Lincoln Biography
West Chester, Chester County, Pennsylvania
Marker Inscription
The first published biography of Abraham Lincoln was printed in this building on Feb.11, 1860. It was prepared from Lincoln's own notes and served to introduce him to the public as a potential presidential candidate.
Erected by Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
The Story
In February 1860, as the nation edged toward disunion, the first published biography of Abraham Lincoln came off a press in this West Chester building. Drawn from Lincoln's own notes, the campaign biography introduced a still little-known prairie lawyer to eastern readers just as he was emerging as a presidential contender. Such biographies were a key tool of 19th-century politics, shaping how voters met a candidate they would never see in person.
Why it matters
This modest printing helped make Lincoln a national figure in the pivotal election year of 1860, a contest whose outcome would decide the fate of slavery and the Union.
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Related people
- · Abraham Lincoln
Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
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