Don Thacker speaks to the Columbia Torch Club on the Shifting Legend of Abraham Lincoln. Don Thacker, who has been a social work professional at the Veterans' Hospital since 1969, claims to have been a neighbor of Abraham Lincoln in Kentucky. So much for honesty in this story…unless Don is much older than he looks.

Thacker's talk at the May meeting of the Columbia Torch Club focused on his old friend, Honest Abe, the man who has had more written about him than any other person on earth, the man with a "shifting legacy."

Over the 144 years since Lincoln was gunned down at Ford's Theater, writers of all persuasions have claimed him as their hero. Even today, both Rush Limbaugh and Barack Obama worship Lincoln's memory.

Little known facts about Lincoln brought out by Thacker were

• Lincoln's mother died of milk sickness.

• Lincoln did not attend his father's funeral.

• Throughout his adult life Lincoln had spells of depression.

• Mary Todd Lincoln was a bi- polar shopaholic and padded her government clothes allowance with luxury items.

• At his inauguration in 1861, Lincoln offered the Confederate States an olive branch - "Don't leave the nation, keep slavery, and let's talk."

During the Civil War, Lincoln ran the war from his office - poorly. Only after Grant captured Vicksburg did Lincoln decide to allow Grant to hammer Lee until he capitulated.

At Lee's surrender, Don Thacker remembers Lincoln saying, "With malice toward none, with charity for all."

During the darkest of days, Lincoln was hopeful he could reunite the nation with clarity of purpose. But it wasn't to be in the mind of the actor, John Wilkes Booth.

The Columbia Torch Club meets monthly for tasty food and interesting lectures. Visitors are welcome. For information, call Ed Latimer at 803-776- 4765.