You might know Joshua Speed as Abraham Lincoln’s closest friend, the guy who may (or may not) have known all of Lincoln’s secrets — including the fangy, bloody ones if you’re a fan of Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.
But before we go full Hollywood, let’s get real for a sec. Who was Joshua Speed, and why did he matter so much?
Joshua Speed was born in 1814 in Kentucky. He came from a well-connected, wealthy slaveholding family, which would become an awkward talking point later, considering Abe freed the slaves. But when Lincoln arrived in Springfield, Illinois, in 1837 — broke, depressed, and carrying nothing but a carpetbag and a dream — Speed stepped in and gave him a job and a place to live.
Speed eventually moved back to Kentucky, married a woman named Fanny, and continued to be Abe’s go-to guy for emotional support. When the country was splintering apart, Lincoln leaned on Speed, for help keeping Kentucky from joining the Confederacy.
Fast forward to 2012, and history decided it needed a little more…bite. Enter Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter — the movie that asked the bold question: “What if the Great Emancipator was also a Great Decapitator?”
Joshua Speed gets a whole new job title in the movie: assistant vampire slayer. Speed is recast as the loyal wingman who helps Lincoln wage a secret war against bloodsucking monsters who just happen to be pro-slavery.
In the film, Speed is in the thick of the action — part comic relief, part moral compass, and part vampire bait. He’s not quite the badass Abe is, but he smuggle weapons, whisper strategy, and plays the “no questions asked” best friend. And honestly, it tracks — Speed spent a lot of time cleaning up Lincoln’s emotional messes, so adding blood-splattered vampire entrails might be a logical next step.
SO WHO WAS HE REALLY?
Speed was one of the most important people in Lincoln’s personal life. He was a stabilizer, a confidante, and possibly the only person Lincoln ever truly let his guard down around. He helped ground Lincoln, and kept him on track.
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