abraham lincoln was alive in 1878
horace greeley editor of the new york tribune at that time wrote up an unflattering account of lincolns compromising position on slavery and his reluctance to challenge the courts dredscott ruling which was promptly used against him by his political rivals
 the youngest thomas tad lincoln was born on april 4 1853 and survived his father but died of heart failure at age 18 on july 16 1871