THANK YOU TO MY 300,000+ VISITORS TO ‘A LITTLE TOUCH OF HISTORY’

Feb 16, 2010: Barry Cauchon

A LITTLE TOUCH OF HISTORY breaks the 300,000 visitor mark!

From the bottom of my heart I want to thank everyone who has visited my site over the past two years.  Since May, 2008, A Little Touch of History has had a steady following of wonderful viewers. As of sometime last night we just went over 300,000 visitors to this site. That honestly blows me away and I’ve very grateful to all of you.

I’ve met some great people thanks to this little blog of mine and made some long lasting friendships.

So to my friends, colleagues, research buddies and most importantly, my readers who find this information interesting, I say thank you for your tremendous support. You’ve applauded, challenged and even respectfully criticized my work, and that has made this a better blog… and me, a better person.

I hope 2010 allows me to share more interesting history with you and that we reach 500,000 visitors in no time at all.

Here’s hoping!

Best

Barry

outreach@awesometalks.com

HOW OLD WAS ABRAHAM LINCOLN WHEN …

February 14, 2010: Barry Cauchon

HOW OLD WAS ABRAHAM LINCOLN WHEN …

1. … he won the first of four straight terms in the Illinois State Legislature? The year was 1834 and Lincoln was 25 years old.

2. … he his brother and sister passed away? Abraham Lincoln had one brother and sister, Thomas and Sarah. Thomas died in infancy sometime between 1811 to as late as 1815 (real date unknown). Sarah was two years older than Abraham. She died during childbirth three weeks before her 21st birthday on January 21, 1828. Abe would have been somewhere between the ages of 2 and 6 when his brother died, and almost 19 when his sister died.

3. … he had his first love? Abraham Lincoln first love may have been Ann Mayes Rutledge but there is no concrete evidence to support this. It is assumed that they were at least good friends sometime between 1830 and 1835, when Ann died at the young age of 22 years old. Lincoln would have been between the ages of 21 and 26 years old during this period.

4. … he proposed to a woman named Mary Owens? 1837 was the year that Abraham Lincoln proposed to Mary Owens. To his surprise and disappointment she turned him down. Abraham was 28.

5. … he first met Mary Ann Todd, his future Mrs. Lincoln? It was in 1839 and Abe was 30.

6. … he and Mary got engaged? It was in the fall of 1840 which would make Lincoln 31 years old.

7. … he broke of his engagement with Mary Todd (a lot of you didn’t know that, did you)? It was in 1841 and Abraham Lincoln would have been 32 years old.

8. …he faced down James Shields in a duel. It was on Sept 22, 1842 and after calmer  heads prevailed, the duel was called off. Mr. Lincoln was 33 years old.

9. … married Mary Todd.  The date was Nov 4, 1842 and Abraham was 33 years old. Mary would be his wife  for  the next 22-1/2 years until his assassination in 1865.

10. …he was elected as President of the United States for his first term? Lincoln was elected to office on November 6, 1860 when he was 51 years old.

11. …he was elected as President of the United States for his second term? Lincoln was elected for a second term on November 6, 1864 when he was 55 years old.

12. …he was assassinated on April 14, 1865? Lincoln was 56 years old.

Thank you.

Best

Barry

outreach@awesometalks.com

FEBRUARY (2012) BIRTHDAYS FOR “LINCOLN” & HIS FRIENDS & FOES

AS OF FEBRUARY 2012

FEBRUARY 12, 2012:  Barry Cauchon

HAPPY 203rd BIRTHDAY ABE!

The picture below was sent to me three years ago by Corrine MaCauley on the 200th anniversary of Lincoln’s birth. I liked it so much I wanted to keep it here for awhile. Thanks Corrine.

Thank you to Corrine Macauley and the West Chester University of Pennsylvania for this creative birthday photo.

Here are some other February birthdays for Lincoln’s friends and foes. And perhaps a few contemporaries who lived during his time but whom he may not have been personally acquainted with.

  John Deere, pioneer manufacturer of agricultural equipment. Born February 7, 1804, Age 208.

  Charles Dickens, English novelist, Oliver Twist and Tale of 2 Cities. Born February 7, 1812. Age 200.

  Jules Verne, French sci-fi writer, From the Earth to the Moon. Born February 8, 1828. Age 184.

  Thomas Edison, American inventor. Born February 11, 1847. Age 165.

  Charles Darwin, discoverer of evolution, Origin of Species. Born February 12 , 1809. Age 203.

  Major General Winfield Scott Hancock. Senior military officer in charge of the Lincoln conspirator executions. Born February 14, 1824. Age 188.

  Susan B. Anthony. American activist, women’s suffragette. Born February 15, 1820.  Age 192.

  Victor Hugo, French author, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Les Miserables. Born February 26, 1802. Age 210.

  John G. Nicolay, Lincoln’s private secretary and co-biographer with John Hay. Born February 26, 1832.  Age 180.

  William “Buffalo Bill” Cody, American western frontiersman. Born February 26, 1846. Age 166.

  Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, poet. Born February 27, 1807. Age 205.

Happy birthday lady & gentlemen!

Best

Barry

outreach@awesometalks.com

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If you are interested in Abraham Lincoln, you should read these interviews by three Lincoln experts:

“An Awesometalk With” ROGER NORTON, Webmaster of the ‘Abraham Lincoln Research Site’ (posted on December 30, 2008)

“An Awesometalk With” DR. THOMAS SCHWARTZ, Illinois State Historian (posted on December 08, 2008)

“An Awesometalk With” HAROLD HOLZER, Lincoln Scholar (posted on November 10, 2008)

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HINDENBURG & OTHER AIRSHIP WEBSITE

February 7, 2010: Barry Cauchon

Thank you to all of you who have visited my blog over the last couple of years. As those of you following my work know, I am currently in the middle of writing a book with my writing partner John Elliott as well as possibly turning it into a documentary. When things happen fast, you need to go with the flow. So due to this, my blog output has ground to a crawl and for that I apologize.

However, when I find something that is historically interesting, or those that have great information find me, I like to pass it along to you as fast as I can. Case in point is a website about the Hindenburg and the other great airships of the 20’s and 30’s.

The site is run by Dan Grossman out of Atlanta, Georgia and he wrote the following note to me regarding an article I authored called “D-LZ 129 HINDENBURG . . . JUST THE FACTS, MA’AM”!”.

“Barry. You have done a great job of presenting the basic facts about the  Hindenburg for people who want a short, accurate summary. But for readers who want more information (photos, deck plans, flight schedules, flight operations, etc.), would you be willing to post a link to: http://www.airships.net/hindenburg at the end of your posting, for people who might not read all the comments?

Dan Grossman, Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Website: http://www.airships.net

Twitter: http://twitter.com/airships

Blog: http://feeds.feedburner.com/Airships

As the Hindenburg and the other great airships are not my specialty, but still hold wonderful historical interest for me, I recommend Dan’s website for those wanting to know much more about this subject.

Dan, thanks for your kind words and offers of assistance.

Keep up the great work.

Best

Barry

outreach@awesometalks.com