The Women: Anne Rutledge (1813-1835)
Mr. Lincoln was attracted to intelligent women. Anne Rutledge was described by James Short as “a good looking, smart, lively girl, a good house keeper, with a moderate education…”1
Anne was “very handsome and attractive, as well as industrious and sweet-spirited. I seldom saw her when she was not engaged in some occupation – knitting, sewing, waiting on table, etc.” wrote Harvey Lee Ross, who often boarded at the Rutledge family tavern in New Salem. “I think she did the sewing for the entire family. Lincoln was boarding at the tavern and fell deeply in love with Anne, and she was no less in love with him. They were engaged to be married, but they had been putting off the wedding for a while, as he wanted to accumulate a little more property and she wanted to go longer to school.”
http://www.mrlincolnandfriends.org/the-women/anne-rutledge/
