Your personal choice of "most tragic" character in the assassination story

[MaddieM]

(08-08-2012 09:30 AM)BettyO Wrote:  

(08-08-2012 09:24 AM)MaddieM Wrote:  

(08-08-2012 09:18 AM)Linda Anderson Wrote:  I am not using Shelton as a reference but E. H. Gore's book.

Shelton wrote, "The outcome of this undertaking [Mr. Powell reorganizing the Bethel Baptist Church] was described with as much compassion as Mr. W. H. Brack, the clerk, could manage and still tell the truth."

Then Shelton quotes Mr. Brack from the History of Orlando Baptists:

'Brother Powell was a good preacher and a very earnest Christian but addicted to whiskey. He was strict in his discipline and had some of the members turned out for non-attendance. The church became tired of his strict discipline and in October 1872 they called Rev. A. C. Tinnall as pastor.' History of Orlando Baptists: First Baptist Church. E. H. Gore."
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If Mr. Powell did drink, I think people would be very understanding considering the tragedy he and his family endured.

It would drive me to drink. His poor mum. You'd never ever get over that would you?

Hello, Maddy!

In the Fall of 1865, a Captain Newt was assigned to go to Florida to ascertain by Stanton if Lewis Payne was actually in fact, Lewis Powell. Newt traveled down to Live Oak and visited the family, claiming that Reverend Powell was an upstanding, quiet man who was composed and very much in control of his feelings, however Lew's mother was extremely upset by the visit and wouldn't even go into the parlor to meet him. He described Lew's mother as being "an extremely attractive woman" [she was 56 years old at the time] and further said that she appeared "inconsolable in her grief and possessed of strong maternal feeling." Lewis' mother supposedly wore mourning for the rest of her life and never got over the shock. Perfectly understandable. Never did see anything else regarding Lewis' father and any drinking. I'll have to check up on that!

They hanged her beautiful son. One can only imagine what that felt like. I'm sure stories are handed down through the generations via word of mouth. I think your book brought him back to life and gave us all a real insight into his humanity.