The Step-mother Who Shaped a President
It's difficult to think of Abraham Lincoln as anything other than the great leader we know him to have been, but his life could have been drastically different if not for one woman, his Step-mother.
It was in the year 1818 that nine year old Abraham Lincoln lost his mother and his champion, Nancy. His father, Thomas, was a cold, stern man who was unable to read or write; it was young Abe's mother who had been the one to encourage the education of her two children. Between the two parents there's no doubt that she was the one who was nurturing and loving. Upon her unexpected death, Abe, the younger of the two children was left primarily in the care of his 11 year old sister while their father earned a living. Being just a child herself, Abe's sister was unequipped to take on the responsibility of her brother and their home. Things quickly began to fall apart in the Lincoln household.
As was common at the time, Thomas Lincoln soon arranged a marriage of convenience with a recently widowed woman he had known from their former home in Kentucky. Her name was Sarah Bush, she was 31 years old and she brought to the family three children of her own.
Upon arriving at the Lincoln homestead she found the two Lincoln children so dirty and unkempt that she made bathing them her very first task. She soon brought order back into the children's lives and In the coming days she would take on the role of a loving mother, treating them just as she did her own children.
Young Abe was found to be intelligent and warm and very open to the attention she gave. His new step-mother picked right up where his mother had left off, encouraging his curiosity, love of reading and sense of humor. She was also the boys biggest defender, often standing up for Abraham during the frequent arguments between the father and son. The relationship that developed between Abe and Sarah was strong and the two remained close even as Abe became an adult. She was the one he referred to later in life when he spoke of his "Mother".
What would have happened to young Abraham Lincoln if Sarah Bush hadn't come into his life? We can only guess. What we do know is that the love and care she gave him made a tremendous positive impact on his personality and character and equipped him to become one of our greatest presidents.
We should never underestimate the positive influence we can have in the lives of our children. At the Center of Hope we work to keep people fed, clothed, and housed, but our highest priority work is to help make healthy families. Healthy children are raised by parents who have the right knowledge, skills... and love... just like Sarah Bush Lincoln. That's why the Center of Hope puts an emphasis on helping parents and grandparents become equipped to raise their kids as well as maintain the household. The Center of Hope offers a large selection of classes on subjects such as pregnancy and birth, child care, life skills, money management, and more. But it doesn't stop there, we also offer small groups, mentoring, friendship, and hope!
If you'd like to get involved with the Center of Hope, either as someone who needs help, or as a volunteer, please contact us at (810) 620-8167
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