Everyone knows I just love history and go down rabbit holes fairly frequently. I just love finding little-known things from the past and more often than not, I build a story around them. So I subscribed to Historyfacts.com and they email me every week with something historical.
Do you know how Abraham Lincoln used his top hat? This president was 6’ 4” and this top hat added nine or ten more inches which made him look like a giant. But this accessory was the rage in his day and the majority of men wore them. Even tall ones.
Back to the subject. How did Lincoln made good use of his hat? He stored papers in it. He kept all sorts of different, and sometimes important, documents on top his head inside his hat. And when he was in meetings with his generals, he’d often throw the papers at them to make a point.
Lincoln also kept correspondence in his hat. In 1850, he received a letter from politician Richard S. Thomas and stuffed it inside his hat, going about his business. Then he went out and bought a new hat, putting the old one aside. Weeks went on before he remembered the letter and finally had to apologize to Thomas for not replying sooner.
Maybe a lot of men had the problem of using their hat for a file cabinet! Any kind of document could be stored on top of the wearer’s head. So…the writer in me immediately conjured up a man getting a marriage license and putting it in his hat then forgetting about it. Or any correspondence that needed immediate attention. Or even food. So funny!!
Why haven’t I used this???? It’s a goldmine. The scenarios are endless.
But back to Lincoln. His hat once saved him from an assassination attempt when a gunman shot and the bullet went through the president’s top hat. Secret Service agents found his hat lying in an intersection and were able to discover the position where the gunman fired. I don’t know if they ever knew exactly the gunman’s identity or not. The article didn’t say.
Lincoln had to give many speeches and he stored them in…you guessed it. His top hat. So he’s at the podium, takes off his hat and gets his speech out. Then when he finishes, he stuffed it back in his hat and everyone had a good laugh. True story.
I hope you enjoyed this as much as I did. I never knew this about our tallest president.
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Question: Have you ever run across something fascinating, maybe some historical fact or something you read in a book? Or how about this. Think of a funny scenario that should be in a book involving a top hat. I’m going to give away a copy of my Christian historical Love’s First Light, either ebook or print, to one commenter.
Here in the Texas Panhandle, we do love our cowboys. There's just something about a man in a Stetson and jeans that makes my heart beat faster. I'm not much of a cook but I love to do genealogy and I'm a bit of a rock hound. I'm also a NY Times & USA Today bestselling author of historical western romance. You can contact me through my website and I'd love to connect with you on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and more. HAPPY READING!
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Fun facts.
Perhaps someone could sew/hide a valuable piece of jewelry into the inside lining of the hat. Just don’t lose it.
Denise, that’s an excellent suggestion. And very plausible. Wow. I can think of all sorts of things that would go with that. Very good!
That mail order brides was a real thing! These women were so brave!
Rhonda, those mail order brides were really interesting. And it’s still going on today. Women from foreign countries want to marry someone over here and there are websites where men go to look for one. Desperate women will do anything it takes to survive. Men have so many more opportunities than women, especially back in the 1800s. I always love to find actual accounts of mail order brides. Thank you for coming.
It would make a good hiding place for a spy. They could transport stolen documents without raising any suspicion. They could also be hidden in the lining. Or a small pistol could be hidden.
Ann, I love that. And so true! Even a weapon could be stored in a hat. Great suggestion. Thanks for coming to join in.
Fun blog to read Linda. I didn’t know Lincoln was so tall and his hat a popular item of attire! But then again, he seemed to always wear that hat when I think about it! When we visited Utah and went to the Arches National Park, I was fascinated by the writing on the canyon walls, etc. So interesting. History is just amazing.
Kathy, I totally agree about history being interesting. A lot of people roll their eyes and think it’s so boring, but history is rich in fun information. I love you dearly, sweet friend.
Hey Linda! How interesting! I always liked the stories where they found interesting items in the attic of an old house!
The top hat belongs to an old man on the train. He isn’t well. The young lady who sits across from him carries on a conversation. He is on his way to see his long lost son in the west. He tells her how he can’t wait to see his son, but is worried that his son might not be happy to see him. She falls asleep and wakes up and he is gone, except for the top hat laying beside her.
Tracy, wow! This scenario could go multiple ways. My mind is turning, thinking of what’s inside the hat. He could’ve been an angel. Or maybe a spy. Wow! I love this. Thanks for coming to join the conversation.
The fact that there were women scribes in biblical times has stuck with me for years. I plan to write a novel in 2025 with a woman scribe as the heroine. It’s been on the back burner for a long time since I’m mainly a Western writer.
Janice, that’s interesting. You could do a lot with a woman scribe. It was be very different though like you said and most of your readers are western fans. But that’s a great idea. Thanks for dropping by.
I did not know this about President Lincoln!
Teresa F, I didn’t either so I found it very interesting. History is filled with things like this. I’m always finding something. Thank you so much for dropping by.
