Who is this person?

[Gene C]

Is our mystery man known for being a politician?

[AussieMick]

Gene, I think you may have missed an earlier clue ...
"Considering this man's profession, one would hope that anything he said or wrote would be truthful."

He wasnt a politician. Nor a military/naval man. Nor a journalist. Nor medical/dental. Nor an actor, not involved in theatre. He did write a letter, as a 53 (if my arithmetic is correct) year old man, of some relevance to the topic under discussion.

[RJNorton]

Was he a clergyman?

[Steve]

Finnis L. Bates

[David Lockmiller]

(11-06-2018 06:26 AM)David Lockmiller Wrote:  But for the early military preparations relating to the annexation of Texas, the lifelong marriage of Ulysses Grant might never have occurred. How did Grant explain this in his own words?

I thought that I would expand upon the answer to this question provided by AussieMick at post #1325:

At West Point I had a class-mate – in the last year of our studies he was a room-mate also – F.T. Dent, whose family resided some five miles west of Jefferson Barracks. [A]s I had taken with me from Ohio, my horse, saddle and bridle, I soon found my way out to White Haven, the name of the Dent estate. As I found the family congenial my visits became frequent. There was still an older daughter of seventeen, who had been spending several years at boarding-school, had not yet returned home. . . . In February she returned to her country home. After that I do not know but my visits became more frequent; they certainly did become more enjoyable. We would often take walks, or go on horseback to visit the neighbors, until I became quite well acquainted in that vicinity. If the 4th infantry had remained at Jefferson Barracks it is possible, even probable, that this life might have continued for some years without my finding out that there was anything serious the matter with me; but in the following May a circumstance occurred which developed my sentiment so palpable that here was no mistaking it.

About the 1st of May the 3d infantry was ordered from Jefferson Barracks to Louisiana, to go into the neighborhood of Fort Jessup, and there await further orders. About the time they started I obtained a leave of absence for twenty days to go to Ohio to visit my parents. . . . A messenger was sent after me to stop my leaving; but before he could reach me I was off, totally ignorant of events [the 4th infantry had been ordered to follow the 3d and Grant was informed of this occurrence in a letter from a fellow lieutenant in the 4th].

My leave of absence required me to report for duty, at Jefferson Barracks, at the end of twenty days. I knew my regiment had gone up the Red River, but I was not disposed to break the letter of my leave. Accordingly, at the end of the twenty days, I reported for duty to Lieutenant Ewell [later, Confederate General Ewell], commanding at Jefferson Barracks, handing at the same time my leave of absence. He said he would give me an order to join my regiment in Louisiana. I then asked for a few days’ leave before starting, which he readily granted.

[(AussieMick’s contribution) "Before I returned I mustered up courage to make known, in the most awkward manner imaginable, the discovery I had made on learning that the 4th infantry had been ordered away from Jefferson Barracks. The young lady afterwards admitted that she too, although until then she had never looked upon me other than as a visitor whose company was agreeable to her, had experienced a depression of spirits she could not account for when the regiment left. Before separating it was definitely understood that at a convenient time we would join our fortunes, and not let the removal of a regiment trouble us."]

This was in May, 1844. It was the 22d of August, 1848, before the fulfillment of this agreement. My duties kept me on the frontier of Louisiana with the Army of Observation during the pendency of Annexation; and afterwards I was absent through the war with Mexico, provoked by the action of the army, if not by the annexation itself. During that time there was a constant correspondence between Miss Dent and myself, but we only met once in the period of four years and three months. In May, 1845, I procured a leave for twenty days, visited St. Louis, and obtained the consent of the parents for the union, which had not been asked for before.

(Source: “Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant, (1885) Vol, 1, pages 46-51.)

On August 22, 1848, they were married at Julia's home in St. Louis. Grant's abolitionist father Jesse, who disapproved of the Dents owning slaves, refused to attend their wedding, which took place without either of Grant's parents. Grant was flanked by three fellow West Point graduates, all dressed in their blue uniforms, including Longstreet, Julia's cousin. At the end of the month, Julia was nevertheless warmly received by Grant's family in Bethel, Ohio. After the wedding, Grant obtained a two-month extension to his leave and returned to St. Louis when he decided, with a wife to support, that he would remain in the army.

(Source: Wikipedia on “Grant”)

[AussieMick]

Sorry for delay (Its 06:29 , I have been asleep).

Yes, Roger he was a clergyman. So, Steve, you are not correct with Finis L. Bates .... but you are now both so very very very close.

[RJNorton]

Rev. Enoch Covert Harper?

[AussieMick]

No, not him Roger. Our "man" was more closely involved with the event.

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He was one of the last people to speak to ... who? well that's apparently open to conjecture.

[Steve]

Rev. Olds?

[AussieMick]

(11-13-2018 04:22 PM)Steve Wrote:  Rev. Olds?

Nice try, Steve. I see that Rev Olds spoke to Herold just before he went to the scaffold. But , no.

I was thinking of an event that happened previous to that. Herold would have been around but our mystery person wasn't a clergyman at that time.

[AussieMick]

I guess many of you will be aware of a "Selective Awareness Test" where people often fail to 'see' an unexpected character that appears during an event. Gorilla on a basket ball court and so on?

Well, this person was a player in circumstances surrounding the event that has been the subject of heated discussion recently on this Forum. He later described his experience.

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(11-13-2018 05:58 PM)AussieMick Wrote:  I guess many of you will be aware of a "Selective Awareness Test" where people often fail to 'see' an unexpected character that appears during an event. Gorilla on a basket ball court and so on?

Well, this person was a player in circumstances surrounding the event that has been the subject of heated discussion recently on this Forum. He later described his experience.

If I could locate an earlier image , then it might give it away

   

[RJNorton]

I think I now have it --> Rev. Richard B. Garrett?

[AussieMick]

Yes !!! Well done, Roger. Congrats. Kudos. Whatever.
The mystery "man' was only 11 at the time and was later inspired (I think) to defend the family name when Finis Bates came up with the story of a man claiming to be Booth.

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http://www.abandonedcountry.com/2013/09/...e-calling/

and , of course, thanks to Rob Wick ...

https://rogerjnorton.com/LincolnDiscussi...ht=Gardner
( I was searching for references to L. Gardner ... but thats irrelevant to this question)

and that colored image of a lady is Kathy Bates , the film star, grand-daughter of Finis Bates.

(And I see my own surname, not Bates, appears in the string of connections)

[L Verge]

(11-13-2018 06:12 PM)AussieMick Wrote:  Yes !!! Well done, Roger. Congrats. Kudos. Whatever.
The mystery "man' was only 11 at the time and was later inspired (I think) to defend the family name when Finis Bates came up with the story of a man claiming to be Booth.

---

http://www.abandonedcountry.com/2013/09/...e-calling/

and , of course, thanks to Rob Wick ...

https://rogerjnorton.com/LincolnDiscussi...ht=Gardner
( I was searching for references to L. Gardner ... but thats irrelevant to this question)

and that colored image of a lady is Kathy Bates , the film star, grand-daughter of Finis Bates.

(And I see my own surname, not Bates, appears in the string of connections)

And, we found out years ago, via her niece, that Kathy Bates is very protective of grandpa...

[David Lockmiller]

Who is the person that served the shortest time as Attorney General of the United States?