Abraham Lincoln Facts And Trivia: 17 Interesting Things About The President On His Birthday

What do you know about Abraham Lincoln? That he was the United States' 16th president? That he was tall? That he wore a top hat?

Friday would be Lincoln's 207th birthday if he were still alive, and one of the best ways to honor the former Commander-In-Chief is by learning about his life and legacy.

Lincoln was born Feb. 12, 1809, in Kentucky, though he was most professionally successful in Illinois. He worked several jobs before being elected — general store owner, postmaster and lawyer among them — and grew up poor. He also did a lot over his four years in office, including ending slavery and delivering the famous Gettysburg address. Ultimately, Lincoln was assassinated after being shot April 14, 1865, and died the next day.

Today, Lincoln is the most popular president in history, beating out George Washington and Franklin Roosevelt for the top spot. Here are 17 facts to celebrate his birthday:

Among his favorite foods were bacon, apples and oysters.

Lincoln's dad was only literate enough to write his name, but Lincoln could read and write.

He once argued before the U.S. Supreme Court.

Lincoln's mom died when he was little, but he had a stepmother named Sarah Bush Johnston.

He was a wrestler when he was younger.

He was in the U.S. House of Representatives for one term.

He ran and lost for Senate twice.

Lincoln had a serious girlfriend named Mary. They broke up, and he later married a different woman named Mary.

His Gettysburg Address was only 272 words long.

He helped organize the funeral of former President John Quincy Adams.

Lincoln's desk was disorganized, but he had a stack of papers that was labeled, "When you can't find it anywhere else, look into this."

He liked to read William Shakespeare works.

Lincoln had two cats, Tabby and Dixie. His wife chastised him when he fed them from the dinner table.

He had a patent for an invention that would lift boats over shoals in shallow water.

Legend has it Lincoln and his wife participated in séances in the White House to communicate with their late sons.

John Wilkes Booth, Lincoln's assassin, attended the president's second inaugural speech. "What an excellent chance I had to kill the President, if I had wished, on inauguration-day," he later said.

Lincoln lived until the morning after he was shot, but he was unconscious from the moment he was shot.