Assassination Trivia

[RJNorton]

Yes, Steve, they are looking for where someone is buried.

[Dennis Urban]

Looking for grave of JWB or fake JWB?

[RJNorton]

Nope, they are not looking for JWB's (fake or real) grave.

[Steve]

Maybe "looking" for the graves of Dr. Samuel Mudd and his wife? Can you tell us the name of the woman dowsing?

[RJNorton]

Nope, she is not looking for the graves of Dr. and Mrs. Mudd. I believe her name is Gladys Mittman.

[RJNorton]

Hint #1: The location of the grave hunt is in Iowa.

[Steve Whitlock]

(04-15-2020 07:49 AM)RJNorton Wrote:  Hint #1: The location of the grave hunt is in Iowa.

The grave of John Henry Stevenson, husband of Izola Mills.

---

(04-15-2020 09:01 AM)Steve Whitlock Wrote:  

(04-15-2020 07:49 AM)RJNorton Wrote:  Hint #1: The location of the grave hunt is in Iowa.

The grave of John Henry Stevenson, husband of Izola Mills.

Izola Mills, of course, alleged to have married JWB. Gladys (Kemper) Mittman is a historian in Muscatine Co., IA.

Program will study County's connection to Lincoln assassination

Oct 31, 2009 0


MUSCATINE, Iowa — It was three score and several years ago when, as a child, Gladys Mittman’s father first told her about the man buried on the family property in Muscatine County.

It wasn’t until 60 years later, in 1996, that Mittman would learn that the man, John Henry Stevenson, may have been linked to one of the most important events in American history — the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln.

Mittman will tell the story of that discovery, her research and the work of a pair of college professors and authors during a free program at the Musser Public Library at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 3, at Musser Public Library.

Indiana University professor Leonard F. Guttridge and author Ray A. Neff co-wrote the upcoming book, “Dark Union,” which tells the story of Lincoln’s murder and the alleged connection to Muscatine County.

Before his death in 1890, John Henry Stevenson claimed in a manuscript that he grew up with John Wilkes Booth, Lincoln’s assassin, and that Booth was never really brought to justice, despite official historical accounts to the contrary.

Stevenson alleges that Booth escaped to India and some historical records indicate Booth may have died there in 1883.

Stevenson also claims to have later married and divorced Izola before moving to Muscatine County to live out his final years, where he took up residence with Clara and Emma Brandt, owners of the property that is now Wildcat Den State Park.

Mittman, who herself acknowledges that the truth behind the story may never be known, said that people can still immerse themselves in the intrigue behind the mystery during her presentation.

Online

Read the entire transcript of Michael O’Laughlen’s (alias John Henry Stevenson) dictated autobiography at the Indiana State University Web site: http://odin.indstate.edu/about/units/rbs...ughlin.pdf

[RJNorton]

Yes! Very good, Steve. You are correct although your reply is not why I asked the question. Just like there were stories that JWB got away, there was also a story that Michael O'Laughlen escaped from Ft. Jefferson and lived the rest of his life using the alias John Henry Stevenson. IMO, none of this is true, and I am positive that O'Laughlen died at Ft. Jefferson on September 23, 1867. Dr. Mudd tried to save him, but O'Laughlen died despite the doctor's efforts. I am 100% convinced JWB died at Garrett's farm and O'Laughlen died in the Dry Tortugas.

Here's the story where the photo I used came from:

https://muscatinejournal.com/news/local/...120b4.html

[Steve Whitlock]

(04-15-2020 09:28 AM)RJNorton Wrote:  Yes! Very good, Steve. You are correct although your reply is not why I asked the question. Just like there were stories that JWB got away, there was also a story that Michael O'Laughlen escaped from Ft. Jefferson and lived the rest of his life using the alias John Henry Stevenson. IMO, none of this is true, and I am positive that O'Laughlen died at Ft. Jefferson on September 23, 1867. Dr. Mudd tried to save him, but O'Laughlen died despite the doctor's efforts. I am 100% convinced JWB died at Garrett's farm and O'Laughlen died in the Dry Tortugas.

Here's the story where the photo I used came from:

https://muscatinejournal.com/news/local/...120b4.html

Steve Williams,

Since we all know many of the people in "Dark Union" are fictitious, and others are actual people who are claimed to have made statements they never made, do you know whether there was actually a Lottie Eaton, who supposedly recalled the story of John Henry Stevenson, aka Michael O'Laughlin (sic)?

