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

[J. Beckert]

I'm very much looking forward to your book, Tom, as I'm sure many other members are. Please keep us posted on it's publication.

[LincolnMan]

Tom: great information. I will read your book! Was her decline related to the assassination aftermath? That had to be VERY spooky for her to play that role again-especially when the line was spoken by the actor that preceded the shooting. Man, I can't imagine how she felt.

[Lindsey]

This might be off topic and if it is, Roger please tell me to knock it off but Tom can you tell us anything about Harry Hawk's career post-assassination? I know nothing of him except he helped get Spangler in trouble, although he later recanted. Never liked him much for that...so maybe he should go in my "least tragic" category...

[LincolnMan]

Lindsey. I don't think it is off topic at all. Didn't poor Hawk run off the stage in fright as Booth made his exit?

[Laurie Verge]

Y'all need to quiet your engines and wait for Tom's book to come out. If all of it is as detailed - yet easy to read - as the chapters I have reviewed. You are in for a treat.

I should also mention that many of you know from a previous forum that I'm dubbed the "comma queen" because of my insistence that they are used correctly. I also have a thing against people who don't know how to use apostrophes. I am happy to report that Mr. Bogar gets an "A" in my book for his excellent grammar and use of punctuation!

Hopefully, the book will be in publication by the Surratt conference in March. Tom is one of our speakers for that event.

[LincolnMan]

Laurie: quiet our engines? I'm ready to pop the clutch! In all seriousness-Tom's upcoming book sounds really good. Where is the Surratt conference being held?

[BettyO]

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.

Tom, your book sounds WONDERFUL! I've always had an interest in "Red Laura" anyway....it sounds facinating and I love the title!

I'm sorry, but when is your book due to hit the bookstores again?

Thanks!

---

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.

[Rogerm]

I think that Lincoln, himself, was probably the most tragic character in the assassination story since he was the target of it and lost his life in the process. If someone were to ask who was the most pathetic character of this sad chapter of American history, I would vote for John Wilkes Booth.

[LincolnMan]

Rogerm: I was wondering if anyone would choose Mr. Lincoln! I don't think anyone could doubt the reasons for your choice.

[Laurie Verge]

Answer to where the Surratt conference is held: We have a very nice hotel and conference center within five minutes of Surratt House in Clinton, MD. The conference will be on the weekend of March 15-17, 2013 (our 14th year).

We open with a bus tour on Friday (priced separately) which will visit the National Museum of Health and Medicine at its new headquarters, have lunch at the Blair Mansion Inn (yes, as in Francis and Montgomery Blair), and end with a short talk and tour through the new African American Civil War Museum and Monument. We just had the curator of the museum speak at one of Surratt House's special programs, and I can honestly say that he was one of the best speakers I have ever heard - a former Marine, but right down to earth and used no notes.

There will be evening tours and a reception on Friday night at Surratt House and its James O. Hall Research Center. The conference starts bright and early with a huge breakfast buffet at the hotel, followed by five speakers and a sixth session that will be sort of a panel, but more along the lines of What Is Your Opinion On... where the audience throws questions to some experts.

We generally have an authors' hour between 4:30-5:30 on Saturday, followed by a social hour at 6 and dinner at 6:30 with program by 8 pm. This year's program will be a PowerPoint presentation on The Boothies - the wonderful gang from the 1960s-1990s who were known by James O. Hall as the Baker Street Irregulars.

On Sunday, we will have an abbreviated Booth Escape Route Tour, which will start at the hotel and proceed south to Dr. Mudd's and on to the Garrett Farm. That is also priced separately.

Surratt Society members (anyone is welcome to join) will be sent special conference packets in November. Everything will also be posted on www.surratt.org. You do not have to be a member of the Society to participate in any of our special programs, events, and conference. Of course, the membership fee is a whopping $10/year and includes a monthly newsletter. I'm prejudiced, but it's the best deal in town. We have over 1500 members worldwide (as far away as Australia!).

End of propaganda.

[LincolnMan]

Laurie: thanks for the Surratt Conference information!

[BettyO]

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."

I have not hard that Reverend Powell drank. Here is what I found out:

"Powell was a tough leader for the Orlando church. He had several members 'turned out' for not attending services, according to historian E.H. Gore.
'The church became tired of his strict discipline, and in October 1872 they called Rev. A.C. Tindall as pastor' Gore writes in History of Orlando Baptists: First Baptist Church.
Tindall was 'a drinking preacher,' Gore writes. He was replaced after a year."

From - "Hanged Son Didn't Dent Pastor's Faith", Florida Sentinel, December 12, 1996

[Linda Anderson]

Hi Betty. The Florida Sentinel left out Gore's reference to Mr. Powell's drinking.

By 1871 Mr. Powell moved to Oviedo, a few miles from Orlando, to reorganize the the Bethel Baptist Church. From The Mask of Treason: "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.'"

If Mr. Brack is correct, Mr. Powell's drinking may have started after his son attacked William Seward. It would certainly be understandable.

[BettyO]

Hi Betty. The Florida Sentinel left out Gore's reference to Mr. Powell's drinking.

By 1871 Mr. Powell moved to Oviedo, a few miles from Orlando, to reorganize the the Bethel Baptist Church. From The Mask of Treason: "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.'"

If Mr. Brack is correct, Mr. Powell's drinking may have started after his son attacked William Seward. It would certainly be understandable.

I don't trust anything that Shelton wrote - as he said (quite literally!!) afterwards that it was all "ghost written!" This could be, but I have never found any other reference to it - or to the clerk! Could be true OR it could just be more defamation given to Lew Powell and his family....

[Gene C]

Didn't Shelton's wife claim to be a spiritual medium? It could very well have been "ghost" written.