Honora Fitzpatrick after 1860's

[Susan Higginbotham]

I'm a new member who's been enjoying reading the posts here.

I am coming to the Surratt Society research library later this month to research this question, but in the meantime, does anyone happen to know what happened to Honora Fitzpatrick after the 1860's? My understanding is that she testified at John Surratt's trial and that she attended the reburial of Mary Surratt, but I haven't found any trace of her after that. One book gives a date of death for her in the 1890's, but no further details.

Thanks in advance to anyone who might be able to help.

[RJNorton]

Welcome to the forum, Susan! I cannot answer your questions, but I can post her testimony at the John Surratt trial.

*************************************


HONORA FITZPATRICK sworn and examined.
By the District Attorney:

Q. Be kind enough to state to the jury Whether you have not lived in
city some time, and whether it is not your native city.

A. It is; yes, sir.

Q. What is your father's first name.

A. James.

Q. Will you state to the jury if you knew John Wilkes Booth?

A. Yes, sir.

Q. How long did you know him?

A. I do not know how long I was acquainted with Mr. Booth.

Q. Do you remember when you first formed his acquaintance, and who he was?

A. I met him at Mrs. Surratt's.

Q. Where was Mrs. Surratt living at that time?

A. On H street, between Sixth and Seventh.

Q. Do you remember the number of the house?

A. 541.

Q. Do you remember what year it was you first saw him there?

A. I think it was in 1865.

Q. You do not recollect what month?

A. No, sir.

Q. How often did you see him at the house, to your recollection?

A. I met Mr. Booth there several times. I do not know how often I saw!

Q. Were you boarding at Mrs. Surratt's then?

A. Yes, sir.

Q. How long had you been boarding there?

A. From the 6th of October, 1864, until the time I was arrested.

Q. When were you arrested?

A. I think it was some time in April.

Q. How long after the assassination?

A. The assassination was committed Friday, the 14th. I was arrested
Monday following.

Q. I ask you if you knew a man by the name of George Atzerodt?

A. I did not know him by that name.

Q. By what name did you know him?

A. I knew him by the name of "Port Tobacco."

Q. Where did you see him?

A. I met him at Mrs. Surratt's.

Q. About what time was it?

A. I do not remember; he called there one afternoon.

Q. Do you recollect what year it was, and what month?

A. No, sir ; I do not remember.

Q How long before the assassination was it that yon saw this man?

A. I do not remember.

Q Was it not the day or night previous?

A. No, sir; that was not the night.

Q. How often did you see this man at Mrs. Surratt's?

A. I do not remember how often I met him there.

Q. Did you see him there more than once?

A. Yes, sir. I think I have seen him there more than once.

Q. Do you remember his ever spending a night there?

A. I remember he staid there one night.

Q. Do you remember what night that was — how long before the assassination?

A. I do not remember, sir.

Q. Gould you give any approximate idea of the time?

A. No, sir; I have no idea at all.

Q. Do you know how long you commenced boarding there before Atzerodt came?

A. No, sir.

Q Did you know a man by the name of Lewis Payne, whom you saw before the military commission?

A. I did not know him by that name. I knew him by the name of Mr.
Wood.

Q- When and where did you first see him ?

A. I met him at Mrs. Surratt's also.

Q- How often did you see him at Mrs. Surratt's?

A. 1 do not remember seeing him there but twice.

Q- With whom did he come, and in what company did he come?

A. He called there one evening by himself.

Q- How long was that before the assassination?

A. I think it was some time in March.

Q- Was that the first time you saw him?

A. Yes, sir.

Q-.In what room did you first see him?

A. I met him in the parlor.

Q- With whom was he talking at that time?

A. He was not conversing with any one in particular.

H. Who were in the room at that time?

A. Mrs. Surratt, her daughter Annie, Miss Holohan, and Mr. Weichmann.

Q.- When was the next time you saw him there?

A- I saw him in March, also.

Q.- Did you never see him there afterwards?

A. No, sir.

Q. You did not see him the day you were arrested?

A. I recognized him at the office after I was taken there.

Q. You did not see him at the house?

A. He was at the house, but I did not recognize him.

Q When you got to the office you recognized him as a man whom you had the house?

A. I saw Mr. Wood, sir.

Q. When you say Wood, do you mean Lewis Payne, whom you saw before the

A. Yes, sir.

Q. You know the prisoner, John H. Surratt?

A. Yes, sir.

Q. Do you recollect when was the last time you saw him at 1
April?

A. The last time I saw Mr. Surratt was two weeks before the

Q. During these visits by Atzerodt and Payne to Booth, did you
the house ? and if so, did you ever see or hear them conversing?

