Mary Todd Lincoln

Hello, my name is Mary Todd Lincoln. I was born a long time ago, on December 13th, 1818, in a big, busy house in Lexington, Kentucky. I had many brothers and sisters, and our home was always full of activity. More than anything, I loved to read books and learn new things. I was lucky because I got to go to school, which was a very special opportunity for a girl back then. Learning about the world through books was my favorite thing to do, and it helped me dream about what my future might be like.

When I was a young woman, I moved to a new city called Springfield, Illinois, in the year 1839. I went to live with my sister, and it was there that my life changed forever. I met a very kind and very tall lawyer whose name was Abraham Lincoln. We had so much fun together. We would talk for hours about books, ideas, and our hopes for the future. He made me laugh, and I enjoyed his company very much. After getting to know each other, we decided to get married. We were married on November 4th, 1842. We started our new life together and soon began our family. We had four wonderful sons, and our home was filled with their energy and laughter.

In 1861, my husband, Abraham, became the president of the United States. This was a very exciting time for our family as we moved all the way to Washington, D.C., to live in the White House. As the First Lady, I felt it was my job to make the White House a beautiful and proud home for our country. I wanted everyone who visited to feel welcome and to see it as a special place. This was also a very sad time in our country’s history because of the American Civil War. To help, I often visited soldiers in hospitals. I would talk with them and bring them flowers and treats to try and bring them some comfort and cheer during such a difficult time.

Our country felt a great sadness when my dear husband, President Lincoln, was lost in 1865. My life was filled with many happy moments with my family, but it also had very sad times, like losing my husband and three of my four beloved sons. I lived to be 63 years old. Today, I hope people remember me as a First Lady who loved her family and her country very much. I hope they see that I stood with strength during one of the most difficult times in America's history and always tried my best to support my husband and our nation.