To hear the name Abraham Lincoln, we immediately think: Civil War, Emancipation Proclamation and the Gettysburg Address. But there are some lesser-known facets of his life that reveal quirks, struggles, and oddities about the man behind the legend. Consider these!

Wrestled His Way to Respect: Lincoln was a beast on the mat, reportedly losing just one of 300 matches in his youth. In 1831, he took on Jack Armstrong, leader of a rough gang called the Clary’s Grove Boys and won. The fight earned him their loyalty—less a presidential flex, more a backwoods badge of honor. Abraham Lincoln is even in the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.

Slinging drinks instead of speeches: Before politics consumed him, Lincoln co-owned a general store in New Salem, Illinois, with William Berry in 1833. They got a license to sell liquor, making Lincoln a legit barkeep. The store tanked; Berry drank too much of the stock, and Lincoln ended up selling his share to become an inventor!

Inventing a Boat-Lifting Device: Lincoln’s the only U.S. president with a patent to his name (No. 6,469, issued 1849). After a steamboat he was on got stuck in shallow water, he designed a system using inflatable bellows to lift boats over obstacles. It was never built or used, but it shows his tinkerer side – more mechanic than statesman at times.

Survived an Assassination Attempt Before 1865: Everyone knows about John Wilkes Booth, but in August 1864, a sniper took a shot at Lincoln while he rode alone near the Soldiers’ Home in D.C. The bullet punched through his stovepipe hat, missing his head by inches. He shrugged it off, telling a guard it was probably an accident.

Held Séances in the White House: After his son Willie died in 1862, Lincoln and his wife, Mary Todd, were wrecked. Mary got into spiritualism, and they hosted séances to contact Willie. Lincoln attended at least a few, though it’s unclear if he bought it or just humored her. Either way, it’s a weird footnote for a guy known for logic.

Had a High-Pitched Voice: You’d think a 6’4” rail-splitter would boom like thunder, but Lincoln’s voice was described as shrill and reedy. It carried well in debates but it’s a far cry from the gravelly gravitas we imagine from his statues.

These largely unknown tidbits show that Abraham Lincoln was much more than the somber emancipator who preserved the Union but an individual who could be a practical, scrappy, and a little eccentric individual like most of us.

From wrestler and bartender, to the steps of a memorial, our 16^th President.