Mr. Tad Allen has been portraying President Abraham Lincoln for over twenty years. Although he has always been a fan of the president, Allen only began impersonating Lincoln after growing a beard and being told by friends and colleagues of his strong resemblance. Since then the concept has really taken off.
A former assistant professor at Brevard Community College; Allen has done extensive research on our sixteenth president. He has devoted one room of his house to look-alike, where he maintains a library of nearly 800 publications on Lincoln and other memorabilia.
Allen’s extensive insight into all aspects of Lincoln’s life provides him the versatility to target his programs specifically to the audience at hand, thus making a dramatic impression on groups ranging from young children to senior citizens. He also offers a question-and-answer period afterwards, encouraging listeners to explore his wealth of knowledge about the president.
The audience becomes spellbound, as Tad Allen commands attention with his absolute look-alike manner and dress. An uncanny hush settles in, as Mr. Allen truly becomes “honest Abe”. Children blurt out, “I thought you were dead.” Adults express, “I felt that I was actually in the presence of Abraham Lincoln.” The most often expressed sentiment is, “You could have heard a pin drop during your performance.”
One of Allen’s greatest honors was being invited to perform in Lincoln’s hometown of Hodgenville, Kentucky for the Lincoln Days Celebration, where he won the National Abraham Lincoln Look-Alike Competition.
It all started in Elementary School, my classmates and I took a field trip to Olustee Battlefield State Park to see the "Renactors" that were camping out at the battlefield. At such a young age I could not really grasp what I was about to witness. After seeing all of the soldiers, camps, and equipment I fell in love with living history right before my eyes and consumed myself with asking questions to find out more about the subject of the Civil War. Years past and I stayed interested, building my knowledge until finally jumping into the Reenacting world. I started to research my family tree and began to learn more details of our Family; from my Great Great Grandfather in the 5th FL Co K all the way to my Great Uncle, Secretary of State R.A.Gray. I became event more consumed with what is now a passion. Moving up to modern day, I have now been a Civil War reenactor for 10 years and have traveled to events throughout the Southeast. I participate in local historical groups, ran my own Non for Profit organization and serve as a Board Of Directors member for the Blue-Grey Army as well as an Officer in the Civil War reenacting organization Hardy's Brigade. I continue to serve in every capacity that I can as a living historian and reenactor to keep this great history of our nation alive. I stay active in local school groups by giving presentations about the civil war through living history programs. I am thankful to come from a family that has such a prominent history in Florida that played a role in Florida history. I am proud of my Family and Great Great Grandfather that served this state in the Civil War. It is my pleasure to share my knowledge and to keep history alive for our future generations.
Mary L. Jackson Fears, a retired Volusia County school media specialist, graduate of Bethune-Cookman University and Florida State University, is a professional Storyteller/Civil War re-enactor/Genealogist, and author of four books: The Jackson-Moore Family History and Genealogy, Slave Ancestral Research, It's Something Else, Julie’s Journey (an inspirational memoir about her daughter, Julie Anderson) and Civil War and Living History Reenacting About " People Of Color," How to Begin - What to Wear - Why Reenact? This latter title has been placed in each Volusia County school media center and in the high schools of Seminole County, Florida.