Who are the plumbers?

[loetar44]

There were three plumbers present during the final interment of President Abraham Lincoln's remains at the Lincoln monument. Leon P. Hopkins and Charles L. Willey were discussed in above posts. The third was Henry B(ishop) McVeigh, living at 413 Monroe Street, Springfield. He was born Nov. 25, 1861 at Springfield and died at the ripe age of 100 in Valhalla, North Carolina, Jan 1, 1962. He was son of Benjamin Franklin McVeigh and Eleanor Prudence Bishop.

There is proof that McVeigh was indeed present in Lincoln Tomb’s Memorial Hall, on Sept 26, 1901 for the final identification, because he signed the Tomb’s register that day (Thursday Sept. 26, 1901). There are 22 names of witnesses, who gathered at 08:00 am, 16 of them are depicted on the famous photo which was taken outside the tomb after the identification. The last 5 signatures on this “list of attendees” are: Ross Culver (Culver Construction Co. who did the reconstruction of the tomb; he was de 24 year old son of Col. James S. Culver, also in attendance), the plumbers McVeigh, Hopkins and Willey, and custodian Col. Edward S. Johnson. If you are interested in the other 17 let me know, I have the complete “list of attendees” here.

   

McVeigh said that he was called upon (together with Hopkins and Willey) to cut away the lead covering and that he supplied the sheet lead for resealing the coffin. Here are three clippings with the story of McVeigh.

   

   

   

And here is McVeigh and a photo of his grave (Portland Memorial Mausoleum, Portland, Oregon)

   

   

McVeigh's claim that he was the last living man to have seen the face of Lincoln is not true, because we know that that honor was for Fleedwood Lindley, who died 1 Feb, 1963.