I know that the John Henry Stevenson who married Martha I. M. Booth in 1869 in Baltimore, and again, as Martha L. Bellows, in 1871 in Boston, was the father on the birth record of Harry Jerome Dresback Stevenson. There are actual records for those events, and he was not the deceased Michael O'Laughlen at that time.

I haven't checked, and wont, (I've wasted too much time for the amusement of the late Neff-Guttridge) to see whether anyone other than Lottie Eaton, if she exists, or didn't die shortly after her revelation, ever heard John Henry Stevenson tell the same story, and claim to be the escaped Michael O'Laughlen.

I know the esteemed Steve Williams has done considerable research in this area and likely knows whether Lottie Eaton was real.

If anyone cares to see those marriage records and birth record I mentioned I'll post them. The reason for the 2nd marriage was likely because Izola was in court hearings to get a Navy pension for herself and her children (discussed in another thread) and some of the estate, such as it was, for the death of her husband, Charles Still Bellows, who died in 1869, and in his will left his estate to his brother, with no mention of a wife or children. Of course he is of record at sea when his wife was conceiving Ogarita Bellows, so perhaps he was a bit miffed.

Be that as it may, Martha Izola (Mills) Bellows-Booth??-Stevenson-etc won her court battles. I suspect the first marriage as Martha I. M. Booth was for Rosalie Booth's benefit and the claim that Izola had JWB's children.

[Steve]

(04-15-2020 03:02 PM)Steve Whitlock Wrote:  Since we all know many of the people in "Dark Union" are fictitious, and others are actual people who are claimed to have made statements they never made, do you know whether there was actually a Lottie Eaton, who supposedly recalled the story of John Henry Stevenson, aka Michael O'Laughlin (sic)?

I know that the John Henry Stevenson who married Martha I. M. Booth in 1869 in Baltimore, and again, as Martha L. Bellows, in 1871 in Boston, was the father on the birth record of Harry Jerome Dresback Stevenson. There are actual records for those events, and he was not the deceased Michael O'Laughlen at that time.

I haven't checked, and wont, (I've wasted too much time for the amusement of the late Neff-Guttridge) to see whether anyone other than Lottie Eaton, if she exists, or didn't die shortly after her revelation, ever heard John Henry Stevenson tell the same story, and claim to be the escaped Michael O'Laughlen.

I know the esteemed Steve Williams has done considerable research in this area and likely knows whether Lottie Eaton was real.

If anyone cares to see those marriage records and birth record I mentioned I'll post them. The reason for the 2nd marriage was likely because Izola was in court hearings to get a Navy pension for herself and her children (discussed in another thread) and some of the estate, such as it was, for the death of her husband, Charles Still Bellows, who died in 1869, and in his will left his estate to his brother, with no mention of a wife or children. Of course he is of record at sea when his wife was conceiving Ogarita Bellows, so perhaps he was a bit miffed.

Be that as it may, Martha Izola (Mills) Bellows-Booth??-Stevenson-etc won her court battles. I suspect the first marriage as Martha I. M. Booth was for Rosalie Booth's benefit and the claim that Izola had JWB's children.

As far as I can tell - Lottie Eaton is fictious, as well as "Mrs. Gladys Thurston". I haven't found any evidence they existed so far. There are women named Lottie Eaton living in or near Muscataine, Iowa but they don't match the biographical details given in this obviously forged typed account:

http://library.indstate.edu/about/units/...ughlin.pdf

However, the Clara Brandt who was named as the "benefactor" of Lottie was a real person:

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/162733988

The real John Henry Stevenson firsts enters the historical record when he enlisted in the Union army in January 1863 in San Francisco, CA. So, Stevenson's documentary record overlaps with O'Laughlen's - which gives yet another reason why it's impossible they're the same person. Here's a link to Stevenson's grave in Arlington National Cemetery:

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/4935...-stevenson

So, Stevenson was obviously still alive until 1906 and couldn't have died in Iowa in 1890. (Note the Findagrave contributor information about his unit is wrong. John Henry Stevenson was in E Co. 2nd Mass Cavalry. The John Stevenson who was in both CO B 2ND MASS INF and CO C 33RD MASS INF was a different soldier - the death/internment/pension information confirm that the Arlington John H. Stevenson is the same as the ex-husband of Martha Izola Mills Bellows. I don't know where the other John Stevenson is buried.)

