Lewis Powell's Family

[antiquefinder]

This question is for Betty O. since she is an expert on Lewis Powell. Are there any remaining living relatives of Lewis and do they have any personal belongings of Lewis'? Any relics from the execution? Also, what were the families reactions to people who talked about Lewis being guilty in the Lincoln assasination? Did they agree or disagree about his guilt? Thanks Betty! I figured I would ask the top banana on Lewis!

[antiquefinder]

This question is for Betty O. since she is an expert on Lewis Powell. Are there any remaining living relatives of Lewis and do they have any personal belongings of Lewis'? Any relics from the execution? Also, what were the families reactions to people who talked about Lewis being guilty in the Lincoln assasination? Did they agree or disagree about his guilt? Thanks Betty! I figured I would ask the top banana on Lewis!

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Anyone????

[BettyO]

This question is for Betty O. since she is an expert on Lewis Powell. Are there any remaining living relatives of Lewis and do they have any personal belongings of Lewis'? Any relics from the execution? Also, what were the families reactions to people who talked about Lewis being guilty in the Lincoln assasination? Did they agree or disagree about his guilt? Thanks Betty! I figured I would ask the top banana on Lewis!

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Sorry for the delay but I've been working on several different projects....

There are Powell descendants – but unfortunately no relics exist whatsoever that I know of.

The family didn't talk much about Lewis over the years – it was always kept very hush-hush.

[antiquefinder]

Thanks Betty. It's a shame there are no relics from Lewis that the family can pass down.

[Jim Page]

It's a shame there are no relics from Lewis that the family can pass down.

Hey, wait a minute! What about that package of dental floss that Lewis obviously never used? Surely they still have THAT!

--Jim

[BettyO]

No, Jim - I think you're confusing it with the electric toothbrush and pyorrhea treatments.....

[Jim Garrett]

If you look at Powell's tooth brush on display AND IN BETTY'S BOOK, you can see why Powell may have had dental issues, but then again, many did at that time.

[Gene C]

There are the hoods, the conspirators wore in prison, I think they are at the Smithsonian. I also think some of the ropes that were used to hang the conspirators are still around somewhere as is parts of the scafolding that souvenier hunters cut up and carried away.

Some of Lewis' personal effects were given to Eckert, one of Sec of War Stanton's assisstants. What happened to them is still unknown. He did have a bible while in prison, how he was supposed to be able to read it while wearing the hood is beyond me. He gave it to the priest/minister that attended to him. I think an attempt was made to send it to his father, but the mail then was almost as bad as it is now. Betty has made some comments about some of this either on this web site or in the Surratt Courier. If you are not a member of the Surratt Society, I strongly encourage you to join, just send a message to Laurie. (Is there still an extra charge to learn the secret hand shake?)

[BettyO]

Yes, these artifacts exist - but they are not artifacts in family holdings --Lew Powell had a Bible, which all the conspirators were given at the insistence of Dr. Porter in mid June in addition to being allowed to have the hoods removed so that they could sit and read (see Hartranft's Letterbook - Steers and Holzer.)

Upon his death, Lew had requested that this Bible be sent to his parents. It was given to Dr. Gillette to be forwarded, but it never reached his parents in Florida. The mail and train lines throughout the South were in deplorable condition after the war; plus Lewis' family had moved further down the railroad as well during the war.

[Gene C]

For additional info check out the Eckert and Powell thread under the Assassination heading. It has some good info on it that you may find interesting

[Jim Page]

Gentleman Jim Garrett wrote:
>>you can see why Powell may have had dental issues, but then
>>again, many did at that time.

I sympathize with all who have dental issues. I never had a cavity until I was almost 40, and have since had more crowns stuck into my mouth than half the countries of Europe had a century ago.

Each time I'm told I need a new crown I think to myself, "Well, there goes another nice guitar I COULD have had."

My latest dentist told me last year, "My God, you've had some beautiful dental work done." And I just said, "Shut up."

--Jim

[antiquefinder]

Gene- just read Eckert and Powell thread and it was very informative. There has to be things out there that haven't been found yet relating to the assasination. I hope it's in my lifetime.

I'm sure Dave Taylor is correct on what he said about artifacts being misplaced and labeled wrong. Look what happened to Lewis Powell's head. How did it end up with American Indian artifacts?.... it was misplaced. I'm sure there are other artifacts that haven't been correctly identified yet.

[bosox044]

I believe Powell's death warrant is still in existence. Powell gave it to Dr Gillette an hour before his execution and it was published in a book by James Swanson " Lincoln's Assassins: Their Trial and Execution" The rope he was hanged with and his bowie knife are still around as well

[Jim Garrett]

I think Rich Smyth said the warrant is in the West Point Museum

[BettyO]

Yes - it is there....but I wonder where the REST of the papers are -- I'm checking....