How an 11-Year-Old Girl Changed Abraham Lincoln’s Face Forever

“One sweet letter, a bearded president, and a stamp that still tells the story“

by Collectors Abode | Uploaded May 11, 2025

In 1860, America was picking its next president. Everywhere people looked—on posters, in newspapers, even on buttons—they saw Abraham Lincoln’s face.

He looked tall, serious, and completely clean-shaven (no beard at all!).

One day, a man named Norman Bedell came home from the county fair with two pictures—one of Lincoln and one of his vice presidential pick, Mr. Hamlin.

His 11-year-old daughter Grace studied Lincoln’s photo carefully. Something didn’t look quite right to her.

This was perfect timing. Lincoln had just taken a fancy new photo with a famous photographer named Mathew Brady.

While this picture made Lincoln look more presidential, Grace noticed something even the fancy photo couldn’t fix—his cheeks still looked too thin.

So, with a pencil and a brave heart, she wrote him a letter. “Dear Mr. Lincoln,” she said, “I think you would look better with whiskers.”

She wasn’t being mean—she had a smart idea. Grace explained that if Lincoln grew a beard, ladies would like it and tell their husbands to vote for him!

With the confidence of a seasoned political strategist, she even boasted that she could get her elder brother to vote for him if only Lincoln would soften those harsh angles with some facial hair.

Some grown-up politicians had actually told Lincoln the same thing days before! But Grace’s letter was special because she said it like a kid would—honest and straightforward.

She didn’t just want Lincoln to win; she wanted him to look like a president.

Lincoln Listened: The Rest of the Story

Surprisingly, Lincoln wrote back! He thanked Grace but said he wasn’t sure—maybe people would laugh?

But something must have stuck. Lincoln’s whiskers slowly started to grow after he won the election in November 1860. The beard came in strong when he left Illinois to head to Washington, D.C.

*Statue of Grace Bedell and Abraham Lincoln, Westfield, New York*
*Credit:* *National Parks Service, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons*

And then—something magical happened. Lincoln stopped in Grace’s hometown during his train trip to the capital. He spotted her in the crowd, pointed, and said, “Look at my whiskers! I grew them just like you asked.”

He hugged Grace, and just like that, a little girl’s letter had changed the face of a president.

That beard wasn’t just for style. During the tough years of the Civil War, Lincoln’s face—tired, bearded, and kind—became a symbol of hope for millions of Americans.

Photos from the time show how much he aged during the war. His eyes were heavy, and his cheeks were sunken.

But that beard, the one Grace suggested, made him look wise and strong. It reminded people that even in the most challenging times, they had a leader who cared.

The Stamp That Made Lincoln’s Beard Famous

After Lincoln was tragically assassinated in April 1865, the nation mourned deeply. The government wanted a way to honor him, and in 1866, they released a special stamp named 1866 15¢ Black Lincoln Stamp (Scott #77)—the first ever to feature a fallen president.

*1866 15¢ Black Lincoln Stamp (Scott #77) – The first stamp honoring a U.S. president after death.*

It showed Lincoln just as the country remembered him: bearded, brave, and full of wisdom.

The portrait used for the stamp came from a famous 1864 photo taken by Anthony Berger, showing Lincoln’s full beard, just like Grace had imagined.

*Abraham Lincoln with a Beard*
*Photo credit:* *The Met Fifth Avenue*

This stamp cost 15 cents—back then, that was a lot! It was mainly used for overseas mail and big packages.

Because it was pricey, not many were used. Today, that makes it a rare treasure for collectors.

A Timeline: From Letter to Legacy

1860: Grace Bedell writes her famous letter
1861: Lincoln grows his beard and hugs Grace in Westfield
1864: A bearded Lincoln is photographed by Anthony Berger
1866: The U.S. releases the first Lincoln memorial stamp featuring that beard

Grace Bedell didn’t have power, money, or fame. But she had an idea—and she shared it. Her tiny voice helped create a significant change that shaped how we remember Abraham Lincoln even today.

Through stamps, photos, and stories, we can still feel that moment when a little girl helped a big man look a little more like a leader.

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