Grandfather Quotes
I don’t know who my grandfather was; I am much more concerned to know what his grandson will be.
"I don’t know who my grandfather was; I am much more concerned to know what his grandson will be."— Abraham Lincoln
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Meaning of this quote
The speaker puts responsibility for future conduct ahead of pride in ancestry. The contrast values what a person becomes over the prestige they can claim from earlier generations.
Key takeaway:
Give your conduct more attention than your family prestige.
Origin of the quote
A traditional Lincoln saying discussed, with reservations, in Lincoln Lore, May 29, 1950.
Who actually said this?
Commonly attributedThe specialist discussion calls the remark traditional rather than documenting a contemporary utterance. Its wording also oversimplifies Lincoln's interest in his ancestry.
