What Was The Role of David Herold

[John Fazio]

(09-26-2013 12:03 PM)L Verge Wrote:  You are quite right about people of that era having a code of etiquette by which they judged others and were judged themselves. You have a valid assumption here relative to Davis's state of mind if you take into account the extreme pressures that he was under for a long period of time because of the political and military aspects of the war.

Everyone of us who have been under pressure even slightly like this knows that it is often a little thing or a small slight that can throw you off balance. Of course, it's another situation where we can only "suggest" or speculate, but the psychological aspects should be considered.

Laurie:

Thank you for your comments, with which I quite agree. If we add the offense taken by Davis because of Lincoln's failure to reciprocate Davis's kindness re sending of condolences to the Lincoln family upon the death of Willie (if that in fact was the case), to the Wistar and Dahlgren-Kilpatrick Orders, we gain a clearer understanding of what ultimately happened and Davis's possible role in it. Though I recognize that there is and probably always will be some question as to the authenticity of the offending parts of the Orders, if not of the Orders in their entirety, perception is more important than reality, and the perception of the Southern people, the Southern press and the Confederate Government was that they were genuine.

John

[Steve]

Does anybody know where Herold was a pharmacy clerk when he quit his job on September 4, 1864? I ask because Herold quitting his job is sometimes taken as evidence that he had joined Booth's group by then.

Also, how do we know the exact date?

[RJNorton]

(09-19-2017 10:32 PM)Steve Wrote:  Also, how do we know the exact date?

On p. 138 of American Brutus, Mike Kauffman writes:

"On the fourth of September, David Herold, the pharmacy clerk, quit his job, and may have joined the conspiracy."

There is no endnote for this, so I do not know Mike's source for the date.

[Steve]

If Herold had been recruited by then, presumably Booth would also had to have gone to Washington as well as Baltimore in early August 1864 based on the chronology in Art Loux's book.

[Dennis Urban]

(09-19-2017 10:32 PM)Steve Wrote:  Does anybody know where Herold was a pharmacy clerk when he quit his job on September 4, 1864? I ask because Herold quitting his job is sometimes taken as evidence that he had joined Booth's group by then.

Also, how do we know the exact date?

I believe Herold was a pharmacy clerk at of near to the Washington Navy Yard. I'll have to look up a source for that if you desire.

[Steve]

(09-20-2017 08:36 AM)Dennis Urban Wrote:  I believe Herold was a pharmacy clerk at of near to the Washington Navy Yard. I'll have to look up a source for that if you desire.

That's what I thought. I knew he grew up near the Navy Yard but I wasn't sure if his last job was also in that area.

Thanks for the offer to try and find an original source but I don't want you to waste too much of your own time looking up such a minor point.

[Dennis Urban]

(09-20-2017 11:58 AM)Steve Wrote:  

(09-20-2017 08:36 AM)Dennis Urban Wrote:  I believe Herold was a pharmacy clerk at of near to the Washington Navy Yard. I'll have to look up a source for that if you desire.

That's what I thought. I knew he grew up near the Navy Yard but I wasn't sure if his last job was also in that area.

Thanks for the offer to try and find an original source but I don't want you to waste too much of your own time looking up such a minor point.

Per the highly regarded BoothieBarn website, Davey's father was a well-respected clerk at the Quartermaster's Office within the Navy Yard. He died in 1864. In 1865, Davey, his widowed mother, and his many sisters lived in what we would call today a townhouse outside of the walls of the Navy Yard. I suspect Davey's father got him the position at the pharmacy, perhaps within the Navy Yard. Those walls are still there today around the Navy Yard and it's the high rent district near the Washington Nationals baseball stadium.

[Susan Higginbotham]

In his April 27, 1865, statement, Herold said that he had had lived "eleven months exactly" with J. S. Ward, a druggist in Washington, and had left him in the early fall of 1864 because it was partridge season. He said that he had been a clerk with William S. Thompson, another druggist, two years before the spring of 1865.

