Iowan bears uncanny resemblance to Lincoln
By Duane Beeson, Journal correspondent | Posted: Sunday, February 10, 2008
Stan De Haan bears an uncanny resemblance to Abraham Lincoln, which makes a perfect stand-in and perennial winner of look-alike contests. (Photo by Duane Beeson)
NEWKIRK, Iowa -- Abraham Lincoln would have laughed.
There was Stan De Haan, standing quietly in the hallway of a building in Spirit Lake, Iowa, before speaking at a meeting of county treasurers, dressed up in a black suit and top hat like the 16th president. Then the bearded, lean, 6-foot 3-inch farmer moved, startling some women who thought he was a statue.
And there was the time De Haan was giving his Lincoln presentation to a class of kindergartners, including the story about the assassination at Ford's Theatre. One girl, thoroughly convinced that the man in her classroom was the same as in historical photos, asked, "How'd you come back alive?"
Many people think of Abe Lincoln as serious, quiet and a deep thinker. Indeed, history confirms that, and he was even known to struggle with depression throughout his life. Yet De Haan says Lincoln was also a storyteller who liked to make people laugh.
For the past 17 years, De Haan has also been a storyteller -- presenting information about his favorite president to schoolchildren, senior citizens, church groups and patriotic gatherings. His impersonation of Lincoln began in 1982, when De Haan grew a beard for the centennial of Newkirk Reformed Church and dressed up like the man who led the Union in defeating the Confederacy during the Civil War.
In 1991, De Haan again grew a beard -- this time for the centennial of nearby Hospers, Iowa -- and gave his first Lincoln presentation to the third graders in Orange City whose student teacher was his daughter Leah.
De Haan, who was a dairy farmer for 33 years and continues to grow corn and soybeans on his 230 acres while also working for an Orange City furniture store, has given as many as 50 Lincoln presentations a year. This month alone, he has 14 scheduled, including a presentation tomorrow Monday at the Capitol Rotunda in Des Moines as part of a kickoff event for Iowa's Lincoln Bicentennial Commission, marking the beginning of a two-year commemoration of Lincoln's birth on Feb. 12, 1809.
On 'Hour of Power'
In 1995, De Haan was interviewed by his brother-in-law, the Rev. Robert H. Schuller, in the Crystal Cathedral, aired on the "Hour of Power" television show. In 2006, the Lincoln look-alike gave his presentation at a meeting of the National Association of County Collectors, Treasurers and Finance Officers in Chicago.
In 1994, De Haan entered -- and won -- the Lincoln look-alike contest in Lincoln, Kan. In fact, De Haan is undefeated as a Lincoln impersonator, having won the same contest in 1996 and 2007 and capturing the title in Hodgenville, Ky., the site of Lincoln's birth, last October.
De Haan, who, incidentally, is not one of the 99 actors dressed up like Lincoln in a current Wendy's commercial or the impersonator in the Rozerem commercial, is a member of the Association of Lincoln Presenters. He has attended four of the organization's meetings, including a session in Gettysburg, Pa., site of Lincoln's most famous speech.
As part of his presentations, De Haan usually recites from memory the Gettysburg Address, the last paragraph of his second inauguration speech, and the farewell speech he gave when leaving Springfield, Ill., to become president in 1861.
Lincoln's ability as an orator - with only 18 months of formal schooling -- is what De Haan admires the most about the lawyer.
"He was basically self-taught and yet gave so eloquent speeches. He could say volumes in just a short time," says De Haan, pointing out Lincoln's Gettysburg Address was just over two minutes long and came on the heels of a forgettable two-hour speech by the event's keynote speaker.
De Haan also admires Lincoln's faith, which surfaced frequently in his speeches as he quoted from the Bible. The president was never a member of a church, says De Haan, although he has heard that Lincoln had a conversion experience when he saw the bodies lying at Gettysburg.
"I'm told he was secretly baptized after he became president. He didn't want a big issue made out of it," he says.
At 69, De Haan has outlived Lincoln by 13 years. Yet he plans to continue giving his presentations as long as he's able to do justice to the man who played a key role in abolishing slavery in the United States.
"Sometimes you can hear a pin drop when you're giving these speeches," he says. "Lincoln's speaking ability must have been a God-given talent. He was an instrument in God's hands in a very difficult time in the life of our nation."
Lincoln Log
Abraham Lincoln's greatest presidential accomplishments, according to Lincoln impersonator Stan De Haan, were:
* Preserving the union;
* Issuing the Emancipation Proclamation, which led to the abolition of slavery; and
* Presenting the Gettysburg Address, the most widely known presidential speech ever given.
Honest Abe
Lincoln got his most well-known nickname honestly. De Haan tells of the time Lincoln shortchanged a customer at his store by six cents. At the end of the day, Lincoln walked two miles to the customer's home to make sure he got his money back.
