Awww...Peanuts

[STS Lincolnite]

Thanks everyone!

Like Susan, I found it strange that the son of a physician would be peddling peanuts and handing out playbills during the day and then working at Ford's at night. School would seem more likely for the son of a physician.

Last night after posting, I too found the 1860 and 1880 censuses and thought that pretty much proved that Peanuts was not the son of Dr. Borrows. I hoped to search a little more after work tonight but Susan I think stopped my need to do so. Like Laurie, I think that with Dr. Borrows' obit and the other evidence, Susan has closed the case on the possibility of Dr. Borrows being Peanuts' father.

I did re-read Peanuts' testimony (In: The Lincoln Assassination , The Evidence, ed. Edwards and Steers) and did see something I hadn't taken much notice of before. Burroughs is recorded as living with his father at 511 10th Street (I believe that is the address of Ford's Theatre - was the address different in 1865?). I don't recall any other witness having their address recorded. I would suppose the fact that it was recorded that he lived with his father also confirms that he was not considered an adult.

So to me that begs the question: was there someone else actually living at Ford's (not in a boarding house) that could then be identified as Peanuts' father (or maybe adoptive father)?

I am hoping Tom Bogar may weigh in as to whether it was commonplace for crew to lodge at Ford's.