William Wallace Lincoln

1850–1862 (age 12)

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Photograph of William Wallace Lincoln

Biography

William Wallace Lincoln was the young son of President Abraham Lincoln, born into a family thrust into the center of American political life during the turbulent years of the Civil War. Though his life was brief, he lived during the most consequential period in his father's presidency.

William Wallace Lincoln's death in 1862 brought profound grief to the Lincoln family during a time of national crisis. His memory is preserved at Lincoln Tomb, a testament to the personal sorrows that accompanied the nation's greatest trial. His short life remains a poignant reminder of the human dimensions of history.