A. I have seen them, but never heard them conversing, together.

Q. Do you recollect in the month of March of going to Ford's
if so, state in whose company you went?

A. I went with Mr. Surratt, Mr. Wood, and Miss Dean.

Q. State in what part of the theatre you were seated — whether
a box or seat in the orchestra.

A. We occupied a box, sir.

Q. When you say Mr. Surratt, you mean John H. Surratt, the prisoner?

A. Yes, sir.

Q. And when you say Mr. Wood you mean Lewis Payne?

A. Yes, sir.

Q. While your party was in the box, did you see J. Wilkes Booth
state what he did.

A. Mr. Booth came there and spoke to Mr. Surratt. They both
side the box, and stood there at the door.

Q. You mean spoke to the prisoner?

A. Yes, sir.

Q. State if any one else joined them while they were standing.

A. Mr. Wood.

Q. Lewis Payne, you mean.

A. Yes, sir.

Q. How long were these three talking together?

A. They remained there a few minutes.

Q. Could you hear what they said?

A. No, sir; I was not paying attention; they were conversing.

Q. State, if you please, where that box was — in what part?

A. I think it was an upper box. I do not remember which it was on.

Q. In what part of the play was this conversation — in the close?

A. It was near the last part.

Q. After they separated, which way did they go, and where party go?

A. We returned to Mrs. Surratt's house.

Q. Which way did Booth go?

A. I don't know, sir.

Q. Which way did Wood or Payne go?

A. I don't know, sir. I returned to my room. I did that night.

Q. Did Wood go back to Mrs. Surratt's that night?

A. He came up in the carriage with us. I do no know there or not.

Q. Did you continue in the city, or did you go away?

A. I went to Baltimore the next morning.

Q. How long did you remain in Baltimore?

A. I remained in Baltimore a week.

Q. Do you know whether he called at the Herndon House in this city?

A. Yes, sir.

Q. Where is that?

A. I do not know what street it is on.

Q. I allude to the Herndon House corner of ninth and F; you know the
house?

A. I know the house, but I do not know what street it is on.

Q. Do you recollect passing by that house some time in the mouth of March, shortly before the assassination of the President, in company with Mrs. Surratt and others?

A. I remember passing with Mrs. Surratt; I do not know what month it was.

Q. Who were in company with you and Mrs. Surratt at that time?

A. Mrs. Surratt, Mr. Weichmann, and Miss Jenkins.

Q. When you got to the Hemdon House, state what Mrs. Surratt did and what the rest of the party did?

A. Mrs. Surratt went in, the others of us walked up the street a little ways.

Q. Did you wait for her up there?

A. Yes, sir.

Q. How long did you wait for her?

A. Only a few minutes there.

Q. Where had you been coming from?

A. From St. Patrick's church, on F street.

Q. What day of the week was it?

A. I don't remember, sir.

Q. Did Mrs. Surratt tell you or any of the party, to your knowledge, while you were going in that direction, that she intended going into the house?

A. No, sir; I did not know she was going there until she stopped.

Q. Did you or any of the party ask her what she went there for?

A. No, sir.

Q. Did she state to you afterwards what she went in there for?

A. No, sir; I do not remember asking her.

Q. Did you ever hear it spoken of afterwards?

A. No, sir.

Q. Do you know how long she stayed there?

A. She remained there a few minutes.

Q. After Mrs. Surratt had been in the house did she come up and join the party?

A. Yes, sir.

Q. Where did you then go?

A. We returned to Mrs. Surratt's house on H street.

Q- Where was John at that time?

A. I don't know.

Q. How long after that was it before you saw Wood or Payne at Mrs.
Surratt's? Did you not see him the next day?

A. No, sir.

Q. How long was it before you did see him?

A. I do not remember how long after that.

By Mr. Pierrepont:

Q. Do you remember John Surratt going to New York.

A. No, sir; I do not remember his going.

Q. Have you any memory of his going to New York during the year 1865 anytime?

A. No, sir.

[Susan Higginbotham]

(11-07-2013 07:41 AM)RJNorton Wrote:  Welcome to the forum, Susan! I cannot answer your questions, but I can post her testimony at the John Surratt trial.

*************************************

Thanks, Roger! Honora certainly couldn't be called a garrulous witness . . .

[Cliff Roberts]

Hi Susan. A number of interesting figures connected in some way with the assassination quickly drifted into obscurity. Honora is one of them, Joseph Burroughs is another. I'm glad I'm not the only one trying to track down these elusive "ghosts" from the past! Anyway, to jump-start your search engine, so to speak, here’s some information I gathered on Honora Fitzpatrick that might help you. She was born in the District of Columbia about 1845, so she was almost 20 when she boarded at the Surratt's. The l850 census shows her living with her father James Fitzpatrick, age 50, born in Ireland; a sister Hannah (Anna), age 11, and a brother Peter P., age 9, both born in D. C. Also living with the family are Patrick Fitzpatrick, age 27, and Ellenora McNamee, age 22, both born in Ireland; their relationship to Honora’s family, if any, is unknown. There is no listing for James Fitzpatrick’s wife, so Honora’s mother may have died.

