This is believed to be a portrait of President Jefferson's attorney general, Levi Lincoln. He played a key role in getting Congress to authorize funding for the Lewis and Clark expedition. Image courtesy of the Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, Detroit Publishing Company Collection.

Long before Abe changed history, another Lincoln played a major role in U.S. politics, and the Lewis and Clark expedition.

Levi Lincoln was attorney general under President Jefferson from 1801 to 1804. He was one of the final reviewers of Jefferson's instructions to Meriwether Lewis. His ideas helped gain approval for the Lewis and Clark expedition from Jefferson's vocal Federalist opponents in Congress.

Lincoln knew politics. A Harvard graduate and the son of a farmer, he became interested in Revolutionary politics early on. He veered from an apprenticeship in the mechanical crafts to pursue his studies and the cause of American independence. He wrote numerous patriotic appeals and authored Farmer's Letters, a series of political papers. In 1775 he served in his first office and soon was immersed in state politics in Massachusetts. He was elected to Congress in 1800 as a Whig but was quickly appointed attorney general by Jefferson.

Lincoln had a simple idea for getting Congress to approve the cost of the Lewis and Clark expedition: promote it as a mission to bring religion to the heathen Indians. Jefferson agreed, and the idea appealed to the conservative New England clergy whose influence dominated Congress. In the final instructions to Lewis, Jefferson ordered his captain to learn what he could about Indian religion.

Lincoln's legacy was not limited to his role as Jefferson's adviser with the Lewis and Clark trip. Though he resigned as attorney general at the end of Jefferson's first term, he returned to Massachusetts politics. He served on the state council and later filled in as interim governor. That was foretelling. His first son, also Levi, eventually served as Massachusetts governor. His second son, Enoch, served three terms as governor of Maine.

The Lincoln name obviously was around a long time before Abraham rose to prominence.

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