A Magnificent Find - Welcome Dr. Ron Rietveld

[RJNorton]

I am so honored to announce that Dr. Ron Rietveld has just joined our new forum. Quoting from ALO, Dr. Rietveld has "met the last surviving person to see Lincoln's body, talked with a man who knew Lincoln as a child, corresponded with author Carl Sandburg, and visited the grave of William Johnson, who was Lincoln's White House valet."

However, when I think of Dr. Rietveld, I first think of the teenage boy who in 1952 discovered the only photograph of Abraham Lincoln in death. The whole story can be found here. More of Dr. Rietveld's memories can be found here.

[BettyO]

Welcome, Dr. Rietveld! It is indeed an honor to have you on our Forum! I'd love to talk to you! How very wonderful that you have been able to do all of these facinating things.....

Thank you so very much!

Betty O

[Rsmyth]

Along with Gardener's photos of the execution, this photo is one of the most iconic associated with the assassination. The rights to the picture belong to the Springfield, Lincoln Library and Museum. They charge a fee for the use of the image. I wonder if the doctor would have to pay to include the photograph in a publication! I also wonder if, as a 12 year old boy when he realized just what a historical find he had uncovered. Anyway it is exciting that you have joined this group.

[Joe Di Cola]

It was that 1952 LIFE article that started me on my life-long study of Abraham Lincoln. I still have my original copy of that article after all of these years. So, thank you Ron Rietveld!

[LincolnMan]

I've also been fascinated by the photograph pretty much all of my life. I too wonder what it was like to find it. Please feel free to share-and welcome.

[Rob Wick]

I think it speaks well for the group, and for Roger, that such luminaries as Dr. Rietveld and several others are willing to share their knowledge with everyone.

And Dr. Rietveld, about that Sandburg correspondence....

Welcome aboard!

Best
Rob

[HerbS]

Welcome-Dr.Rietveld to this Fantastic Forum! Rob,you hit the nail right on the head with your Post.

[J. Beckert]

Welcome aboard, Doc!!

[L Verge]

Dr. Rietveld has been a member of the Surratt Society for years, and I had the great pleasure of meeting him briefly during one of the Lincoln Bicentennial meetings of the board of advisers at the Library of Congress. What an elder statesman he is in the study of Lincoln and quite pleasant to be around.

[ninabeth13]

Welcome, Dr. Reitveld!

[Donna McCreary]

Welcome, Dr. Reitveld. I look forward to reading your posts.

[Ron Rietveld]

I wish to take a moment to thank all of you who have so graciously welcomed me to the Lincoln Discussion Forum. I am very honored to be among those interested in the life and times of President Lincoln [for me an interest since 1943]. When I have another moment, I would like to respond to those of you who welcomed me to the Forum. I am slightly delayed in giving my initial response because of my current involvement with the 150th Anniversary Commemoration of the Civil War of my hometown of Pella, Iowa and Marion County, Iowa and the new two-month display, September 15 to November 15, at the Founder's Home of H. P. Scholte [who was also a friend of the candidate, president-elect and corresponding friend of the president]. Thanks to Roger Norton for his invitation, I have agreed.

[RJNorton]

Many thanks to Rob Wick for forwarding this link:

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/histo...o-25964612

[HerbS]

Thanks-Ron!

[loetar44]

Welcome Dr. Rietveld to this forum. I once read in an article that you are from Dutch ancestry. I'm Dutch and it's amazing that we can meet here in this forum. It's a sign, my niece would say....