Spangler's Ghost Writer

[Laurie Verge]

Some of you have probably noticed the discrepancies in the spelling of some of the conspirators' names. Over the years, the Surratt Society has worked diligently to give proper spellings according to FAMILY records.

Louis Weichmann's original family spelling was "Wiechmann," and the family retained that. Louis, however, said that, during the 1865 trial, newspapers persisted in transposing the i and the e, so he gave up and adopted the latter form rather than having to continually correct it.

Lewis Powell used the alias of "Paine," and his Oath of Allegiance in the National Archives bears his signature with that spelling. Prosecutors tried to show a relationship between the young conspirator and the marauding Paynes of Kentucky, so they deliberately changed the spelling of the alias to "Payne," and that is the name under which he was indicted. Some modern historians prefer the "Payne" spelling because Powell had stayed briefly with the family of Gen. W.H.F. Payne in Virginia, and they theorize that it was that family's name that he was assuming.

Michael O'Laughlen's name is spelled this way (with an "a" - not an "o" - and an "e" - not an "i" in family records, including the family Bible. The stone over his grave, erected by the family, bears that spelling. There are also letters written to Mike and his brother, William, by JWB with that spelling. Again, the government changed the spelling on his indictment by replacing the "e" with an "i." They did not change the "a," however. The family still spells it "O'Laughlen."

Edman Spangler ("Ned") spelled his first name this way even though his birth record shows "Edmund." To further confuse things, the government indicted him as "Edward Spangler," and that became the most common one in books.

As for "Surratt," it has become fairly standardized now. However, in family papers, government records, etc., we have found at least seven different spellings over the past 300 years. These range from Sarat, Cerat, Sarratt, Sirat, to Surratt. The name was originally French, and there are still areas in France near the Spanish border with a variety of these spellings - even a town known as Montserratt. A French archivist told us that the "Surratt" spelling was Americanized because the "u" would never stand alone without an "e" -- "Seurratt."

Memorize these; you will be tested...