Junius Booth Sr. and the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse

[Susan Higginbotham]

I am reading Stephen Archer's biography of Junius Booth, Sr. (very good, by the way). In it, he quotes an 1822 diary entry by Booth, written not long after Booth came to the U.S., in which Booth writes that he had met a collector of customs who offered him the keeping of Cape Hatteras Light House in North Carolina. Booth mulled over the possibility but had doubts whether Mary Anne would take to this isolated life.

The thought of Booth and his family tending the lighthouse amuses me to no end.

[BettyO]

Archer's bio of Junius Brutus Booth is wonderful! I read it about 20 years ago and I remember parts of it re: Junius' actions kept me in stitches! He was quite the eccentric. Good thing he was never a light house keeper! You can imagine quite a few screwy things would have been going on there, aside from ships going aground and whatever else!

[Eva Elisabeth]

I appreciate his love for animals that JWB hadn't sufficiently inherited (thinking of his cruelty against kitties). My favorite of Junius' actions is his burying pigeons. And he freed the slaves working for him.

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Does a photo of his first wife (Adelaide) exist?

[Eva Elisabeth]

I love lighthouses (and living at the sea) and wanted to see what Junius declined. Betty, it seems he couldn't have harmed more:

"In 1803, the first Cape Hatteras lighthouse was built but that light had a less than good reputation and many mariners complained that they never even saw it when passing the area."

The construction history is interesting and the lighthouse looks beautiful - worth to check out:

http://www.bansemer.com/north_carolina_l...thouse.htm

[Jim Garrett]

There is a sketch of the first Mrs. Junius Brutus Booth. The Junius Brutus Booth Society has a copy on display at Tudor Hall. I would imagine a very industrious Dave Taylor has one.

[RJNorton]

There is a sketch of the first Mrs. Junius Brutus Booth. The Junius Brutus Booth Society has a copy on display at Tudor Hall. I would imagine a very industrious Dave Taylor has one.

Indeed Dave posted the sketch. It is here.

Eva, I don't think there are any known photos.

[Eva Elisabeth]

Thanks, Jim and Roger!

[Sally]

I appreciate his love for animals that JWB hadn't sufficiently inherited (thinking of his cruelty against kitties). My favorite of Junius' actions is his burying pigeons. And he freed the slaves working for him.

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Does a photo of his first wife (Adelaide) exist?

With regard to Adelaide Booth, nee Delannoy, I recently read a book called “Before the Trumpet: Young Franklin Roosevelt, 1882-1905” by Geoffrey C. Ward. I really enjoyed it and highly recommend it not only for those interested in FDR’s early years, but also for anyone who would enjoy a social history of the Hudson River gentry of the mid-late 19th century. The author provides fairly lengthy biographies of Roosevelt’s parents and other relatives. And on page 66, in the chapter discussing the history of the Delano clan (or “de la Noye” as they were originally called), there’s a footnote stating that: “. . . Dutch-born Adelaide Delannoy, seduced by the American (sic) actor Junius Brutus Booth” was among FDR’s colorful antecedents.

So this means Franklin Roosevelt was (distantly) related to the half-brother of Abraham Lincoln’s assassin. Another interesting example of six degrees of separation?

I wonder if we could see a resemblance in a photograph (HA!)

[Eva Elisabeth]

Was she Dutch? I thought to vaguely remember she was Belgian (which the French name would also suggest).

[Sally]

Was she Dutch? I thought to vaguely remember she was Belgian (which the French name would also suggest).

Yes, I've always thought she was Belgian, and was living there the whole time her "husband" was in America begetting a new family. But the footnote said "Dutch-born". I believe that's likely incorrect. Unless, of course, she was BORN in Holland, and MOVED to Belgium?? Nah . . . I think the footnote was wrong.

[L Verge]

I thought Junius was boarding with Marie Adelaide's mother in Brussels when they met?

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Our Dave Taylor came through again. Go here: http://boothiebarn.com/2013/07/06/when-j...ge-part-3/

Junius played in Amsterdam before his theatrical troupe moved on to Antwerp and then to Brussels, where he boarded with Agatha Delannoy.