The Surratt Courier

[L Verge]

Just wanted to mention that Wes Harris will be a presenter at the Surratt Conference next weekend and will be conducting a CSI report on how the Lincoln assassination was analyzed in 1865 compared to today's standards.

And speaking of the conference, I know I'll see quite a few old friends from this forum there. As of yesterday (Friday), we had 113 registered for the full conference, 45 signed up for the Friday bus trip to the Northern Neck of Virginia (ending with a wine tasting at a vineyard that now exists on what used to be the Jett farm - as in Willie Jett, who gave up Booth), an additional 25 coming just to the banquet on Saturday night to hear Brady Carlson speak on his book, Dead Presidents, and then a full bus of 51 will head to the Shenandoah Valley and Mosby territory bright and early on Sunday morning. That tour has four on a waiting list.

What I love is how far these folks are coming to get educated and enjoy good company. We have 22 states and the District of Columbia represented, and they stretch along the East Coast, across the Mighty Mississippi, through Colorado and Utah, and on to the Pacific coast of California. Next year will be our 20th anniversary year for the conference. I hope even more come for the celebration.

[Steve]

Wes's talk seems interesting, it's too bad that I'll be unable to go to the Conference. I also liked the article on Joao Celestino in this month's Courier.

[DannyW]

I received the Surratt Courier today. Always look forward to it coming in the mail. I just want to say as have others on the quality of information that lies within the pages of it . Sometimes we take for granted that it just shows up. But, the amount of effort & scholarship that goes into this is simply outstanding. So, kudos to those responsible seen & unseen. You are to be complicated for your fine effort in the spreading of knowledge. I know I speak for others in thanking you so much for what you do!

[RJNorton]

Kudos to several folks who have interesting articles in the current Surratt Courier. Susan Higginbotham tells the story of George B. Love who attended Bell Air Academy with John Wilkes Booth. Randy Siress, also a symposium member, discusses the "Etta letter" and mentions the discussion of it here on the forum. And Joan Chaconas tells the strange saga of William Clarke Quantrill's bones.

[Susan Higginbotham]

Thanks for the mention!

[Steve]

Great article Susan! Have you learned anything about the Starr family related to George Love?

Here's the "Etta letter" thread referred to Siress's article (or at least I think it's the one he's referring to) -

thread begins here:
http://rogerjnorton.com/LincolnDiscussio...ge-10.html

image of the letter here:
http://rogerjnorton.com/LincolnDiscussio...71114.html

By the way, I stand by my belief stated in the thread that the Etta letter is two different letters accidently combined.

[L Verge]

Roger, Thanks for mentioning the articles in the Surratt Courier. We really have had some great ones over the past forty years (first issue was in 1977 - and we have published every month since then with few exceptions). We have over 1500 members as far away as England, the Czech Republic, Australia, etc. who pay just $10/year to enjoy them. We also welcome submissions of articles as long as they are fact-driven and based around 19th-century history with special emphasis on the Surratts and the Lincoln conspiracy.

[ReignetteC]

(07-23-2018 03:49 PM)RJNorton Wrote:  Kudos to several folks who have interesting articles in the current Surratt Courier. Susan Higginbotham tells the story of George B. Love who attended Bell Air Academy with John Wilkes Booth. Randy Siress, also a symposium member, discusses the "Etta letter" and mentions the discussion of it here on the forum. And Joan Chaconas tells the strange saga of William Clarke Quantrill's bones.

I always get excited when I see the Surratt Courier in my mailbox! This issue was superb!

[RJNorton]

I sure enjoyed this month's Surratt Courier. There are lots of interesting articles. One is by forum member, Bill Binzel, about female members of Congress. You will also learn about the first man ever to be preceded and succeeded by a woman to his seat in Congress. This man's last name will be familiar to all forum members.

[Eva Elisabeth]

(08-27-2018 01:58 PM)RJNorton Wrote:  I sure enjoyed this month's Surratt Courier. There are lots of interesting articles. One is by forum member, Bill Binzel, about female members of Congress. You will also learn about the first man ever to be preceded and succeeded by a woman to his seat in Congress. This man's last name will be familiar to all forum members.

Same here - enjoyed Bill's article!

[ReignetteC]

As always, I enjoy reading the Surratt Courier, but the recent edition (November) rings a personal tone.

First, as a lineal Mayflower descendant, I heartily agree with Louise Oertly in her “President’s Message” that “the first Thanksgiving in North America may not have been celebrated by the Pilgrims in Plymouth Massachusetts.” But also as a French Huguenot, I must disagree with the “documented evidence” about the first celebratory feast on September 8, 1565. The Huguenots bested that date by about one year.

In 1564, a group of French Huguenots, who sought haven from being persecuted in France, landed near Jacksonville, Florida. According to Kenneth C. Davis in his NYT column, “A French Connection,” these devout Christians promptly held a “service of ‘Thanksgiving.’” Then, after they had begun to settle in the area, King Philip II, ordered their execution. Spanish forces killed the several hundred Protestant settlers. And with this, continues Davis, “America’s first pilgrims disappeared from the pages of history.”

