Lincoln Discussion Symposium

William Doster ? Looks like him
(except for the ears, and the nose, and the part in his hair)

http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/northampt...doster.jpg

(02-24-2016 12:38 PM)Eva Elisabeth Wrote: [ -> ]Hint #2: On the forum his name would be mentioned in the WH Years or Assassination threads.

OK - I now remember - Charles Dwight Hess (more commonly known as C.D. Hess), the manager at Grover's Theatre. I should have known this earlier.

Kudos, Roger, you nailed it! And Gene is right as Dr. Houmes once pointed out the ears determine a person like fingerprints.

Here's some info on C.D. Hess, and it's a very interesting site at all (IMO):
http://www.operaoldcolo.info/personages/company9.html

On April 2, 1864, the Lincolns, the Seward family and Julia Grant attended Charles Gounod's "Faust" at Grover's.

Roger, you win this wonderful "Walpurgis Night" scene from "Faust", here brilliantly and famously performed by George Balanchine's NYC Ballet:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9Q3mTBtTOZ8

While the opera first premiered in 1859, the ballet was inserted in 1869, thus the Lincoln/Sweard/Grant party at Grover's missed it.

Thanks, Eva. Not only have I never seen Walpurgisnacht Ballet, but I've never attended any ballet in person.

Who is this?

Looks somehow representative. Did he found/lead an organization/association or museum?

He did a lot of things in his life - hard to list them all. He is mentioned in virtually all Abraham Lincoln biographies.

Osborn Oldroyd?

That is a very good guess, Eva, but it is not Osborn Oldroyd.

James Shields with whom Lincoln almost fought a duel with sabers.

Kudos, Joe! That is correct.

You win the right to choose the weapons if you are ever in a duel. This prize holds true whether you initiated the challenge or were challenged by another person.

Was Lincoln skilled in the use of sabers?

No, he allegedly chose the sword because his longer arms might have been of advantage and Shields was better at shooting.

I remember when I saw Shield's photo first I thought he just doesn't look like someone (a gentleman) to challenge others to a real fight.

Thanks for posting the link, Dan.