Today in American history…Abraham Lincoln was born in 1809 🇺🇸

Louisa Adams was born February 12, 1775. Did you know that she was the very first First Lady to be born in a foreign country? She was born and raised in London. She met her husband, John Quincy Adams, while he was serving as a U.S. Minister in London and they were married in London July 26, 1797.

(Picture courtesy of The Historical Homemaker Bakery & Cafe)

On the eve of Abraham Lincoln’s birthday we would like to share with you one of President Lincoln’s favorite desserts.

(Recipe from Lincoln’s Table by Donna D. McCreary was adapted by Janice Cooke Newman)

1 cup blanched almonds, chopped in a food processor until they resemble a coarse flour
1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
3 cups flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup milk
6 egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
confectionary sugar 

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a Bundt cake pan. 
• Cream butter and sugar. Sift flour and baking powder 3 times. Add to creamed butter and sugar, alternating with milk. Stir in almonds and beat well.
• Beat egg whites until stiff and fold into the batter. Stir in vanilla extract. 
• Pour into prepared pan and bake for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Turn out on a wire rack and cool. When cool, sift confectionary sugar over top

A basic white frosting sprinkled with almonds was also popular. 

Today in American history…William Henry Harrison was born in 1773. He was our 9th US President and unfortunately had the shortest Presidency (March 4 – April 4, 1841) due to becoming ill and passing away shortly after his inauguration. Unfortunately, he was the very first President to die in office. He also holds the record of having the longest inauguration speech (8,445 words which took nearly 2 hours to read!)

I am going to post a historical recipe a few days a week. Something you could make in your own kitchen! If you make the recipe take a picture and share with us 🍪

Here is the recipe for Laura Bush’s Cowboy Cookies.

(Photo Credit: The Historical Homemaker Bakery & Cafe)

Millard and Abigail Fillmore were married today in 1826. Did you know that Abigail was once President Fillmore’s teacher? They both had a lifelong passion for learning. By all accounts, they had a loving marriage and were happily married until she passed away in 1853.

These two people were not famous political leaders and didn’t do much to make their marks in history books…but to me…they are two of the most important and influential people in my life: My grandparents.

Today in history…Mario and Mary Marini were married in 1930 in a small town in Pennsylvania. My grandmother was born in the US to Italian/Austrian immigrants and my Grandfather was born in a small town near Florence in Italy. He stowed away to America (illegally!) as a young boy on a ship because he believed America was the land of bountiful opportunities. My grandparents met in a Speak-Easy and my great-grandfather was not thrilled with his daughters adoration for this tough Italian immigrant with gold teeth and tattoos. They fell in love, got married and well…the rest is history.

Here they are on their wedding day 90 years ago. Young and blissfully in love.

Happy anniversary Grandma and Grandpa! Much love to you in heaven.

Today in American History…the U.S. House of Representatives passed the 13th Amendment on January 31, 1865 to abolish slavery in the United States.

Today in American History…Franklin Delano Roosevelt was born in 1882

Four years ago, on a wet snowy day, I decided to do what I loved – write about American History.

As a child, I was always fascinated by the stories of our founding fathers and mothers.

Growing up in the suburbs of Washington, DC, I discovered that there was so much history to be discovered. Spent many field trips at Mount Vernon, Bull Run and Robert E Lee’s House (aka The Custis Mansion) and being that we lived near Arlington National Cemetery – it was literally my playground. I spent many hours as a child walking through the graves studying the soldiers names and wanting to know each and every life story of the soldiers. I felt a kinship in a strange sort of way.

As a mother, I would bring my children to all of the historic sites in our area and always encouraged my children the importance of American history – which thankfully instilled in them their love for American history to this very day.

I come from a long lineage of Americans on my fathers side in Vermont. My grandfather, when asked where he was from, would never say he was an American but always proudly say “I’m a Vermonter.”

My great-great grandfather, George Husband, proudly served in the 8th Vermont Regiment during the American Civil War. He was injured at Cold Harbor and lost a leg.

My grandfather, Mario Marini, an Italian immigrant who became a proud Nationalized citizen to his beloved America, fought in the Pacific during World War II.

From the beginning of my deciding to write this blog, I wanted to jut share my excitement and love of American history. And this is how The Historical Homemaker was born – in January 2016.

To honor our anniversary, we are doing a giveaway of one of my favorite books. It truly is one of the best books ever written of the Lincoln marriage (good and bad!) and I know that you will enjoy every detail of it.

All you have to do is go to our Facebook page and like and share. We will do the drawing at 5PM EST on Friday.

Thank you for your continued support of me throughout the years. It means the world to me!

Much love,

Coleen

Aka your Historical Homemaker