Lincoln’s first love, however, had a sad termination. The object of his
affections at that time was Anne Rutledge, whose father was one of the
founders of New Salem. Like Miss Owen, Miss Rutledge was also born in
Kentucky, and was gifted with the beauty and graces that distinguish
many Southern women. At the time that Mr. Lincoln and Anne Rutledge were
engaged to be married, he thought himself too poor to properly support
a wife, and they decided to wait until such time as he could better his
financial condition. A short time thereafter Miss Rutledge was attacked
with a fatal illness, and her death was such a blow to her intended
husband that for a long time his friends feared that he would lose his
mind.