Comparison Of Abraham Lincoln's Parentage And Childhood

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Hand-crafted and standing 88 inches tall, this cherry wood cupboard was said to be made by Thomas Lincoln. The corner cupboard has a four-door layout, with two larger doors on top and two smaller doors on the bottom. Three shelves are revealed when the two upper doors are opened. The uppermost doors boast large wooden strips on the outer edge, with intricate matching decorations on each. The design on the strips include a circle at the top with a four-point star in the center. The rest of the strip is laid out in a streamer design, branching off into diamonds at the end. The top front of the cupboard displays a “hole and tooth” design across it. While it has not been one hundred percent proven authentic, two researchers have declared that …show more content…

The builder, Thomas Lincoln, is Abraham Lincoln’s father. Whether Lincoln ever admitted it or not, he probably looked up to his father at one point or another like most young boys his age. As Louis Warren writes in his book Lincoln’s Parentage & Childhood, “[a] boy has been and always will be a hero-worshipper, and his first hero is usually the father” (Warren 133). If the statement stands true, then Thomas Lincoln probably played quite a large role in Lincoln’s life growing up. Lincoln inherited more from his father than meets the eye. Thomas Lincoln’s character and moral were said to be very respectful and polite. He was noted as “a good man, a good husband, and a good father” by many (NPS). The neighbors knew they could depend on him when needed and no one reported ever having a major problem with him. Thomas also made sure to do his best to provide for his family. After the death of his first wife, Nancy Hanks, he remarried within a year because he knew his family needed it. While it is not sure if him and his new wife Sarah Bush Johnston were “in love” it is quite clear it was at least a marriage of convenience. Sarah needed help with her new debt from her deceased husband and Thomas needed someone to help around the house and take care of the kids. Thomas clearly passed on his honesty, respectfulness, and sense of duty to his son