Olivia Jenkins

[L Verge]

(07-28-2015 03:09 PM)RJNorton Wrote:  

(07-27-2015 06:17 PM)Lincoln Wonk Wrote:  Susan has a wonderful piece on Olivia Jenkins, Mary Surratt's niece, in this month's Surratt Courier. Thanks, Susan.

I second Kathy. It's a great article. For me personally one sentence was the most interesting. In past threads I have argued that Booth called at the Surratt boardinghouse on his way to Ford's on April 14th. But Susan notes, "Olivia did give one bit of interesting testimony at John Surratt's trial: she claimed that a caller at the house on the evening of April 14, suspected to have been Booth, was actually a "gentleman named Scott, of the navy" who left two papers for Olivia."

That was something new to me also, Roger. I never remember any author picking up on that - including Mr. Hall, who believed the caller was Mr. Kirby. This makes a sizeable dent in the theory that it was Booth who called.

Susan has been kind enough to send me an advanced copy of her historical novel, Hanging Mary, which is due out in March (just in time for our April conference). I have managed to squeeze in about 30 pages so far, and it is very well written and holds your attention. Her attention to detail and accurate historical information makes it even more valuable. Those of you who have read her two articles in the Surratt Courier on both Olivia Jenkins and Nora Fitzpatrick have seen those qualities in them both.