On January 13, 1870, “Norah” Fitzpatrick married Alexander Whelan, a painter and grainer, and the couple had at least three children, all boys: James Alexander, b. July 17, 1870, d. April 6, 1927; Bernard Alexander, b. January 27, 1874, d. unk; and John, b. November, 1879, d unk. Honora died in D. C. on January 7, 1896; services were held at Church of the Holy Name.

Honora’s siblings both devoted their lives to the church. Brother Peter P. Fitzpatrick studied at Gonzaga College and later taught Greek and Latin there under Father Benjamin Wiget (who later ministered to Mary Surratt while she was in prison). After completing studies at Mt. St. Marys, Emmettsburg MD, Rev. Fitzpatrick S.D. became a professor at Loyola College and associate pastor at St. Ignatius Church, in Baltimore. He died at the Loyola rectory on December 10, 1886, at age 49 (going by the 1850 census, his age was probably closer to 45).

Her sister, Hannah (Anna) entered the Carmelite Convent, in Baltimore, at age 21 and spent the rest of her life there as Sister Michael. She died at the convent on March 12, 1895, at age 59 (going by the 1850 census, her age was probably closer to 56).

There's a lot missing - still don’t know who Honora’s mother was (came up with one or two possibles but nothing certain); also don’t know when her father James died. I’ve got a little more on her boys if you want it. Hopefully, you've got enough now to at least get started on filling in the blanks! Warning: You'll probably come across several people with names identical to the ones you're looking for (I found three Honora Fitzpatricks and many James Fitzpatricks). The information I've posted on Honora was checked and cross-checked to confirm family connections, locations, dates, etc. Good luck!

Sources: 1850 and 1880 census records; newspaper clips; D. C. marriage & death records.

[Jim Garrett]

Good work Cliff. It is surprising that there were a few Honora or Nors Fitzpatricks. A more common name than one would think. Nora lies in the Fitzpatrick family plot in Mt. Olivet, unmarked.

[Gene C]

Why are so many of these graves unmarked? Did the family not have the $ for a headstone, did they deteriorate over time and were just never replaced?

[Joe Di Cola]

(11-08-2013 07:07 AM)Gene C Wrote:  Why are so many of these graves unmarked? Did the family not have the $ for a headstone, did they deteriorate over time and were just never replaced?

Gene,

It could be all of the above.

Joe

[Susan Higginbotham]

(11-08-2013 05:11 AM)Cliff Roberts Wrote:  Hi Susan. A number of interesting figures connected in some way with the assassination quickly drifted into obscurity. Honora is one of them, Joseph Burroughs is another. I'm glad I'm not the only one trying to track down these elusive "ghosts" from the past! Anyway, to jump-start your search engine, so to speak, here’s some information I gathered on Honora Fitzpatrick that might help you. She was born in the District of Columbia about 1845, so she was almost 20 when she boarded at the Surratt's. The l850 census shows her living with her father James Fitzpatrick, age 50, born in Ireland; a sister Hannah (Anna), age 11, and a brother Peter P., age 9, both born in D. C. Also living with the family are Patrick Fitzpatrick, age 27, and Ellenora McNamee, age 22, both born in Ireland; their relationship to Honora’s family, if any, is unknown. There is no listing for James Fitzpatrick’s wife, so Honora’s mother may have died.

On January 13, 1870, “Norah” Fitzpatrick married Alexander Whelan, a painter and grainer, and the couple had at least three children, all boys: James Alexander, b. July 17, 1870, d. April 6, 1927; Bernard Alexander, b. January 27, 1874, d. unk; and John, b. November, 1879, d unk. Honora died in D. C. on January 7, 1896; services were held at Church of the Holy Name.

Honora’s siblings both devoted their lives to the church. Brother Peter P. Fitzpatrick studied at Gonzaga College and later taught Greek and Latin there under Father Benjamin Wiget (who later ministered to Mary Surratt while she was in prison). After completing studies at Mt. St. Marys, Emmettsburg MD, Rev. Fitzpatrick S.D. became a professor at Loyola College and associate pastor at St. Ignatius Church, in Baltimore. He died at the Loyola rectory on December 10, 1886, at age 49 (going by the 1850 census, his age was probably closer to 45).

Her sister, Hannah (Anna) entered the Carmelite Convent, in Baltimore, at age 21 and spent the rest of her life there as Sister Michael. She died at the convent on March 12, 1895, at age 59 (going by the 1850 census, her age was probably closer to 56).