[RJNorton]

(09-20-2017 02:33 PM)Susan Higginbotham Wrote:  In his April 27, 1865, statement, Herold said that he had had lived "eleven months exactly" with J. S. Ward, a druggist in Washington, and had left him in the early fall of 1864 because it was partridge season. He said that he had been a clerk with William S. Thompson, another druggist, two years before the spring of 1865.

Assuming Herold told the truth (a big assumption), I wonder if Mr. Ward made a statement to investigators. If so, possibly that includes the September 4th date that Mike Kauffman mentions in AB.

[Steve]

(09-20-2017 02:33 PM)Susan Higginbotham Wrote:  In his April 27, 1865, statement, Herold said that he had had lived "eleven months exactly" with J. S. Ward, a druggist in Washington, and had left him in the early fall of 1864 because it was partridge season. He said that he had been a clerk with William S. Thompson, another druggist, two years before the spring of 1865.

Thanks. This is the first I've heard of the partridge hunting explanation for his quitting his job. I'll look to see if I can find out any more information about Ward.

[Steve]

I found Herold and his mother residing at 636 8th East in the 1865 Washington directory

   

[Susan Higginbotham]

To complicate matters a little more, a Francis Walsh, who said that he had employed Herold for 11 months, testified on his behalf at the conspiracy trial:

By MR. STONE:

Q. Where do you reside?
A. In the city of Washington, on Eighth Street, east.
Q. How long have you resided there?
A. Since 1837.
Q. Do you know the prisoner, David E. Herold?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. How long have you known him?
A. I cannot tell how long I have known him, but since he was a boy. I have known him for a great many years. I have known him intimately since October, 1863.
Q. State to the court whether or not he has been in your employ.
A. Yes, sir: he has been in my employ eleven months as a clerk.
Q. What is your business?
A. Druggist.
Q. State to the Court, as near as you can, his character.
A. While he was in my employ, he lived in my house, and I know of nothing objectionable in his character. He was like most youngsters, light, trifling in a great many things; but, as to his moral character, I never saw any thing to find fault with. He was temperate in his habits, and regular in his hours.
Q. Was he or not, in his general character, more of a boy than a man?
A. I think he was.
Q. Was he or not easily persuaded or influenced by any one around him?
A. I should think he was.
Q. State to the Court whether you did or did not consider him rather remarkable for his trivial character, easily to be influenced and led away.
A. Yes: I think he was more than usually so for young men of his years.
Q. He was boyish in every respect?
A. Yes, sir.

[Steve]

I found Francis S. Walsh, druggist residing at 608 8th East

1862:
   

1863:
   

I couldn't find a "J. S. Ward", or any variant that was a druggist, in any census or city directory. So that's probably just a mistake/misspelling in the record.

[Susan Higginbotham]

There is another questionable thing about Kauffman's book and Herold. Kauffman writes (p. 426 n.39) that in his will, Herold's father directed that "under no circumstances shall the duty of settling my estate devole upon my son David."

The will, however, says nothing of the sort. It simply names Herold's mother as executor, without any references to Herold at all.

[Dave Taylor]

Susan,
The reference to Davy in Mr. Herold’s will is located in a later codicil that is not included in the version of the will you found. The codicil, dated September 9, 1864, describes that if Mrs. Herold should die before Mr. Herold the settling of his estate shall devolve to his three eldest daughters. Though Kauffman inadvertently altered the exact text of this codicil, the sentiment he describes is true. The codicil ends with the statement that, “…in no case shall the duty of managing my estate fall upon my son, David.” I have images of the codicil if you would like them.

Dave

---

Also, the date of Davy leaving the employ of Dr. Walsh on September 4, 1864, comes from the statement of James W. Walsh, Dr. Walsh's son. James Walsh gave a statement on April 27th, which stated, in part, "I am in the drug business. I know David E. Herold. He was in my father's employ about eleven months. He left on the 4th of September without assigning any particular reason save a desire for sport...His father was ill; died two or three days after David left..."

James Walsh was a bit off regarding Mr. Herold's death as it did not occur until about a month after Davy left Walsh's employ, on October 6, 1864.