Can You Add To The List Of Eerie Similarities Between The Lives And Deaths of Abraham Lincoln And John F. Kennedy?

Four United States presidents have met their deaths at the hands of assassins – but only two of those violent deaths are plagued with theories, conspiracies, myths and legends.

Those violent deaths are connected with Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy. And the eeire similarities of their assassinations and lives are resurrected as important dates connected to these two approach.

Since one of those anniversaries is not far off, now would be a good time to review the list of similarities and share it with your friends.

I'll start with the top seven common similarities then list additional ones that are not as well known.

Share these facts with your friends - how many more similarities can you and your friends uncover?

The bold faced facts are numbered for easy comparisons.

It was the assassination of President John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963 that launched the compare and contrast pasttimes – so, we’ll start with this event.

Kennedy was (1) elected to Congress in 1946 and (2) was elected president in 1960.

It was on a (3) Friday that he found himself (4) seated next to his wife in a convertible (5) Ford Lincoln Continental during a motorcade through the City of Dallas. The motorcade had been announced and thousands gathered to watch him drive by – Texas Governor John Connolly and his wife were in the seat in front of The Kennedys.

From the Book Depository warehouse along the route, assassin Lee Harvey Oswald fired the shots that killed Kennedy. Oswald then (6) fled from the warehouse and took refuge in a theatre several miles away.

Kennedy’s vice president, Lyndon Baines (7) Johnson, was sworn in as President of the United States.

President Abraham Lincoln was (1) elected to Congress in 1846 and was elected president of the United States in (2) 1860.

On (3) Friday, April 14, 1863, Lincoln found himself (4) seated next to his wife in a box seat of the (5) Ford Theatre in Washington D.C. watching the play “Our American Cousin.”

Without a guard at the door leading into the box seat, assassin John Wilkes Booth shot Lincoln in the head with a pistol.

Booth jumped from the box seat onto the stage, and (6) fled from the theatre to a barn which eventually became a warehouse.

Lincoln’s vice president, Andrew (7) Johnson, was sworn in hours later as the next president.

Dr. John K. Lattimer, detailed similarities of the two lives in his book: "Kennedy and Lincoln: Medical & Ballistic Comparisons Of Their Assassinations."

Here are a few:

• Both Lincoln and Kennedy were the second born in their family, both were named after their paternal grandfather; both were military officers and boat captains and nearly drowned early in life.
• Lincoln ran against a sitting vice president named John Breckinridge who fled the country disgraced as a traitor for helping the south. Kennedy ran against a sitting vice president Richard Nixon who was disgraced later in life when he resigned as President.
• Records reveal that in 1858, an individual named Isiah Green suggested that Lincoln run for president with a vice presidential running mate named John Kennedy.
• Both Lincoln and Kennedy were elected on November 8^th for the term in which they were assassinated.
• In 1861, Lincoln ordered a military blockade in the Caribbean of Confederate ports. One hundred and one years later, Kennedy ordered a military blockade of Communist Cuba in the Caribbean.
• Lincoln had two sons named Edward and Robert. Edward died and Robert lived to marry Mary Eunice. Kennedy had two brothers named Edward and Robert. Robert died. Kennedy's sister's name was Eunice Mary.
• Lincoln's friend and advisor was an Illinois schoolteacher and Baptist named William Graham. Kennedy's friend and spiritual adviser was a Baptist evangelist named Billy Graham.
• Lincoln was shot while sitting in Box 7 in the Ford Theatre. Kennedy was shot in Car 7 while sitting in a Ford Lincoln.
• Lincoln died across the street from the theatre in the Petersen House. Kennedy died at Parkland Hospital - both locations share the same initials P.H.

Fate or simple coincidences?

We will never know.