Grace Greenwood Bedell Billings was the person who, at the age of 11, wrote to Abraham Lincoln, then just a candidate, urging him to grow his now-iconic beard: “All the ladies like whiskers and they would tease their husbands to vote for you and then you would be President.”

His ridiculously charming reply:

My dear little Miss Your very agreeable letter of the 15th is received - I regret the necessity of saying I have no daughters - I have three sons - one seventeen, one nine, and one seven years of age -As to the whiskers have never worn any do you not think people would call it a silly affriction if I were to begin it now? Your very sincere well wisher A. Lincoln