Booth and Andrew Jackson

[historybuff22]

In my ongoing research into Lafayette and Luther Baker, I discovered a strange piece of information. In 1835 Junius Booth Sr. wrote a nasty letter to President Andrew Jackson and implied that Jackson should die. A matter of a few weeks later, there was an attempted assassination of President Andrew Jackson. It wasn't Booth that tried the deed however, but rather someone else.

As mentioned in another thread, I discovered sometime ago that Lafayette Curry Baker was in the San Francisco Vigilantes along with Junius Booth Jr.

Rick Brown
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[irshgrl500]

(11-27-2013 12:23 AM)historybuff22 Wrote:  In my ongoing research into Lafayette and Luther Baker, I discovered a strange piece of information. In 1835 Junius Booth Sr. wrote a nasty letter to President Andrew Jackson and implied that Jackson should die. A matter of a few weeks later, there was an attempted assassination of President Andrew Jackson. It wasn't Booth that tried the deed however, but rather someone else.

As mentioned in another thread, I discovered sometime ago that Lafayette Curry Baker was in the San Francisco Vigilantes along with Junius Booth Jr.

Rick Brown
HistoryBuff.com
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Was there a second attempt to assassinate President Jackson (the first was on January 30, 1835.) ?
Richard Lawrence, attempted to assassinate President Jackson on January 30, 1835. On July 4 1835, over 5 months after Lawrence's attempt to assassinate President Jackson, Junius Booth Sr., wrote his nasty letter to the President, suggesting that he should die.

[Gene C]

I read somewhere, Jackson and Junius were also drinking buddies.

[L Verge]

I believe there was only one attempt on Jackson, and that was by Richard Lawrence in 1835 - when Junius, Jr. would have been too young.

It may be from Bill Richter's Last Confederate Heroes that I first learned that Junius the Elder, Sam Houston, and Andrew Jackson were drinking buddies. Of course, JWB and Andrew Johnson were reported to party together also while Johnson was still military governor of Tennessee.

[irshgrl500]

(11-27-2013 08:50 AM)L Verge Wrote:  I believe there was only one attempt on Jackson, and that was by Richard Lawrence in 1835 - when Junius, Jr. would have been too young.

It may be from Bill Richter's Last Confederate Heroes that I first learned that Junius the Elder, Sam Houston, and Andrew Jackson were drinking buddies. Of course, JWB and Andrew Johnson were reported to party together also while Johnson was still military governor of Tennessee.

I have read that President Jackson & Junius Sr. were drinking buddies, as well.
My point about the attempt on President Jackson's life was, Junius Sr.'s letter was written AFTER Lawrence's attempt. Also, most regard Junius Sr.'s letter as an outburst, which made its way onto paper. Junius Sr. was an alcoholic, who wasn't always functioning.

[Dave Taylor]

Here's a nice investigation of the letter featuring the late author Gene Smith:
http://www.pbs.org/opb/historydetectives...th-letter/

[irshgrl500]

(11-27-2013 02:49 PM)Dave Taylor Wrote:  Here's a nice investigation of the letter featuring the late author Gene Smith:
http://www.pbs.org/opb/historydetectives...th-letter/

I realize I have contributed more than my share to this topic but do historians seriously believe that Junius Sr.'s letter to Jackson was part of a plan to assassinate him? It certainly had nothing to do with the actual attempt, which was made on President Jackson's life, PREVIOUSLY. I just think that trying to tie this letter and then the actual assassination of President Lincoln, years later by JW Booth, and calling the Booths a family of assassins or would be assassins, is a might extreme. The only real thread, which I would deem common, between the two events, is the Booth males seem to be reactionaries, which could or could not lead to murder. Lots of folks are reactionaries, and never even think of murder. JW Booth ended up to murdering a President, I believe his father's letter was the result of nothing more than an alcoholic putting his imbibed thoughts on paper.

[Gene C]

(11-27-2013 03:04 PM)irshgrl500 Wrote:  I believe his father's letter was the result of nothing more than an alcoholic putting his imbibed thoughts on paper.

For what it's worth, I agree with you. (hicup - )

[historybuff22]

When I made this post, it was barely a half-hour after finding the Junius Booth Sr. letter. It just struck me as being odd -- Nothing else implied.

Rick Brown
HistoryBuff.com
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[Craig Hipkins]

I can remember reading in Remini's massive 3 volume biography of Jackson about an incident that took place in the White House shortly after Lawrence's attempt on Jackson's life. Jackson was sleeping when he awoke to see a stranger standing in his room. Others were alerted and the man was found to be unarmed so it was assumed that his intent had been robbery. He was locked in a stable but escaped sometime during the night.

[irshgrl500]

(11-27-2013 10:00 PM)historybuff22 Wrote:  When I made this post, it was barely a half-hour after finding the Junius Booth Sr. letter. It just struck me as being odd -- Nothing else implied.

Rick Brown
HistoryBuff.com
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Junius Booth, Sr. was an odd fellow, as he operated under the influence, most of the time. At his best, he was supposed to have been a fantastic actor.

I'm curious Rick, what was your point about Lafayette Curry Baker; I know he was a Union spy but a truly dubious character.

[historybuff22]

I have lived in Lansing, Michigan for the past 45 years. As it turns out, both Lafayette C. Baker and his cousin Luther B. Baker spent part of their childhood near Lansing and both moved back to Lansing after the conspirators were hung. Between the two of them, they purchased over a dozen properties in Lansing.

In 1865 Luther paid $8,000 for a 5.6 acre farm on the outskirts of Lansing. Other farms in the area at the time sold for anywhere from $175 to $300. Two-years later he sold the same farm for $285.

Lafayette purchased 3 lots from the state of Michigan in downtown Lansing for $285 total. He sold all three of them in October 1866 to O. F. Winchester of the firearms company for $30,900. Six weeks later he sold the same lots to Hiram Sibley, at the time the largest dealer of agriculture goods, for $10,000. About 9 months later he sold the same lots to John W. Longyear, a Senator from Michigan, for $60,000. Both Winchester and Sibley filed lawsuits to get their money back. When Lafayette died in 1868, Winchester dropped his lawsuit. Sibley did not and two years later got a judgement for $14,000 to be paid by Lafayette's wife Jane.

Rick Brown
HistoryBuff.com
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