John Surratt

[RJNorton]

(08-08-2013 04:06 PM)GARY POPOLO Wrote:  I think I read were Spanger once released from jail spent the remainer of his life living with Dr. Mudd. Interesting!

(08-08-2013 07:50 PM)L Verge Wrote:  As for Spangler and Mudd, I don't believe that Spangler went immediately to live with the Mudds. He eventually did, however, and the family found him literally up a tree on their property, having been chased there by the family's dogs.

Gary and Laurie, I sure agree with you two folks that there is confusion in the literature regarding Spangler's 1869-1875 whereabouts. Over the years, in a variety of books, I have read the following:

1. Spangler returned to work for John Ford from 1869-1873 and then went to live at Dr. Mudd's until his death in 1875.

2. Spangler spent the entire 1869-1875 period with the Mudds.

3. Spangler worked at several theaters between Baltimore and Richmond from 1869-1871, and then went to live with the Mudds in 1871.

Regarding Spangler's whereabouts during the 1869-1875 period, Mike Kauffman writes that Spangler worked at the Holliday Street Theatre in Baltimore from 1869-1873 before going to live at Dr. Mudd's house after the theater burned down.

On the other hand Ed Steers writes, "It seems certain that Spangler made his way to the Mudd farm soon after his release arriving in the spring of 1869 and staying for approximately 6 years, not eighteen months." Ed discounts Nettie Mudd's statement that Spangler died eighteen months after arriving at the Mudd farm. Ed writes, "Had Spangler lived and worked elsewhere between April 1869 and February 1875 some record of his existence would have been discovered."

Is there a definitive answer on this? I do not know.