There's a lot missing - still don’t know who Honora’s mother was (came up with one or two possibles but nothing certain); also don’t know when her father James died. I’ve got a little more on her boys if you want it. Hopefully, you've got enough now to at least get started on filling in the blanks! Warning: You'll probably come across several people with names identical to the ones you're looking for (I found three Honora Fitzpatricks and many James Fitzpatricks). The information I've posted on Honora was checked and cross-checked to confirm family connections, locations, dates, etc. Good luck!

Sources: 1850 and 1880 census records; newspaper clips; D. C. marriage & death records.

Thanks so much for sharing your research! I would love to have the information on her sons.

[L Verge]

I'm having our research librarian at Surratt House check what files we may have on Honora here. It has been quite a few years since I really thought about her, but I believe that her father sent her to board with Mrs. Surratt because her mother was deceased. He was in the banking business, if I remember correctly, and rather elderly. He was concerned about Honora falling in with the wrong people (I'm quite sure he never imagined what she would be peripherally involved in!).

For some reason, the name "McNamee" rings a bell with me also, but right now it will take a loud gong to scare it out of my brain. I also believe that Honora may have shared a room at the Old Capitol with the irascible Catherine Baxley - a whole story in herself.

---

There are some handwritten notes in the Hall file that indicate her father was James Fitzpatrick, a bank “runner” whose wife died June 19, 1847. A map of Mt. Olivet Cemetery has a written note that Honora was interred in the same plot as her parents. A photograph of their headstone reveals that her mother’s name was Margaret. Honora Fitzpatrick married Alexander Whelan on June 13, 1870 according to old D.C. marriage records. The notes also state that she developed “chronic melancholia” in 1891 and spent the rest of her life at the Government Hospital for the Insane. A copy of her death certificate lists the date as January 7, 1896. Her birthplace was given as Ireland and her occupation as housekeeper and the immediate cause of death was tuberculosis. There is also a handwritten copy of her obituary.

[Susan Higginbotham]

(11-08-2013 10:24 AM)L Verge Wrote:  I'm having our research librarian at Surratt House check what files we may have on Honora here. It has been quite a few years since I really thought about her, but I believe that her father sent her to board with Mrs. Surratt because her mother was deceased. He was in the banking business, if I remember correctly, and rather elderly. He was concerned about Honora falling in with the wrong people (I'm quite sure he never imagined what she would be peripherally involved in!).

For some reason, the name "McNamee" rings a bell with me also, but right now it will take a loud gong to scare it out of my brain. I also believe that Honora may have shared a room at the Old Capitol with the irascible Catherine Baxley - a whole story in herself.

---

There are some handwritten notes in the Hall file that indicate her father was James Fitzpatrick, a bank “runner” whose wife died June 19, 1847. A map of Mt. Olivet Cemetery has a written note that Honora was interred in the same plot as her parents. A photograph of their headstone reveals that her mother’s name was Margaret. Honora Fitzpatrick married Alexander Whelan on June 13, 1870 according to old D.C. marriage records. The notes also state that she developed “chronic melancholia” in 1891 and spent the rest of her life at the Government Hospital for the Insane. A copy of her death certificate lists the date as January 7, 1896. Her birthplace was given as Ireland and her occupation as housekeeper and the immediate cause of death was tuberculosis. There is also a handwritten copy of her obituary.

Thanks so much! I was reading Baxley's memoir online yesterday. How reliable is it considered?

[L Verge]

Mrs. Baxley was quite a character, quite a Confederate, and she had nice things to say about Mrs. Surratt, who supposedly tended to Catherine's dying son. When you visit the Surratt House this month, ask to see a copy of the March 1994 Surratt Courier for an article about her done by Percy (Pep) Martin. I think we have a file on Baxley also.

[Cliff Roberts]

If the note about the first name of James Fitzpatrick's wife is correct, she may be the Margaret Herlehy who married a James Fitzpatrick in D. C. on June 1, 1836. According to the 1850 census, James Fitzpatrick was indeed a "bank runner" or messenger, however the information contained in Honora Whelan's death record about her being born in Ireland cannot be correct; the 1850 and 1880 census records clearly show that she and her siblings were all born in the District of Columbia.

Here's a copy of Honora Whelan's obituary as it appeared in the Evening Star on January 8, 1896, page 7.

[Jim Garrett]

Cliff, Welcome to the boards

[Susan Higginbotham]

Thanks for the information, everyone! I've been doing some digging on my own. Her father retired in 1870 and died in 1876; he left a will, which resulted in litigation between Honora and her brother Peter. I'm hoping to get copies of the probate records. The National Archives also has records relating to her stay at St. Elizabeth's, which I'm getting ready to order. I'll report back.