18 Feb 2004
A Timeline of Significant Events in the Life of Abraham Lincoln

Springfield Convention & Visitors Bureau

February 12, 1809 Abraham Lincoln is born in Hardin County, Kentucky.

April-July, 1831 Lincoln pilots a flatboat to New Orleans for Denton Offutt and returns to New Salem, 18 miles northwest of Springfield.

September 1831 Lincoln clerks in Denton Offutt�s store in New Salem.

March 9, 1832 Lincoln becomes a legislature candidate.

January 15, 1833 Lincoln and William F. Berry purchase a store in New Salem.

March 7, 1833 President Jackson appoints Lincoln as New Salem postmaster.

August 4, 1834 Lincoln wins his second bid for election to the Illinois House of Representatives.

February 24, 1837 Lincoln and eight friends are successful in passing a bill to move the state capital from Vandalia to Springfield.

April 15, 1837 Lincoln moves to Springfield, rooms with Joshua F. Speed, and becomes the law partner of John T. Stuart.

November 4, 1842 Lincoln and Mary Todd are married by the Rev. Charles Dresser in the home of her brother-in-law Ninian W. Edwards,.

August 1, 1843 Robert Todd Lincoln, the Lincoln�s first child, is born at the Globe Tavern.

January 16, 1844 The Lincoln�s purchase a home from Reverend Dresser for the price of $1,200.00.

March 10, 1846 The Lincoln�s second child, Edward Baker, is born.

August 3, 1846 With an unprecedented majority of 1,511 votes over his Democratic opponent Rev. Peter Cartwright, Lincoln is the only Whig among seven congressmen elected from Illinois.

February 1, 1850 Edward Baker Lincoln dies after a 52-day illness.

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December 21, 1850 Lincoln�s third son, William Wallace (Willie), is born.

April 4, 1853 Thomas (Tad), the Lincoln�s fourth son, is born.

Spring 1856 Contractors Hannan and Ragsdale enlarge the Lincoln�s family home from one and half stories to two full stories at a cost of $1,300.00.

June 16, 1858 Lincoln is chosen by Illinois Republicans to run for the U.S. Senate. In accepting, Lincoln gives his �House Divided� speech.

November 2, 1858 Although Lincoln gets a majority of the votes in the election, Stephen Douglas is re-elected because of gerrymandered legislative districts.

May 18, 1860 Lincoln is nominated for President on the third ballot by the Republican National Convention in Chicago.

November 6, 1860 Lincoln becomes the first Republican to be elected President of the United States.

February 11, 1861 President-elect Lincoln delivers his farewell speech to the people of Springfield from the rear of a train car at the Great Western Railroad Station.

March 4, 1861 Lincoln is inaugurated as the 16th President of the United States.

February 20, 1862 William (Willie) Wallace Lincoln dies. He is the second son the Lincolns have lost.

April 14, 1865 Actor John Wilkes Booth shoots Lincoln in Ford�s Theatre.

April 15, 1865 Abraham Lincoln is pronounced dead at 7:22 a.m. in the home of William Petersen.

May 3, 1865 The funeral train reaches its destination in Springfield at 9:00 a.m. The body is escorted to the Illinois State Capitol building.

May 4, 1865 Lincoln is buried in Oak Ridge Cemetery, Springfield.

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Media Contact: Sharon Johnson +1 (217) 789-2360, ext 136 sjohnson@springfield.il.us