See: “A French Connection,” New York Times, November 25, 2008

See: https://www.history.com/news/did-florida...anksgiving

See: https://www.huguenotsociety.org/heritage/history/


Second, my third great uncle, the Reverend Dr. Charles Henry Augustus Bulkeley, was the Chaplain in Sickles’s brigade. Family lore holds that he remained a devoted friend to Sickles and stood by his defense in Key’s shooting. Too bad he didn’t read “ Big, Bad, Dan Sickles.” Terrific piece!

[L Verge]

(11-01-2018 05:33 PM)ReignetteC Wrote:  As always, I enjoy reading the Surratt Courier, but the recent edition (November) rings a personal tone.

First, as a lineal Mayflower descendant, I heartily agree with Louise Oertly in her “President’s Message” that “the first Thanksgiving in North America may not have been celebrated by the Pilgrims in Plymouth Massachusetts.” But also as a French Huguenot, I must disagree with the “documented evidence” about the first celebratory feast on September 8, 1565. The Huguenots bested that date by about one year.

In 1864, a group of French Huguenots, who sought haven from being persecuted in France, landed near Jacksonville, Florida. According to Kenneth C. Davis in his NYT column, “A French Connection,” these devout Christians promptly held a “service of ‘Thanksgiving.’” Then, after they had begun to settle in the area, King Philip II, ordered their execution. Spanish forces killed the several hundred Protestant settlers. And with this, continues Davis, “America’s first pilgrims disappeared from the pages of history.”

See: “A French Connection,” New York Times, November 25, 2008

See: https://www.history.com/news/did-florida...anksgiving

See: https://www.huguenotsociety.org/heritage/history/


Second, my third great uncle, the Reverend Dr. Charles Henry Augustus Bulkeley, was the Chaplain in Sickles’s brigade. Family lore holds that he remained a devoted friend to Sickles and stood by his defense in Key’s shooting. Too bad he didn’t read “ Big, Bad, Dan Sickles.” Terrific piece!

Thanks for the history of Thanksgiving lesson, Reignette. I don't think I ever heard about the French Huguenots even settling in Florida. In fact, in high school, there was very little mention of Spaniards in the New World once we got past the explorers. I'll try to find space in the December Courier for this extra piece about the first Thanksgiving. Always a contest between Britain, Spain, and France it seemed.

As for Dan Sickles, it seems to me that he was one of those men who could do no evil in the eyes of his followers. I bet he was the hit at any tavern of his day.

P.S. You might want to change the date in the second full paragraph to 1564, instead of 1864...

[ReignetteC]

(11-01-2018 06:21 PM)L Verge Wrote:  

(11-01-2018 05:33 PM)ReignetteC Wrote:  As always, I enjoy reading the Surratt Courier, but the recent edition (November) rings a personal tone.

First, as a lineal Mayflower descendant, I heartily agree with Louise Oertly in her “President’s Message” that “the first Thanksgiving in North America may not have been celebrated by the Pilgrims in Plymouth Massachusetts.” But also as a French Huguenot, I must disagree with the “documented evidence” about the first celebratory feast on September 8, 1565. The Huguenots bested that date by about one year.

In 1564, a group of French Huguenots, who sought haven from being persecuted in France, landed near Jacksonville, Florida. According to Kenneth C. Davis in his NYT column, “A French Connection,” these devout Christians promptly held a “service of ‘Thanksgiving.’” Then, after they had begun to settle in the area, King Philip II, ordered their execution. Spanish forces killed the several hundred Protestant settlers. And with this, continues Davis, “America’s first pilgrims disappeared from the pages of history.”

See: “A French Connection,” New York Times, November 25, 2008

See: https://www.history.com/news/did-florida...anksgiving

See: https://www.huguenotsociety.org/heritage/history/


Second, my third great uncle, the Reverend Dr. Charles Henry Augustus Bulkeley, was the Chaplain in Sickles’s brigade. Family lore holds that he remained a devoted friend to Sickles and stood by his defense in Key’s shooting. Too bad he didn’t read “ Big, Bad, Dan Sickles.” Terrific piece!

Thanks for the history of Thanksgiving lesson, Reignette. I don't think I ever heard about the French Huguenots even settling in Florida. In fact, in high school, there was very little mention of Spaniards in the New World once we got past the explorers. I'll try to find space in the December Courier for this extra piece about the first Thanksgiving. Always a contest between Britain, Spain, and France it seemed.

As for Dan Sickles, it seems to me that he was one of those men who could do no evil in the eyes of his followers. I bet he was the hit at any tavern of his day.

P.S. You might want to change the date in the second full paragraph to 1564, instead of 1864...

Thanks!

[BettyO]

Joan's article in the Courier was wonderful! Thoroughly enjoyed it!


I own a copy of the original trial transcript, circa 1859. It is one of the raciest things for the times I've ever read, and the Victorian euphemisms for adulty are hilarious. I collect things pertaining to the trial and also own several newspapers, Harpers, Leslies, etc.

Here's a link for the trial transcript. It's free on Google. You can also download the PDF which is best because it reads on most formats.

https://books.google.com/books/about/Tri...mBETHa5jEC

   

[L Verge]

I should thank this forum for the second part of the article on Sickles because I had never heard of Princess Salm-Salm until the "kiss" incident was posted here. When I searched further to learn more for this article was when I found the tie-in to Sickles and was able to turn a short article into a longer one for the Courier.