Flannery knew President Abraham Lincoln and was at Ford 's Theatre the night of the assassination . Shortly after Lincoln 's death , Washingtonians chose to erect a memorial honoring the slain president . Many designs were submitted to the monument planning committee , but Flannery 's model was unanimously chosen . The committee called his design the " most spirited " and " an excellent likeness . " The memorial was dedicated on April 15 , 1868 , the third anniversary of Lincoln 's death . Flannery 's statue is the only statue of Lincoln created by someone who knew him
assassination
Assassination of Abraham Lincoln
Lot Flannery