06 February 2013

Are You Assuming It Is Lincoln?

This little quote floats around on the internet. Genealogists and others "tee hee" over it and how it makes a point about the accuracy of what you find on the internet, hasn't the former president been dead for over 100 years, etc. etc.

It makes another point as well--about assumptions.

There is no indication on this version of the quote that former United States President Abraham Lincoln is the  Abraham Lincoln being quoted. There's no picture of the former president. There are no dates of birth and date listed under his name. The phrase, "US President" is not used.

But the quote could just as easily have been said by one of the several living individuals named Abraham Lincoln. There's no source on this image for the quote so we don't know that it's being attributed to the former president.

Assumptions can get anyone in trouble. Especially genealogists.