--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Had there not been a Mary Todd, there…" description: "\"Had there not been a Mary Todd, there would not have been an Abraham Lincoln. She found him when he was a young lawyer and really a bumpkin. No one kne..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/742/sally-field-4843_abraham_had-there-not-been-a-mary-todd-there-wou_1658302.jpg" --- # Had there not been a Mary Todd, there would not have been… ![“Had there not been a Mary Todd, there would not have been an Abraham Lincoln. She found him when he was a young lawyer and really a bumpkin. No one knew of him, but she recognized his brilliance.” quote by Sally Field](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/742/sally-field-4843_abraham_had-there-not-been-a-mary-todd-there-wou_1658302.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/742/sally-field-4843_abraham_had-there-not-been-a-mary-todd-there-wou_1658302.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/742/sally-field-4843_abraham_had-there-not-been-a-mary-todd-there-wou_1658302.jpg) > “Had there not been a Mary Todd, there would not have been an Abraham Lincoln. She found him when he was a young lawyer and really a bumpkin. No one knew of him, but she recognized his brilliance.” [Sally Field](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-field/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She attributes Abraham Lincoln’s success to Mary Todd’s early recognition and support, highlighting the influence of partners in shaping historical figures. **In simple terms:** Partners can identify and nurture hidden talent. Key Takeaway Value supportive relationships in personal and professional growth. Themes history relationships leadership recognition Mood reflective appreciative analytical Type narrative historical When to use this quote - career mentorship - political campaigns - personal development - historical analysis Key Concepts social influence spousal support historical impact Questions to Reflect On - What qualities make a partner effective in recognizing talent? - How do we balance credit between individuals and their supporters? A Different Perspective Risk of overemphasizing one partner’s role in complex histories. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abraham/) [Abraham lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abraham-lincoln/) [Brilliance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brilliance/) [Found](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/found/) [Lawyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lawyer/) [Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lincoln/) [Mary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mary/) [Mary Todd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mary-todd-730967/) [Todd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/todd/) [Todd Abraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/todd-abraham-730968/) [Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young/) ## Related quotes > [“I dedided it was more important to laugh than eat. - Mary Todd after choosing Lincoln over a more wealthy suitor”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-todd/i-dedided-it-was-more-important-to-laugh-than-eat-mary-todd-after/) [Mary Todd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-todd/) > [I like to say, very glibly, that I did no research for this play about Mary Todd Lincoln.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cole-escola/i-like-to-say-very-glibly-that-i-did-no-research-for-this-play-about/) [Cole Escola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cole-escola/) > [I just wanted to make the stupidest, funniest thing possible. My version of Mary Todd Lincoln is basically just me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cole-escola/i-just-wanted-to-make-the-stupidest-funniest-thing-possible-my/) [Cole Escola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cole-escola/) > [I assume, gladly, that in the allocation to America of remarkable leaders like Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, and Abraham Lincoln, the Lord was just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-a-maxwell/i-assume-gladly-that-in-the-allocation-to-america-of-remarkable/) [Neal A. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-a-maxwell/) > [The fact that Abraham Lincoln ever, ever became President is either a freak accident of history... or destiny; God's providence to America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-oberst-jr/the-fact-that-abraham-lincoln-ever-ever-became-president-is-either-a/) [Bill Oberst Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-oberst-jr/) > [Give us a man of God's own mould Born to marshall his fellow-men; One whose fame is not bought and sold At the stroke…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-clarence-stedman/give-us-a-man-of-god-s-own-mould-born-to-marshall-his-fellow-men-one/) [Edmund Clarence Stedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-clarence-stedman/) > [We constantly see surveys that reveal this ignorance, especially among our high school students,78 percent of whom, in a recent nationwide multiple-choice test, identified…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/we-constantly-see-surveys-that-reveal-this-ignorance-especially-among/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [There were so many odd, strange things about Abraham Lincoln that I think nobody knew how to pigeonhole him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/there-were-so-many-odd-strange-things-about-abraham-lincoln-that-i/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [Abraham Lincoln suggested never presume to know what God's will is, and I would never