Before the 1970s we celebrated George Washington's birthday on Feb. 22 and Abraham Lincoln's birthday on Feb. 12, the actual days of their birth.

The combined holiday is now known as Presidents Day. It was moved as part of 1971's Uniform Monday Holiday Act, an attempt to create more three-day weekends for the nation's workers.

While several states still have individual holidays honoring the birthdays of Washington, Lincoln and other figures, Presidents Day is now popularly viewed as a day to celebrate all U.S. presidents past and present. In celebrating these presidents we often forget the sacrifices they endured while being president.

When we do think of their sacrifices we think of those who gave their lives to an assassin's bullet while in office. Over the past 237 years, eight presidents have died in office. Four died of natural causes and four were assassinated.

Lincoln, shot in 1865, was the first president to be assassinated. James Garfield was assassinated in 1881; William McKinley in 1923; and John F. Kennedy in 1963.

On the same day of his assassination, Lincoln created the Secret Service.

Recently, Wiscasset historian Steve Christiansen brought a copy of The New York Herald issue of Saturday, April 15, 1865, announcing the shooting of Lincoln on April 14 at the Ford Theatre into the Wiscasset Newspaper office.

In the upper left hand corner of the front page is written, "IMPORTANT, Assassination of President Lincoln, at Ford Theatre," with a drawing of Lincoln's likeness on center of the page.

Also on the front page is the dispatch from Secretary of War Edwin Stanton, announcing the death of Lincoln. The dispatch reads, "The President is dead. War Department, Washington April 15 – 7:30 a.m. Major General Dix, New York – Abraham Lincoln died this morning at twenty-two minutes past 7 o'clock."

Further details of the assassination were also reported on the front page.

On April 14, 1865, Booth and his conspirators launched their attack to assassinate Lincoln, Vice President Andrew Johnson and Secretary of State William Seward. Booth successfully managed to kill Lincoln and also stabbed Major Henry Rathbone during his escape. Jumping off the balcony, he landed on the stage, breaking his ankle.

The would-be assassin of Johnson lost his nerve. However, Lewis Power, assigned to assassinate Seward, was successful, and he stabbed Seward to death. He also injured the son of the secretary of state in getting to Seward.

On Monday, Feb. 18, as we celebrate Presidents Day, let us remember we are celebrating the lives and service of 44 U.S. presidents, beginning with George Washington and ending with Barack Obama, our current president.

Charlotte Boynton can be reached at 207-844-4632 or cboynton@wiscassetnewspaper.com.