[Steve Whitlock]

(04-15-2020 06:52 PM)Steve Wrote:  

(04-15-2020 03:02 PM)Steve Whitlock Wrote:  Since we all know many of the people in "Dark Union" are fictitious, and others are actual people who are claimed to have made statements they never made, do you know whether there was actually a Lottie Eaton, who supposedly recalled the story of John Henry Stevenson, aka Michael O'Laughlin (sic)?

I know that the John Henry Stevenson who married Martha I. M. Booth in 1869 in Baltimore, and again, as Martha L. Bellows, in 1871 in Boston, was the father on the birth record of Harry Jerome Dresback Stevenson. There are actual records for those events, and he was not the deceased Michael O'Laughlen at that time.

I haven't checked, and wont, (I've wasted too much time for the amusement of the late Neff-Guttridge) to see whether anyone other than Lottie Eaton, if she exists, or didn't die shortly after her revelation, ever heard John Henry Stevenson tell the same story, and claim to be the escaped Michael O'Laughlen.

I know the esteemed Steve Williams has done considerable research in this area and likely knows whether Lottie Eaton was real.

If anyone cares to see those marriage records and birth record I mentioned I'll post them. The reason for the 2nd marriage was likely because Izola was in court hearings to get a Navy pension for herself and her children (discussed in another thread) and some of the estate, such as it was, for the death of her husband, Charles Still Bellows, who died in 1869, and in his will left his estate to his brother, with no mention of a wife or children. Of course he is of record at sea when his wife was conceiving Ogarita Bellows, so perhaps he was a bit miffed.

Be that as it may, Martha Izola (Mills) Bellows-Booth??-Stevenson-etc won her court battles. I suspect the first marriage as Martha I. M. Booth was for Rosalie Booth's benefit and the claim that Izola had JWB's children.

As far as I can tell - Lottie Eaton is fictious, as well as "Mrs. Gladys Thurston". I haven't found any evidence they existed so far. There are women named Lottie Eaton living in or near Muscataine, Iowa but they don't match the biographical details given in this obviously forged typed account:

http://library.indstate.edu/about/units/...ughlin.pdf

However, the Clara Brandt who was named as the "benefactor" of Lottie was a real person:

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/162733988

The real John Henry Stevenson firsts enters the historical record when he enlisted in the Union army in January 1863 in San Francisco, CA. So, Stevenson's documentary record overlaps with O'Laughlen's - which gives yet another reason why it's impossible they're the same person. Here's a link to Stevenson's grave in Arlington National Cemetery:

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/4935...-stevenson

So, Stevenson was obviously still alive until 1906 and couldn't have died in Iowa in 1890. (Note the Findagrave contributor information about his unit is wrong. John Henry Stevenson was in E Co. 2nd Mass Cavalry. The John Stevenson who was in both CO B 2ND MASS INF and CO C 33RD MASS INF was a different soldier - the death/internment/pension information confirm that the Arlington John H. Stevenson is the same as the ex-husband of Martha Izola Mills Bellows. I don't know where the other John Stevenson is buried.)

Thank you for your information, Steve! I didn't find a Lottie Eaton in Muscatine Co., IA for 1880 or 1900, with Clara and Emma Brandt living with their father in 1900. Emma's middle name is Charlotte, which makes me wonder whether she could be Lottie; however, that doesn't account for the Eaton part, supposedly a niece, and yet I don't see, without much looking, an Eaton sibling for Clara and Emma to make Lottie a niece.

As you, and about everyone else, make the John H. Stevenson who died in 1906 the ex-husband of Izola, then the story told by Lottie, and Gladys Mitton, is highly suspect, if there even is a John H. Stevenson who died circa 1890 in Muscatine Co., IA. The newspapers have no mention of such an event. Nor is there mention in Iowa death and burial records.

There are other holes in the story to be sure, but the fact remains that a man who dies in 1890 can't be the same man who dies in 1906, even if similar stories yet abound for John Wilkes Booth.

[RJNorton]

On July 8 Rob Wick made a wonderful post on quilting. A person in the Lincoln assassination saga also had a connection to quilting. Who is this person?

[Gene C]

Sam Arnold ?

[RJNorton]

Nope, not Sam Arnold.

[AussieMick]

Mary Jenkins .... who became Mary Surratt.