Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, was born on February 12, 1809, in Hodgenville, Kentucky, and was assassinated on April 15, 1865, in Washington D. C. His presidential term lasted from March 4, 1861, to April 15, 1865. Rising from a humble log cabin in rural Kentucky to the White House in Washington D. C., he practiced law in a log cabin courthouse on the Carlinville square and became known as the savior of the Union and emancipator of slaves, as well as one of the most respected U. S. Presidents.