :my Linco ln collection. The Fo undation h n5 owned an worn any, do you not think people would call it a piece Allow A num~r of ve1•y e xcelle nt copy lor many yea rtJ. Jn 1965 t\ COI)Y w id for earnan Republicans to In­ of silly affection (sic) if I timate to you, that 11fter ssoo. were to begin now?" 2 LINCOLN LORE '\l1arren from Delphos, Kansas, u h ''( /.. '... .. I,;_ . seems 80 re:nutrkob]e tl1nt the letter t r,, {1 ~,~ seot to i\lr. Uoeoln should still be in existenc:e, a foet ot which I was i«nor-­ ant u"ntil a little more than n year .· ago."' Westfield, Chautauqua Co., N.Y. Oct. 15, 1860. Hon. A. B. Lincoln, Dear Sir: My father has just home from the lair and bro u~tht home your picture and }fr. Hamlin's. I am a little girl only eleven years old, but want you should be Pres ident of the United States very much so I hope you won't think me very bold to write to s uch a great man i• .. ~ ,/ - ,;.n // ..r·~· as you are. Have you any little I if ~ > H girls about as large as am so .. , " · ~ ... )' ,., •• ",II'• '}I- r. give them my love and tell her to 1-·rom o MM('(IJ~ Notto~tol U Je ""'" h J .f.. ft .. (J,/ ,...~;. ·'-·/~ write me if you cannot answer this F<tt~Rd(di.oJt pl&oC<tgroph u-" /~ )• .'. I. I -'• ·•'' /1. .It If ~ letter. r have got four brothers This original letter was sold for $20,· ..._ ,.. I , ,.;.. /. /#--• /(.,-(':,.. .Y /!(., J and part of them will vote for you 000 to D••' id L. WolJ.H'r of Hollywood, I l .~ /. .... · ~..... ,.,.,. r.~ l ,,J !< any way and if you let your whisk­ California at tlu: Charles Hamilton /.,.A'"'':/ I(_, ~ ·./"' ~/ ; t; h".·, ,1. Ct'S grow I will try and get the Autograph Auction, held nt The Wal­ .,..,Ji,. , .. "' ,. " ~ .. ,/..,. •··"'U/4,(~., rest of them to vote for you you dorf A8toria in Ne~· York City on • ,..,, "·- ~ _.}. '/'"" ~/ .. G d'.. would look a great deal better for Murch 22, 1966. Mr. Wolpe r, a long· L. ,,_ /. 'Y'". A ,,fL.I J,... q. 4: your face is so thin. All the ladies time eoUeetor of Ch·il War documents, ~/ , .. _ .._'t; i ... r~;./ like whiskers and they would tease h eath up Wolper Produetion!S "'·hieh .., ,/,_/ their husbands to vote for you and .. '·1'.- .. il .IN... .......... t produees documentt1ry 6.1mJC for tc•lc·· then you would be President. My vi.siou. ~ .. ;7 ..1#,_, ~ father is a going to vote for you This letter, :ruarked " Prh•ate" at the (~. " .1ft and if I 'vas a man J would vote tOI) of the pac:e, i.s said to brn·e for you to but I will try to get changed " the taee" of histor)' ilnd it "'rom the /AKcoift Nati(lltal t.ife FotntdaliD)I every one to vote for you that 1 is one of the most publicized in oil This t,.·o pase letter, pre$4!rvcd by can. I think that rail fence around l.ineolniana. Jt is quoted in many ele· President· Lincoln, came into the p08 · your picture Jnakes it look very mentary sehool te%t books, and numer ­ se&$iOn of Robert Todd Lincoln on pretty. r have got a little baby ou.! books and pamphlets have f ea­ April IS, 186S. Upon hi• deuth Jul~· s ister, she is nine weeks old and is tured it bccatl!Se of its human interest 26, 1926 at Manchester, Vermont. the just as cunning as can be. When usp.cct. letter becanu~ the properl,. o£ M.ary you direct your Jetter direct to For mnny years this letter haiS been Hurlan Lineoln. ~Ira. Lineoln. think­ Grace Bedell, Westfield Chautau· retained as the property of Cruce Be· ins- the lener should bceome the prop· qua County, New York. I must dell ( BiUiogs') family. It was kept ert,. oC Mrs. Grace Bed ell Oillings, not write any more. Answer this in o bank ' 'ault in D elphos, K ansas ga,•e the doeument to the Hon. George letter right off. and exhibited onl~· on Sl>eeial OOC.U• A. Dondero-, n congressman from Good Bye. :dons. The Billings tamily receh•ed Royal Oak, Michi,an, to d eliver. Mr. GRACE BEDELL. many ofl'ers for the lener over the Dondeflo, upon offering the letter to years from .historical sodeties, private Airs.