Abraham Lincoln's Will: Estate, Family & Emancipated Slaves

Abraham Lincoln died intestate (without a valid will). The document often circulated as "Lincoln's will" is a fabrication or later reconstruction—likely from a 1909 pamphlet or fictionalized account.

Actual Estate Settlement

• Administrator: David Davis (Supreme Court Justice, close friend) appointed by Sangamon County Court.
• Estate Value: ~$110,000 (≈$2M today) – mostly salary, investments, Springfield home.
• Distribution (per Illinois intestacy law):
  • Widow Mary Todd Lincoln: 1/3 (~$36,000) + dower rights to home.
  • Sons Robert, Tad (Willie died 1862): 2/3 split (~$74,000 total).
• No provision for emancipated slaves—Lincoln never owned slaves; the Emancipation Proclamation freed others' slaves.
• Mary's later struggles: She lobbied Congress for a pension (granted 1870: $3,000/yr); spent heavily, was briefly committed (1875).

The Mythic "Will" Text

The sentimental version (bequeathing Union, $100 to freed slaves, etc.) reflects how Americans wished Lincoln had written his will—a moral testament, not a legal one.