presume to know God's will or to speak God's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-palin/abraham-lincoln-suggested-never-presume-to-know-what-god-s-will-is/) [Sarah Palin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-palin/) > [If I could be any famous person, I'd be John Wilkes Booth, because I'd love to shoot Abraham Lincoln in the face](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/if-i-could-be-any-famous-person-i-d-be-john-wilkes-booth-because-i-d/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) > [My favorite thought about Abraham Lincoln is he believed in two things: loving one another and working together to make this world better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-cuomo/my-favorite-thought-about-abraham-lincoln-is-he-believed-in-two/) [Mario Cuomo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-cuomo/) > [Abraham Lincoln recognized that we could not survive as a free land when some men could decide that others were not fit to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/abraham-lincoln-recognized-that-we-could-not-survive-as-a-free-land/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [My movies more often are told through pictures, not words. But in this case, the pictures took second position to the incredible words of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/my-movies-more-often-are-told-through-pictures-not-words-but-in-this/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [Everybody faces obstacles. And I looked to people who had been through many to succeed in life. Abraham Lincoln, born to a poor family,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-winfield/everybody-faces-obstacles-and-i-looked-to-people-who-had-been-through/) [Dave Winfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-winfield/) > [“Whatever you are, be a good one.”   Abraham Lincoln”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rriiver-nyile/whatever-you-are-be-a-good-one-abraham-lincoln/) [Rriiver Nyile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rriiver-nyile/) ## More by Sally Field > [I can't deny the fact that you like me! You like me!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-field/i-can-t-deny-the-fact-that-you-like-me-you-like-me/) [Sally Field](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-field/) > [I grew up in a show-business family, but we were working-class show business. There was nothing glamorous about it. You had great things one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-field/i-grew-up-in-a-show-business-family-but-we-were-working-class-show/) [Sally Field](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-field/) > [I came from a real working-class show business family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-field/i-came-from-a-real-working-class-show-business-family/) [Sally Field](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-field/) > [I don't want to look old and worn, but what can you do? My real focus is being an actor. I care more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-field/i-don-t-want-to-look-old-and-worn-but-what-can-you-do-my-real-focus/) [Sally Field](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-field/) > [I have never been beautiful in cliche terms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-field/i-have-never-been-beautiful-in-cliche-terms/) [Sally Field](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-field/) > [I wouldnt mind having my heart broken because it would mean that I had that much feeling connected to somebody. And that would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-field/i-wouldnt-mind-having-my-heart-broken-because-it-would-mean-that-i/) [Sally Field](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-field/) > ['Forrest Gump' is filled full of moments where your heart just cheers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-field/forrest-gump-is-filled-full-of-moments-where-your-heart-just-cheers/) [Sally Field](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-field/) > [I've had such an odd career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-field/i-ve-had-such-an-odd-career/) [Sally Field](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-field/) > [I really like cable T.V.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-field/i-really-like-cable-t-v/) [Sally Field](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-field/) > [The whole world is waiting. The whole world needs you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-field/the-whole-world-is-waiting-the-whole-world-needs-you/) [Sally Field](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-field/) > [I have a tendency to think of myself as the mutt of the litter. I'm not purebred.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-field/i-have-a-tendency-to-think-of-myself-as-the-mutt-of-the-litter-i-m/) [Sally Field](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-field/) > [Motherhood is given the brush-off in our society. 'Oh, I'm just a mom,' you hear women say. 