Thomas Lincoln
Father of the Sixteenth President
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Thomas Lincoln, the father of President Abraham Lincoln, was born in 1778 and his life story can be seen as a paradigm of the American experience of settling the west from the time of the founding of the country up to the pre-Civil War period. He was a pioneer who conquered the wilderness, built his own cabins and furniture, and supported his family with farming and carpentry. Born in Virginia, he lived in Kentucky, Indiana (where his son grew up) and Illinois. He set an example of honesty (his son was known as Honest Abe), hard work, diligence and morality that helped create the Abraham Lincoln who became president of the United States.
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About the Book
Thomas Lincoln, born in 1778, conquered the wilderness, built cabins and furniture, and supported his family as a farmer and carpenter. But his most important job was helping to raise Abraham Lincoln, who would become the sixteenth president of the United States of America.
His story reveals what the American experience was like for those who settled the West leading up to the nation’s pre-Civil War period. He set an example of honesty, morality, hard work, diligence, and good humor—all traits that were also associated with his son, Abraham, known as “Honest Abe.”
Charles H. Coleman, Ph.D., the former Chair of the Department of History at Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, Illinois, and his daughter, Mary Coleman, explore Thomas Lincoln’s life in detail—starting with his ancestors in England to his death in 1851.
Despite the mythology that grew up around Abraham Lincoln, at the time of his father’s death, the family owned as much if not more than many of their neighbors. Success did not come easy, but Thomas Lincoln established the foundation that allowed his son to become a man who will always be remembered.
About the Author
Charles H. Coleman, Ph.D., was the Chair of the Department of History at Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, Illinois. The main building on campus is named after him and is called Coleman Hall. He spent more than ten years researching the life of Thomas Lincoln. His daughter, Mary Coleman, compiled this book.