The Logan Daily News from Logan, Ohio • Page 4

OGAN DAILY NEWS Page 4 Thursday, February 12, 1953 Why Did Lincoln Grow That Beard? A Little Girl Persuaded Him To! I 3 'L, a :r.s S'- 1 'f "vfe- dfa 7 yw This is the grow-a-beord letter Miss Grace Bedeli sent Abraham Lincoln 'way back on Oct. 18, 1860. By RAYMOND WllCOVi Central Preez Correspondent WASHINGTON aU the history of Abraham Lincoln, there is no story more aDpealing than that of the little girl who persuaded the Civil war President to grow a beard. She wrote him that he would look better with a beard and if he grew whiskers all the ladies would urge their husbands to vote for him. The little girl was Grace Bedell.

11. of Westfield. N. Y. She lived on the shore of Lake Erie, south of Buffalo.

Her father, a blacksmith. favored the election of Lincoln. as did two of her brothers. However, two other brothers were for Stephen A. Douglas.

Young Grace, who also wanted Lincoln to be elected, was teased by her playmates. They said Lincoln was ugly. Then one day her father brought home a campaign poster which contained a picture of Lincoln and his vice presidential running mate, Hannibal Hamlin. THE-GIRL carefully looked over the picture and decided that what Lincoln needed was a beard. She then proceeded to write a letter, dated October 15.

1860. The first part read: "Bon. A. B- Lincoln, Dear Sir; My lather hat fust (come) home from the fair and brought home your picture and Mr. I am a tittle girl, it years old, but want you should be President of the United 8tates very much, so I hope you think me very bold to write to such a great man as you are.

Have you any little girls about as large as I am, if so give them my love and tell her to write me if you cannot answer this letter. I have got tour hrothere and part of them witt vote for you any way and if you will let your whiskers grow I will try to get the rest of them to vote for you. You would look a great deal bet iawsiirjwi hmi i Grace Bedell, as she looked in late middle life. ter for your face is so thin. All the ladies like whiskers and they would tease their husbands to vote for you and then you would be President Four days later.

Lincoln took time out from his presidential campaign to answer his young correspondent. His letter, w'hich he wrote himself, follows: "Miss Grace Bedell, My dear little Miss, Your very agreeable letter of the 15th is received. I regret the necessity of saying I have no daughters. I have three eons, one seventeen one nine, and one seven years of age. They, with my mother, constitute my whole family.

As to the whiskers, having never worn any, do you not think people would call it a piece of silly affection if I were to begin it nowf Your very sincere well-wisher, A. Lincoln." SHORTLY thereafter. Grace found the letter from Lincoln waiting for her when she called at the village poatoflftce for the family mail. Surprised and excited when she s's MMkm discovered Lincoln had answered her letter himself, the girl dashed out into an early October snowstorm with the open letter clutched in her hand. The wet snowflakes blotched the letter and their imprint is still to be seen on the paper, now yellowed writh age.

The election saw Lincoln chosen President and the following February 16 the Incoming chief executive passed through Westfield en route to Washington to be inaugurated. Grace was now famous in her community for the exchange of letters writh the new President. She was selected by her neighbors to present Lincoln with a bouquet of yellow roses. LINCOLN, greeting the assembled throng, told his listeners that he had a In Westfield and asked if she was present Someone boosted the little girl into Lincoln's arms. Whereupon he pointed to a three-month-old growth of whiskers and remarked: see, Grace, I let them grow for The letter wTitten by Grace is in the possession of Congressman George A.

Dondero, of Royal Oak, Mich. Together with a photograph of reply, they rank among his most prized possessions. Dondero obtained the letter from Mrs. Robert Todd Lincoln, widow of the martyred President's son, during a visit to her home near Manchester, N. H.

He also visited correspondent, Mrs. Grace Bedell Billings. at Delphos. Kans. Mrs.

Billings was then 80 years old. a white-haired, distinguished looking woman, widow of a Civil Union veteran. The touching letter Mrs. Billings wrote so many years ago has been covered for Dondero by the Library of Congress to preserve it against the ravages of time. The ink is now brown with age, but the words meticulously 92 years ago by a little girl to a great man are still clear and easy to read.

75 U. S. Families Routed By Floods ESSLINGEN, Germany cost of rehabilitating American families stricken by last floods in Britain has been estimated at $12,000, the American Red Cross headquarters here reported today. Robert X. Lewis, the director of operations, said at least 16 Americans were killed and 71 families were left homeless.

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