Did John Wilkes Booth survive?

Chattanooga Free Press ^ | 2/19/07 | Dick Cook

[Cowboy Bob]

Slightly off the subject, but connected, was an article I read as a teen while waiting to get my haircut. It was by a man whose dad had been one of several who were present when Lincoln's grave and casket were opened to disprove persistent rumors that his body had been stolen and was not the the grave at all. I forget a lot of the details, it's been 50 years or so, but I recall he told how his dad had let him tag along since it would be an historic moment whether the body was in there or not. He said the man in the casket apparently was indeed Mr. Lincoln, and that his skin was covered with a greenish mold.

I heard the same story. It was told to the class by our teacher in 6th or 7th grade (almost 40 years ago!). IIRC, there was an attempt to steal Lincoln's body. Before reburying the casket (under a slab of concrete), the casket was opened. This occurred around 1901, or thereabouts, and supposedly, photos were taken.

[jwparkerjr]

I did a Yahoo search and found more details about the kid, who was 13 at the time, and what he remembered. He says he wasn't scared at the time but he slept with Mr. Lincoln for six months after the experience. Funny how things like that can affect a kid for so long afterwards. I can't imagine the problems some of the stuff I see on TV and in the movies is going to cause for the kids who are watching it.

Thanks for the info! I remember being fascinated by that article!

[jwparkerjr]

Like the guy named Crapper who invented the toilet? I remember an article in Reader's Digest when I was a kid that talked about some of the names people give their children! A Boy Named Sue?

[mass55th]

There was actually an attempt to kidnap Lincoln's body in 1876 and hold it for ransom. Fortunately the Secret Service got wind of the plot and were able to foil it. The plotters were arrested a couple of weeks later. I've got a bunch of articles I've collected over the years on the assassination itself and the conspiracies surrounding it. I just pulled out my folder and found the article I was thinking of. It's entitled: The Plot to Steal Lincoln's Body by Deane and Peggy Robertson. I'm sorry to say that I don't have the name of the magazine it appeared in, but it shouldn't be hard to find through a database. According to an insert at the end of the article, Lincoln's body was moved 17 times from its first burial in the vault at Oak Ridge Cemetery until it was finally put to rest in its present resting place in 1901. Most of the moves were done because of construction, and then repair to the tomb, but it was also moved by local citizens a couple of times after the kidnap plot was uncovered and the plotters caught. Lincoln's coffin was opened and the body identified one last time before it was laid to rest on September 26, 1901.

[jwparkerjr]

A million thanks for the information.

[mass55th]

"I wonder if that's true or just the overactive imagination of someone who knows that her maiden name was Booth."

Booth's mother's name was Mary Ann Holmes. She was born in England and ran away with a then-very married Junius Brutus Booth. My great-grandfather's surname was Holmes. He was born in Canada and is buried there. I've often wondered if there was any connection between the Holmes on my mother's side of the family and Booth's mother's family. So far I haven't found anything, but that doesn't mean they weren't related.

There is a family line that claims they are descended from an illegitimate child fathered by J.W. Booth. At the moment though, I can't remember the name of the woman he was supposed to have impregnated. I met one of them years ago at an assassination symposium in Maryland.

[mass55th]

"A million thanks for the information."

No problem. I've always been interested in the Civil War era, Lincoln and the assassination. It wasn't until years later that I was able to travel and meet others who shared the same interests. I'd done extensive research on various aspects of the war, and during my research was able to collect a large amount of first-hand accounts on the assassination that appeared in old newspapers, etc. I've shared these accounts with other researchers, who in turn, have managed to publish articles and books on the topic. The nice thing about sharing this stuff is that I've collected a number of acknowledgements in these publications, plus a free copy of the article or book I've contributed to. It's been very rewarding in many aspects.

[CholeraJoe]

His spleen was notable for the granulomas caused by malaria.

[mass55th]

Thanks for the info.

[theelephantway]

J.W. Booth's childhood home is approx 3 miles from my house in Bel Air, Maryland. They have a massive amount of history on his childhood and workings as an actor. The Harford County Government has just bought this property to preserve its history.

I just read last week in our local paper (Harford County,MD) that the historical society here has uncovered court documents of a time he was arrested for assault in the 1850's.

[Non-Sequitur]

Lincoln's coffin was opened and the body identified one last time before it was laid to rest on September 26, 1901.

And when it was laid to rest in 1901 it was under tons of reinforced concrete to make sure no future grave robberies were attempted.

[mass55th]

I'm very familiar with Tudor Hall in Bel Air and stayed there several times when it was owned by Dorothy and Howard Fox. It was through my membership in P.A.T.H. (Preservation Association for Tudor Hall) that I met Mike Kauffman and others experts on the Booths and the assassination. Every two years they would hold a symposium which would include guest speakers, as well as visits to the various sites associated with the Booths. I'm sitting here looking at a framed poster I was given by the Foxes depicting JWB, Junius, Edwin, Tudor Hall, etc. It was specifically designed and made for P.A.T.H. Howard and Dot died within a few months of each other and never left a will as to what they wanted to do with the home. It was later sold at auction and bought by a couple who obviously didn't keep it very long. I've been a member of the Surratt Society for years and get their monthly newsletter, and heard about the sale of the home to the historical society. I also subscribe to a publication (from Clinton, Md.) of The Lincoln Assassination Journal. I'm sure you are aware that there is another home not far from Tudor Hall that has part of the original Booth log cabin in its framework. I can't remember exactly where it is, but I recall visiting it during one of the symposium weekends and taking photos of it.

[mass55th]

"And when it was laid to rest in 1901 it was under tons of reinforced concrete to make sure no future grave robberies were attempted."

Yes, from what I've read, it was Robert Todd Lincoln who requested that. He's buried in Arlington National Cemetery, and until recently, I didn't realize his only son, Lincoln's only grandson, is buried there with him. He died quite young and with him died the Lincoln name from that line.

[Bender2]

Booth is still alive and goes by the name Nancy...

Still kicking & working... on getting my 2nd President!

[WKB]

My 5 year old grandson told me the other day that
Lincoln went to the "movies" and got shot.
Close enough for me.
He also told me while we were tussling
that he was going to "beat my crap out"
Close enough for a GF again.

[Non-Sequitur]

Hey stand! Got any good Lincoln Assasination stuff for us?

[mass55th]

It's funny that Mary Magdalene's name is brought up in context with Booth, because there was a woman named Louise Wooster, who wrote a book called "The Autobiography of a Magdalen." She ran several brothels in Birmingham, Alabama, is known more so for her humanitarian work, and claimed to have had a liaison with John Wilkes Booth. She supposedly kept a scrapbook on Booth too. I first learned of her in 1993. "A Woman of the Town" (Louise Wooster, Birmingham's Magdalen) by James L. Baggett was published in 2005. According to Amazon it is currently unavailable through them, but I'm sure it could be found through another bookseller.

[CholeraJoe]

Interesting info. Thanks.

[Busywhiskers]

The event you are thinking is detailed at this link:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham_Lincoln's_burial_and_exhumation

I remember hearing the story as a kid when I went to Lincoln's Tomb on a school field trip.

[unspun]

He survived, and had children. How do I know?

A few of his descendents post in FR. ;-`