Your personal choice of "most tragic" character in the assassination story

[Linda Anderson]

I agree with Fanny and Frances Seward but in a way I think Tad Lincoln had it harder than Fanny because Tad lost his beloved father, his home and became the caretaker of his already emotionally disturbed mother, Mary, when he was only twelve years old. "In December 1869 Mary wrote to her friend, Sally B. Orne, 'Taddie is like some old woman with regard to his care of me...' On Saturday morning, July 15, 1871, Tad passed away at the age of 18. The cause of death was most likely tuberculosis." The quotes are from Roger Norton's Abraham Lincoln Research Site. Fanny did lose her mother but the Seward family was very close-knit and they tried to help her as much as they could.

Betty posted - "I also recently found out that shortly after the execution some cruel person anomalously sent Mr and Mrs Powell a package of CDV photographs showing Lewis in every possible position while hanging - certainly a hateful thing to do to grieving parents."

I didn't know someone did that to Powell's parents, Betty. What a cruel thing to do. Vaughn Shelton in Mask for Treason writes about Powell's father:

"It is hard to determine how great a factor the notoriety was in the collapse of the Rev. Powell's career. His burden of sorrow, without outside help, was enough to crush him. In 1868 he made the first of a number of changes of residence, which showed him trying to outrun the stigma, and moved down to Lake Jessup in Orange County. The 1870 census-taker found him in Orlando with his wife-who was now using her middle name, Patience, rather than Caroline-and his youngest and only unmarried daughter, Anna. He gave his occupation as 'blacksmith.'"

By 1871 Mr. Powell moved to Oviedo, a few miles from Orlando, to reorganize the the Bethel Baptist Church. "The outcome of this undertaking was described with as much compassion as Mr. W. H. Brack, the clerk, could manage and still tell the truth.

'Brother Powell was a good preacher and a very earnest Christian but addicted to whiskey. He was strict in his discipline and had some of the members turned out for non-attendance. The church became tired of his strict discipline and in October 1872 they called Rev. A. C. Tinnall as pastor.' History of Orlando Baptists, E. H. Gore."

[HerbS]

My choice is MaryandTad Lincoln!But,Robert Lincoln was left to pick up the pieces and live with the gilt of not being there!

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My choice is Mary andTad Lincoln!But,Robert Lincoln was left to pick up the pieces and live with the gilt of not being there!

[Laurie Verge]

I second the suggestion about a book related to the collateral victims of the Lincoln assassination. The one that I am proofing several chapters of now touches on one group, but is now specific to everyone. Great idea and great title. Now, who wants to tackle the job?

[Laurie Verge]

After posting about Anna Surratt being a tragic figure, I thought I would throw in this little history lesson: The Petersburg Index [VA] of June 19, 1869, ran this article about Anna's wedding to Dr. William P. Tonry on June 17.

"Washington, June 17 - Miss Annie Surratt was married to-day at St. Patrick's Church to Mr. Wm. P. Tonry, a chemist employed in the Surgeon General's office. The ceremony, which was very private, was conducted by Rev. Father Walter, assisted by Rev. J.J. Kane.

"The happy couple started immediatly on a bridal tour North. The bride appeared in better health than she has enjoyed for years.

"It was the desire of the parties that the marriage should be strictly private, and the usual publication of the bans was for this reason dispensed by Archbishop Spalding.

"There were no bridesmaids or groomsmen. The bride was attended by her brother, Isaac SURRATT, while John H. SURRATT occupied a seat in a pew in front of the altar.

"These and a few intimate acquaintances of the bridal party were the only witnesses to the nuptial ceremony."

BTW: Anna's (Annie's) correct, given name was Elizabeth Susannah Surratt.

[LincolnMan]

Roger: I certainly remember the Commodore 64. At the time (1984)- I had an Apple 2 E. The Forum has provided such great answers to this thread. You all are writing the book! My personal choice is Mary Lincoln for reasons stated. How about Edwin Booth as a candidate? He was a Lincoln supporter! How about other Booth family members? How about the owner of Ford's Theater? I thought Spangler was a great choice. To add insult to injury, didn't kick him off he fled the scene on a horse?

[LincolnMan]

I that also that someone might have chosen JWB, himself. He was,perhaps, tragic. He lost everything, his life, career, reputation-and so on. He probably doesn't qualify in the tragic category because he was not victimized in the way others were. Instead, he was the perpetrator leaving victims in his wake. Your thoughts?

[L Verge]

I think part of Booth's "allure" (not sure that's the word I want to use) is our inability to actually define his character and determine whether we should be fascinated by him or demonize him. Personally, I follow the logic of Bill Richter and his Sic Semper Tyrannis work and put a constitutional and political spin on Booth's motives.

That said, I was watching George Stephanopolis on Sunday, and George Will was trying to determine his thoughts on James Holmes and his horrible massacre on Friday. Will made the point that at least John Wilkes Booth had a motive to his madness and expressed it with his "Sic Semper Tyrannis" statement in front of thousands in the theater. He then said that we will probably never know the motive(s) behind Holmes's madness at the theater.

[LincolnMan]

Isn't it a sort of wonder that JWB would be mentioned in 2012 by a major news commentator on TV? Yes, if Holmes was making a statement (like Booth)- does anyone know what it is? I've never accepted that JWB was insane-although his act can be considered insane. Thanks, Laurie.

[Craig Hipkins]

Well, since I got in on this thread rather late I will just list my top candidates and they are:
1. Tad Lincoln (It is always more tragic for a kid)
2. The three Mary's (Mary Lincoln, Mary Surratt & Mary Booth)
After this I would have to go with Edwin Booth and Anna Surratt.

Craig

[jonathan]

Coming up with tragic figures in this story is definitely a fish in a barrel situation. I've always had a soft spot for Spangler, but the more I think about it, I feel like I might go with Rathbone. Seems like he was just haunted by that night.

As far as a book on all of this goes, I'd seriously think about it, but I have little patience for research.

[Lindsey]

I always think back to poor Mrs. Herold and the story of them stopping all of the clocks in the house on the day of the execution so she wouldn't know the exact hour (although stopping the clocks is a common Victorian mourning custom anyway) but she still found out when nearby church bells rang out the hour.

[HerbS]

Lindsay,You never cease to amaze me with your knowledge!

[LincolnMan]

Yes, Herb I agree. That's a cool tid-bit. I didn't know it.

[LincolnMan]

I've never considered this person as a candidate but I'll throw her name out there: Laura Keene. I know some say she actually capitalized on the event-that she placed her lap under Lincoln's bleeding head for reasons not altruistic. Still, it was a tragic night for her. Lincoln's murder is forever associated with her name and the play she performed in. I wonder did she ever perform that play again? What was the rest of her professional and personal life like in the aftermath of the assassination? Food for further discussion...

[Tom Bogar]

She did play Florence Trenchard again, quite soon: in Cincinnati, after her release from custody at Harrisburg (albeit without her Act III dress, which was kind of bloody). Ran into a little trouble with the role, too, in Alabama, for being a Yankee. As for the rest of her life (cut tragically short after a precipitous decline), along with that of the other 45 backstage people, I hope you'll read my book when it comes out, hopefully sometime next year: Walking Shadows: the Forgotten Actors, Managers and Stagehands of Ford's Theatre the Night of the Lincoln Assassination. (And the late Ben Graff Henneke's bio of her is pretty good, and much more thorough for being only about her.) Although none of them went off their rocker or shot up any former lovers, their lives and careers proceeded in some cases to be pretty darn tragic and/or pathetic.