How do we know what Abraham Lincoln's voice sounded like?

I suspect that when people imagine Abraham Lincoln and the way he sounded, many imagine him as a bass, or at least a deep baritone. Perhaps this is because of his large stature and the resounding nature of his words. Certainly, the tradition of oratory in the 1850s would support the assumption. read more

HOWEVER his voice was strong (he spoke many times in his career at great length (1.5+hrs)* and to large crowds (so you had to be loud and almost shout) and the pitch of his voice in these circumstances was deemed a great asset, since his voice somehow seemed to carry clearly and very far. read more

No recordings of Abraham Lincoln's voice exist since he died 12 years before Thomas Edison invented the phonograph, the first device to record and play back sound. Shown here is Lincoln delivering his famous Gettysburg Address in 1863. read more

I have always wondered what our 16th President sounded like back then. I understand that there's no audio recorded of his voice, since technology wasn't advanced during that time. read more