Lincoln's integrity was also illustrated by the way he handled serious financial losses. When his business partner died and left him with $1,200 in debt, he could have claimed bankruptcy, according to De Haan. Instead, Lincoln is said to have worked 15 years to pay back the debt.
There was Stan De Haan, standing quietly in the hallway of a building in Spirit Lake, Iowa, before speaking at a meeting of county treasurers, dressed up in a black suit and top hat like the 16th president. Then the bearded, lean, 6-foot 3-inch farmer moved, startling some women who thought he was a statue.
And there was the time De Haan was giving his Lincoln presentation to a class of kindergartners, including the story about the assassination at Ford's Theatre. One girl, thoroughly convinced that the man in her classroom was the same as in historical photos, asked, "How'd you come back alive?"
Many people think of Abe Lincoln as serious, quiet and a deep thinker. Indeed, history confirms that, and he was even known to struggle with depression throughout his life. Yet De Haan says Lincoln was also a storyteller who liked to make people laugh.
For the past 17 years, De Haan has also been a storyteller -- presenting information about his favorite president to schoolchildren, senior citizens, church groups and patriotic gatherings. His impersonation of Lincoln began in 1982, when De Haan grew a beard for the centennial of Newkirk Reformed Church and dressed up like the man who led the Union in defeating the Confederacy during the Civil War.
In 1991, De Haan again grew a beard -- this time for the centennial of nearby Hospers, Iowa -- and gave his first Lincoln presentation to the third graders in Orange City whose student teacher was his daughter Leah.
De Haan, who was a dairy farmer for 33 years and continues to grow corn and soybeans on his 230 acres while also working for an Orange City furniture store, has given as many as 50 Lincoln presentations a year. This month alone, he has 14 scheduled, including a presentation tomorrow Monday at the Capitol Rotunda in Des Moines as part of a kickoff event for Iowa's Lincoln Bicentennial Commission, marking the beginning of a two-year commemoration of Lincoln's birth on Feb. 12, 1809.
On 'Hour of Power'
In 1995, De Haan was interviewed by his brother-in-law, the Rev. Robert H. Schuller, in the Crystal Cathedral, aired on the "Hour of Power" television show. In 2006, the Lincoln look-alike gave his presentation at a meeting of the National Association of County Collectors, Treasurers and Finance Officers in Chicago.
In 1994, De Haan entered -- and won -- the Lincoln look-alike contest in Lincoln, Kan. In fact, De Haan is undefeated as a Lincoln impersonator, having won the same contest in 1996 and 2007 and capturing the title in Hodgenville, Ky., the site of Lincoln's birth, last October.
De Haan, who, incidentally, is not one of the 99 actors dressed up like Lincoln in a current Wendy's commercial or the impersonator in the Rozerem commercial, is a member of the Association of Lincoln Presenters. He has attended four of the organization's meetings, including a session in Gettysburg, Pa., site of Lincoln's most famous speech.
As part of his presentations, De Haan usually recites from memory the Gettysburg Address, the last paragraph of his second inauguration speech, and the farewell speech he gave when leaving Springfield, Ill., to become president in 1861.
Lincoln's ability as an orator - with only 18 months of formal schooling -- is what De Haan admires the most about the lawyer.
"He was basically self-taught and yet gave so eloquent speeches. He could say volumes in just a short time," says De Haan, pointing out Lincoln's Gettysburg Address was just over two minutes long and came on the heels of a forgettable two-hour speech by the event's keynote speaker.
De Haan also admires Lincoln's faith, which surfaced frequently in his speeches as he quoted from the Bible. The president was never a member of a church, says De Haan, although he has heard that Lincoln had a conversion experience when he saw the bodies lying at Gettysburg.
"I'm told he was secretly baptized after he became president. He didn't want a big issue made out of it," he says.
At 69, De Haan has outlived Lincoln by 13 years. Yet he plans to continue giving his presentations as long as he's able to do justice to the man who played a key role in abolishing slavery in the United States.
"Sometimes you can hear a pin drop when you're giving these speeches," he says. "Lincoln's speaking ability must have been a God-given talent. He was an instrument in God's hands in a very difficult time in the life of our nation."
Lincoln Log
Abraham Lincoln's greatest presidential accomplishments, according to Lincoln impersonator Stan De Haan, were:
* Preserving the union;
* Issuing the Emancipation Proclamation, which led to the abolition of slavery; and
* Presenting the Gettysburg Address, the most widely known presidential speech ever given.
Honest Abe
Lincoln got his most well-known nickname honestly. De Haan tells of the time Lincoln shortchanged a customer at his store by six cents. At the end of the day, Lincoln walked two miles to the customer's home to make sure he got his money back.
Lincoln's integrity was also illustrated by the way he handled serious financial losses. When his business partner died and left him with $1,200 in debt, he could have claimed bankruptcy, according to De Haan. Instead, Lincoln is said to have worked 15 years to pay back the debt.
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Ardie wrote on Feb 10, 2008 3:18 PM: