Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, is considered one of the greatest and most influential politicians in American history. He was shot by John Wilkes Booth on April 14, 1865, and died only a few hours later. Lincoln was buried in Oak Ridge Cemetery in Springfield, Illinois. A decade later, thieves tried to steal the president's body for ransom, but failed. As a result, the coffin was hidden between the walls of the tomb to deter potential tomb robbers. Later it was decided to build a bigger and safer monument. Lincoln's body was secretly exhumed during construction and reburied nearby. It was only after 13 months of construction that the mortal remains of the President were reburied in 1901 in what is now the Lincoln family mausoleum.