'Just' a mom? Please! Being a mom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-field/motherhood-is-given-the-brush-off-in-our-society-oh-i-m-just-a-mom/) [Sally Field](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-field/) > [There were the days when women were under contract, and they were thought of as a commodity, so they hired the best writers and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-field/there-were-the-days-when-women-were-under-contract-and-they-were/) [Sally Field](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-field/) > [For almost every character I've played in the 43 years I've been working as a professional actor, I've found parts of myself. We are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-field/for-almost-every-character-i-ve-played-in-the-43-years-i-ve-been/) [Sally Field](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-field/) > [In reality, people are people. Age does a weird thing to your body on the outside. It makes your face fall and weird things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-field/in-reality-people-are-people-age-does-a-weird-thing-to-your-body-on/) [Sally Field](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-field/) [Explore all 106 Sally Field quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-field/) ## More Abraham quotes > [“That’s all! Now either leave us alone or join us as a father rather than a receiver of sacrifices. You have the choice of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-simmons/that-s-all-now-either-leave-us-alone-or-join-us-as-a-father-rather/) [Dan Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-simmons/) > [Hebron is a bone of contention between Israeli settlers and the Palestinians in part because Abraham is buried there, in the Tomb of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-korda/hebron-is-a-bone-of-contention-between-israeli-settlers-and-the/) [Michael Korda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-korda/) > [Donald Trump is not going to be the nominee, because we are not going to allow - people will wake up and we're not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/donald-trump-is-not-going-to-be-the-nominee-because-we-are-not-going/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [“Never you look down on your Abraham because of your Sarah because the blessing is not in the womb of Sarah but in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ikechukwu-izuakor/never-you-look-down-on-your-abraham-because-of-your-sarah-because-the/) [Ikechukwu Izuakor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ikechukwu-izuakor/) > [“Whatever you are, be a good one.”   Abraham Lincoln”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rriiver-nyile/whatever-you-are-be-a-good-one-abraham-lincoln/) [Rriiver Nyile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rriiver-nyile/) > [Moses was a great leader, right? But he wasn't a great communicator. And so God sent him Aaron so he could, let's say, communicate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/javier-milei/moses-was-a-great-leader-right-but-he-wasn-t-a-great-communicator-and/) [Javier Milei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/javier-milei/) > [“king of Heshbon. 6 b Moses, the servant of the”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/king-of-heshbon-6-b-moses-the-servant-of-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“In the end, thought Sol, past logic and hope, it is dreams and the love of those dearest to us that form Abraham’s answer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-simmons/in-the-end-thought-sol-past-logic-and-hope-it-is-dreams-and-the-love/) [Dan Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-simmons/) > [It was psychobabbler Abraham Maslow who wrote of the phenomena of self-actualization. What Maslow failed to grasp is that reaching true self-actualization can only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nugent/it-was-psychobabbler-abraham-maslow-who-wrote-of-the-phenomena-of/) [Ted Nugent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-nugent/) > [“Mungu hutumia watu 'wajinga' na 'wapumbavu' kufanya mambo makubwa katika maisha yao na ya watu wengine. Katika Biblia, Musa aliitwa mjinga alipokiuka amri ya…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enock-maregesi/mungu-hutumia-watu-wajinga-na-wapumbavu-kufanya-mambo-makubwa-katika/) [Enock Maregesi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enock-maregesi/) > [“9. Abraham’s death (25:1 – 11) After Sarah’s death, Abraham took another wife, Keturah. Abraham was a rejuvenated old man and continued to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-h-sailhamer/9-abraham-s-death-25-1-11-after-sarah-s-death-abraham-took-another/) [John H. Sailhamer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-h-sailhamer/) > [“The biblical story of the binding of Isaac shows that human sacrifice was far from unthinkable in the 1st millennium BCE. The Israelites boasted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/the-biblical-story-of-the-binding-of-isaac-shows-that-human-sacrifice/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [Everybody faces obstacles. And I looked to people who had been through many to succeed in life. Abraham Lincoln, born to a poor family,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-winfield/everybody-faces-obstacles-and-i-looked-to-people-who-had-been-through/) [Dave Winfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-winfield/) > [Someone asked me...how it felt and I was reminded of a story that a fellow townsman of ours used to tell--Abraham Lincoln. They asked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/someone-asked-me-how-it-felt-and-i-was-reminded-of-a-story-that-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [American foreign policy and military might have opened an opportunity for the Gospel in the land of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-stanley/american-foreign-policy-and-military-might-have-opened-an-opportunity/) [Charles Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-stanley/) [Browse all 484 Abraham quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abraham/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Had there not been a Mary Todd, there would not have been an Abraham Lincoln. She found him when he was a young lawyer and really a bumpkin. 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