Abraham Lincoln Was a Licensed Bartender and Wrestling Champion

Abraham Lincoln's biography contains some surprising details. Before he became a lawyer and politician, he was a frontiersman with practical skills. Lincoln held a bartender's license and co-owned Berry and Lincoln's store and tavern in New Salem, Illinois in 1833. He was also one of the best wrestlers in his county.

Standing 6'4" with long arms and extraordinary strength, Lincoln was rarely beaten. Wrestling historians estimate he had approximately 300 matches with only one documented loss. He was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1992 as an 'Outstanding American.' Lincoln also received a patent in 1849 for a device to lift boats over shallow water — making him the only US president to hold a patent.