Thanks for sharing.
Sharon, thank you so much for coming to read my post. Have a good day.
So many things but morning brain won’t allow me to remember any specifically right now
JCP, I know. Sometimes our brains go in hibernation and it’s hard to remember things. 🙂 Thank you for coming.
This was a fun article. I did not know men stored items in their hats except in the lining. Putting food up there would be hilarious. What if they forgot and the food started to spoil. It would start to smell. Ewe!
Hi Deb, exactly! An absent-minded man could definitely do that. Funny!! Thanks for coming. And thank you for your comment.
I was a History major in college and didn’t know these facts.
Becky, I can understand that. I think college courses are about dates and places, not people. If teachers and professors would bring up interesting things that students would love to know, they’d have greater success. Most history they teach is quickly forgotten. Thanks for coming.
I love these little facts which pop off the page from time to time. It is much more interesting than a long tale of some historical fact. Quick and be done, always very enlightening and funny at times.
Loved your recent ARC read.
Judy, I love finding and presenting them. I figure if it intrigues me, it will others too. I’m so glad you enjoyed the ARC. If you do reviews, maybe you’ll consider putting one up. Thank you so much. I hope you have a beautiful day.
Learn new facts about WWII and what the human race is capable of in a good way.
Kim, thank you so much for coming. It’s amazing how our ancestors solved problems. They were very smart and astound me at times. Have a beautiful day.
This is a surprise, and funny! Maybe he keeps something his girlfriend gave him in his top hat, or maybe he hides a gift for there.
Trudy, I think that’s a great scenario. I wouldn’t be surprised if some men did this in the past. Those top hats had a lot of room in them. Thanks so much for coming.
Well, I have seen a top hat once and it was on this ghostly gentleman’s head… I saw him once when I was babysitting my nephew. This man has followed my sister everywhere she has moved… none of us know why or who he is…
Colleen, how scary and mysterious. He sounds pretty dangerous. I wonder who it could be. That top hat would make him easy to spot. Maybe you should report him. It’s always so nice to see you.
Well he is a ghost and has not done anything dangerous beyond turning the lamp on or the sink to let us know he was around… but definitely mysterious.
Oh wow Linda this is an amazing fact that Lincoln kept important papers in his top hat. You learn something new every day I guess. It does seem you could keep a lot of things in the top hat, maybe even a even a small gun or knife for protection.
Quilt Lady, yes you absolutely could keep a gun or knife up there. That would be a handy place and no one would expect it under a hat. Thanks for coming. Yes, history is filled with fun things like this. Lincoln must’ve looked like a giant with that hat on. He made an easy target unfortunately.
Interesting info. I love reading a tidbit about history. Facts such as Lincoln keeping papers in his hat just makes the people come alive.
Yes, it does, Karijean. History books fail to show historical figures as real flesh-and-blood people. They’re just cardboard figures in a book. Thank you so much for coming.
Interesting facts about Lincoln. It would also be interesting to find out about women and what kind of things they might hide in their bras. Hah. Papers, keys, hankies, etc. Probably more unusual things than Lincoln’s speeches.
Jackie, you’re so right. It’s a fact that women used to hide all sorts of things in their bras. Money was fairly common to put in there. I once knew a woman who kept her cell phone in her bra. I thought that was a weird place to put it. Thank you for coming to join in the fun.
yes
No matter was genre of books I read, i always learn something new or pieces of puzzles fall together.
Someone had obtained Abe Lincoln’s top hat. He or she was showing to some people at a party. For some reason, they put down the hat and someone sat on it. Thank you so much for sharing. God bless you.
I come across interesting things in life and in books. I want to know all about it. I have often gone down the “rabbit hole” researching things only to realize hours later how long I have been at it. One thing I did follow up on was the use of mental institutions as a form of punishment and disposing of unwanted or inconvenient family members. This was many years ago when I was reading a book about early England. You made good use of this issue/practice in your Outlaw Mail Order Brides series. There is a blog by some British historical romance authors that I follow. Their posts sent me down so many long research trips that I hadn’t the time to visit them as often. It is interesting and enjoyable, but I could spend all day just following research links.
Pretty interesting facts about Lincoln. I remember reading about Navajo Code Talkers during World War II and being thoroughly fascinated about it. I love that about reading books that I am always learning new things.
I recall being fascinated (and also repelled) as a 5th grader by learning about pre-Columbian natives in South America performing brain surgery (strange historical knowledge). Although I couldn’t find info on the WWW, what I remember is that a person’s brain was altered or changed by withdrawing it through the nose and then returning it. Articles I did find said tools were used to make cuts in the cranium (trephination) in order to operate on the brain. Nowadays, the Army Medical Museum wouldn’t be my choice of a fun place to visit…
I would think money or secret correspondances.
We could start a new style where women wear top hats. We could use them to store tissues, gloves, lipstick, a mirror, etc. lol