Excellent guess, Eva, but it's not Rathbone.

Hint #1: The answer is a person mentioned quite often on this forum.

Sure wrong (as Betty would have known): Lewis Powell?

Another good try, Eva, but it's not Lewis Powell.

(08-30-2014 06:29 AM)RJNorton Wrote:  What person was described as such?

"He knew much about the cost of things, the details of trade, the principles of mechanics, and the habits of animals, all of which showed the activity of his mind and the odd turn of his thoughts."

When I read this quote, my first thought was Lincoln. But I didn't think an "odd turn of his thoughts" suited the president. This is just a thought, could it be one of Lincoln's sons? I've heard Tad had odd behavior, I'll take a stab and guess him. Is it Tad Lincoln?????

Brilliant, Paige! This was said about Tad by journalist Noah Brooks. Brooks was amazed at Tad despite Tad's lack of academic preparation.

Paige, you win very best wishes for a nice holiday weekend!

Thanks! Hope you have a great weekend too.

What is the name of this hotel?

Wormely's Hotel (if it had another name I can't find it).

You are amazing, Eva! That is correct.

You win one free week at the hotel!

Great prize, thank you, Roger!

Here's a link to an article on the Wormley Hotel.

"In the early 1850s Wormley was named as the steward for the Washington Club, located in what had been the Rodgers mansion on Madison Place facing the Square."

Seward, of course, was bedridden in the Old Clubhouse when he was assaulted by Powell on April 14.

http://www.whitehousehistory.org/present...hotel.html

How can I have never heard of this man?? I am embarrassed...he sounds simply amazing. I wonder if he has living descendants? Thanks Linda, as usual.

WAY TO GO Eva, for getting it right on the very first try!

Actually it's Linda who deserves the prize and laurels, Toia, I just read the fantastic article she had posted here (post #7):
http://rogerjnorton.com/LincolnDiscussio...7689.html?

Thank you, Eva, but you answered the question and so deserve the rewards.

Toia, one of the commentators in the Streets of Washington article says that he is a descendant of Mr. Wormley.

http://www.streetsofwashington.com/2012/...rmley.html

Also, there is a document in the Seward Papers that recounts Wormley's visit to Auburn with Seward.

"In addition to Frances’ work, there is an indication that William Seward, while a senator in Washington, DC, worked with African American hotelkeeper, James Wormley, to transport fugitives to freedom. A c. 1870 manuscript by Francis B. Carpenter in the Seward Papers notes:
“Among the visitors in the evening was Mr. Wormley, the well known colored landlord of Washington. Greeting him cordially and introducing him to his other guests, Mr. Seward said: ‘Wormley and I went into the emancipation business a year and a half before Mr. Lincoln did,
down on the James River. How was it Wormley – how many slaves did we take off on our steamer?’ ‘Eighteen,’ replied Mr. Wormley.”16

16 Francis B. Carpenter, “A Day with Governor Seward at Auburn,” handwritten mss., no date
[prob. July 1870], Seward Papers.

http://www.cayugacounty.us/portals/0/his...PDF/5f.pdf
p. 122.