Izola Martha Mills marriage certificate/note to Mr. Hall

[Laurie Verge]

Gene,

Mrs. Forrester explains in the book that the names "Izola" and "Ogarita" are part of their familial background in Spain. I can't remember all the details, but at some point the original family name was Mendosa, I think.

I am the one who used "supposed" in the captions. And, yes, I believe that Izola Forrester (granddaughter who wrote the book) actually thought that she was the granddaughter of JWB -- and she may very well have been, but not a legitimate one!

At least one member of the Booth family supposedly believed that the claim was valid. The eldest daughter, Rosalie, supposedly sent money to help support the children in later years. However, Rosalie's personality was somewhat different, and I have known historians who speculated that she had Down's Syndrome, drinking problems, was tied to her mother, etc. She did seem to be the type who could be flim-flammed by con artists -- if that is what Martha was pulling.

There is one part of the story that I have left out. Ogarita was not the only child that Martha claimed was Booth's. There was a son, who was supposedly fathered by the escaped Booth after 1865. His name was Harry, but he went by a step-father's name (I think) of Stevenson. Harry is the one who made reputable historians doubt the story.

Izola Forrester wrote This One Mad Act in the late-1930s. Future generations sought the assistance of James O. Hall about thirty years later. He put a lot of time and effort into working with the family and they were very good friends with him. That's how I came to meet some of them. They appear to be resigned to the fact that their claims may be fraudulent and will likely never be validated.

[Gene C]

It is such a pleasure (and fun) to be a part of this forum with ALL you knowledgeable people. Thanks

[RJNorton]

Here is a photo of Harry Stevenson.

[RJNorton]

Here is another photo of Izola Martha Mills.

[RJNorton]

This is Beatrice, a daughter of Ogarita and sister of Izola Forrester. Beatrice was the founder-producer of the Keene Summer Theater in New Hampshire. Ted Nottingham, in The Curse of Cain, writes that Beatrice was his great-grandmother.

[Laurie Verge]

There is another photo of Izola Martha Mills taken shortly before her death in 1881, but I did not scan and send it. There is no substantial change in facial features except her hair is long, gray, and stringy. It's not very flattering.

P.S. I have more issues with Nottingham's book than I do with Forrester's - but do not believe any of their claims can be documented.

[L Verge]

Izola Forrester, who wrote This One Mad Act, was a beautiful woman. Google her to find a photo. She was born to Ogarita in 1858, again in a common law situation. She took a stepfather's name (Henderson), but was later officially adopted by the Forrester family at age 15 when Ogarita died at age 32.

Izola married twice. Her first husband was Reuben Merrifield, who worked for Ringling Brothers Circus. They had five children before divorcing. I have met one of her descendants through the Merrifield line. Izola's second husband was Mann Page, by whom she had three children. I have met two of them. They are the lovely ladies that I referred to earlier.

To me, the outstanding thing about Izola Forrester is that she was a female pioneer in the field of journalism and silent films at the turn of the 20th century - a very prolific writer.

The family papers are extensive and are archived at Harvard University Library with the Arthur & Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America. In honor of James O. Hall, some items have been donated to the Hall Research Center at Surratt House Museum.

[Rsmyth]

Thanks Roger, that makes perfect sense.

[Jim Garrett]

It is an interesting road to travel down....the old Izola road. If I remember, Dr. Neff claimed that JWB and Izola had purchased a farm together near Harper's Ferry, WV. I had tried to find a record many many years ago at the Jefferson County Courthouse, but surprisingly came up empty handed.

I bet if I went out to Indiana State University and went through the Neff Archives I could find a mimeograph xerox copy of a mimeographed copy of a notorized transcript of a hand written copy of a deed written out to JWB's alias that only his mother knew he used.

Please accept my apology for being somewhat suspect of these claims.

[Rob Wick]

I bet if I went out to Indiana State University and went through the Neff Archives I could find a mimeograph xerox copy of a mimeographed copy of a notorized transcript of a hand written copy of a deed written out to JWB's alias that only his mother knew he used.

And I bet it would have been Potter.

Best
Rob

[Rsmyth]

Ah, Potter! There is a picture of his grave marker in the Neff papers but the marker and the location have been lost to history. If I recall the story correctly, the grave was located on a military installation not accessible to the general public and after taking the picture the photographer could not remember where it was.

[Jim Garrett]

Ah, Potter! There is a picture of his grave marker in the Neff papers but the marker and the location have been lost to history. If I recall the story correctly, the grave was located on a military installation not accessible to the general public and after taking the picture the photographer could not remember where it was.

How convenient. Seems like all of the good Doctor Neff's info leads down the same road..................the road to nowhere.

[Gene C]

Why don't they put cemeteries on "Dead End Road" ?

[Steve]

I've been cruising around Ancestry.com (yeah, I hear everyone yelling, "GET OFF!") and decided to check in with an old "friend" of mine: The John Byron Wilkes family tree based on that nutty will written by Booth imposter John Byron Wilkes. I was surprised to find several new documents under Izola Mills' profile. One is a picture of labeled "Izola Martha Mills and JWB" which I will post here in a moment.

Quick comment - the "John Byron Wilkes will" mentioned in this old thread, supposedly written in India in 1883, is actually a forgery dating from the 1960's - 1970's. I just wanted to point that out for any future readers.

[Gene C]

Thanks Steve.
There is a typed copy of the "John Byron Wilkes will" found in the Ray Neff papers for anyone interested.

It is under the John Wilkes Booth heading.
http://library.indstate.edu/about/units/...f-idx.html