Tad Lincoln

Tad Lincoln
Lincoln wearing a military-style uniform, c. 1860s
Born	Thomas Lincoln III (1853-04-04)April 4, 1853 Springfield, Illinois, U.S.
Died	July 15, 1871(1871-07-15) (aged 18) Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Resting place	Lincoln Tomb at Oak Ridge Cemetery
Education	Elizabeth Street School
Parent(s)	Abraham Lincoln Mary Todd Lincoln
Relatives	See: Lincoln family tree

Thomas "Tad" Lincoln III (April 4, 1853 – July 15, 1871) was the fourth and youngest son of Abraham and Mary Lincoln. The nickname "Tad" was given to him by his father, who found him "as wiggly as a tadpole" when he was a baby. Lincoln was known to be impulsive and unrestrained, and he did not attend school during his father's lifetime. He had free run of the White House, and there are stories of him interrupting presidential meetings, collecting animals, and charging visitors to see his father. He died at the age of 18 on July 15, 1871, in Chicago.

Lincoln was born on April 4, 1853, the fourth son of Abraham Lincoln and Mary Todd. His three elder brothers were Robert (1843–1926), Edward (1846–1850), and William (1850–1862). Named after his paternal grandfather Thomas Lincoln and uncle Thomas Lincoln, Jr., the fourth boy was soon nicknamed "Tad" by his father, for his small body and large head, and because he wiggled like a tadpole as an infant. Lincoln's first name has occasionally been erroneously recorded as Thaddeus.

Lincoln was born with a form of cleft lip and palate, causing him speech problems throughout his life. He had a lisp and delivered his words rapidly and unintelligibly. Often only those close to Lincoln were able to understand him. For example, he called his father's bodyguard, William H. Crook, "Took", and his father "Papa Day" instead of "Papa Dear". The cleft palate contributed to uneven teeth; he had such difficulty chewing food that his meals were specially prepared.

Lincoln and his brother Willie were considered "notorious hellions" during the period they lived in Springfield. They were recorded by their father's law partner William Herndon as having turned their law office upside down, pulling the books off the shelves, while their father appeared oblivious to their behavior.