What are the important questions surrounding Lincoln?

[RJNorton]

However, he had what he believed to be the earliest portrait made of his father--a daguerreotype never published. I could have that.
I held my breath. If it was true! I held my breath still longer when the picture was finally in my hands for I realized that this was a Lincoln which shattered the widely accepted tradition of his early shabbiness, rudeness, ungainliness. It was another Lincoln, and one that took me by storm.

I know Robert gave a c.1847-1849 for this daguerreotype because he thought it was taken during the time of his father's term in the House of Representatives. He thought it was taken in Washington or possibly even in St. Louis. I just checked Tarbell's book, and she says "about 1848." However, the consensus among most historians is that it was taken in c.1846 by a daguerreian named Nicholas H. Shepherd in Springfield. No matter what, it is my humble opinion that this is indeed the earliest Lincoln photo, although other folks have made different claims about this.