Let Freedom Ring

Fashion Advice from 11-Year-Old May Have Helped Lincoln

by Jay Hastings

Just about every president has had a distinguishing characteristic about them we identify with. Our Nation’s 16th President, Abraham Lincoln, for example, wore his iconic beard and top hat. There is a very interesting story about how Lincoln’s beard may have evolved. It all started with a letter from an 11-year-old girl named Grace Bedell. Lincoln won the Republican nomination in May 1860, to which point he had been clean shaven. A few weeks before the November 1860 presidential election, an upstate New York father brought home a portrait of two men running for political office he had grabbed at the state fair. Knowing his daughter Grace was a supporter of the candidates, he presented the portrait to her. Grace immediately felt something needed to be done about Lincoln’s appearance, since he was running for a public office. You see, in 1860 beards were quite common among men who had difficulty finding a clean shave on a regular basis. Grace set out determined to notify Mr. Lincoln of her concern and sent him a letter dated October 15th 1860.

GRACE BEDELL

“Dear Sir,

My father has just home from the fair and brought home your picture and Mr. Hamlin’s. I am a little girl only 11 years old, but want you should be President of the United States very much so I hope you won’t 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 to me if you cannot answer this letter. I have yet got four brothers and part of them will vote for you any way and if you let your whiskers grow, I will try and get the rest of them to vote for you would look a great deal better 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. My father is going to vote for you and if I was a man I would vote for you to but I will try to get everyone to vote for you that I can I think that rail fence around your picture makes it look very pretty I have got a little baby sister she is nine weeks old and is just as cunning as can be. When you direct your letter direct to Grace Bedell Westfield Chautauqua County New York.

I must not write any more answer this letter right off. Good bye, Grace Bedell”

Abraham Lincoln read Grace’s letter and actually responded back to her.

“Springfield, Ill Oct 19, 1860 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 sons — one seventeen, one nine, and one seven, years of age. They, with their mother, constitute my whole family. As to the whiskers, having never worn any, do you not think people would call it a silly affectation if I were to begin it now?

Your very sincere well-wisher A. Lincoln”

Abraham Lincoln won the November 6 presidential election and within a month of receiving Grace’s letter had a full beard. As Lincoln rode his inauguration train across the country, there were several assassination plots discovered. President Lincoln arrived in Washington wearing a disguise and no doubt the beard played a very important role. In February of the next year, President Lincoln made a point to travel to Westfield, New York to meet a very special person named Grace Bedell. Grace recalled years later President Lincoln saying to her, “Gracie look at my whiskers; I have been growing them for you.” Today there stands a pair of statutes in Westfield, New York honoring this meeting between Grace and President Lincoln.

Abraham Lincoln before Grace Bedell’s letter

after