Hannibal Hamlin

Biography

Hannibal Hamlin, born in 1809 in Maine, rose through state politics to become Abraham Lincoln's first vice president, lending his voice to the antislavery cause and playing a diplomatic role in the troubled early years of the Civil War.

After serving in the national executive branch, he returned to Maine, where he again represented his state in the U.S. Senate, championing veterans' affairs and continuing to advocate for the Union he had helped preserve.