c. 1860
The little girl who told
Abe Lincoln to grow a beard
“All the ladies like whiskers.”
c. 1846
Springfield, Illinois — Early portrait of Abraham Lincoln.
IMAGE: CORBIS
and I mean to write and tell him so.
IMAGE: CORBIS
Abraham Lincoln became president of the United States in October 1860 at the age of 51. But a few weeks earlier he had been judged unequal to the task by 11-year-old Grace Bedell. Young Grace wrote to Lincoln pointing out what was, in her eyes, a serious defect: his lack of facial hair.
c. 1860
Half figure seated portrait of Abraham Lincoln, sixteenth president of the United States.
IMAGE: CORBIS
Oct. 15, 1860
Grace Bedell’s letter to Abraham Lincoln.
IMAGE: DETROIT PUBLIC LIBRARY, BURTON HISTORICAL COLLECTION
IMAGE: CORBIS
Lincoln wrote back to Grace in the letter below.
(Some experts believe the letter’s spots are from snowflakes landing on the paper, as Grace hurriedly read the letter on her way home from the local post office.)
Oct. 19, 1860
Abraham Lincoln to Grace Bedell.
IMAGE: BENJAMIN SHAPELL FAMILY MANUSCRIPT FOUNDATION
IMAGE: CORBIS
1858
Beardstown, Illinois — Believed to be one of the last photos made before Lincoln grew a beard.
IMAGE: BETTMANN/CORBIS
Less than a month after receiving Grace’s letter, Lincoln had a beard.
Nov. 25, 1860
The first photograph to show Lincoln’s beard.
IMAGE: LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
On his inaugural train journey from Illinois to Washington D.C., Lincoln stopped in Westfield, New York (Grace’s hometown) and asked to meet her.
Nov. 8, 1863
IMAGE: CORBIS
I never saw him again.
In 2009, almost 150 years later, a Liz Bedell, then a 23-year-old staff member in the U.S. House of Representatives, was exploring the Library of Congress’ Lincoln bicentennial exhibition. She saw the original letter from Grace, and Lincoln’s reply, in a display case.
In the exhibition’s visitor log, she wrote: “I cried my eyes out when I saw the letter from Grace Bedell to Abe Lincoln — she’s my great-great aunt, and I grew up with the story not really believing it.”
