Fascinating History

[STS Lincolnite]

(01-25-2023 03:56 PM)RJNorton Wrote:  Scott, Blaine always told me I was free to post anything he ever sent me, so here it is. What he sent (in 2012) were copies, most quite light. I hope they are readable.

Thanks Roger! For those interested, I did find out that this journal is a publication of "THe Manuscript Society." I tried to access archives, but only members have access.

[wpbinzel]

It seems probable that JW Booth and Lucy Hale met when they both stayed/lived at the National Hotel at the same time; however, it is less than certain when John Parker Hale moved to the National Hotel with his wife and two daughters. Ernie Abel wrote that the Hales lived at the National Hotel "since 1861." (JWB and the Women Who Loved Him, p. 180). However, that seems unlikely as Hale served as a US Senator from NH from 1846 to 1853, and then from 1855 to 1865, and he likely rented a home in WDC. There was no event in 1861 to cause the Hales to move. As the result of the election of 1864, Hale was not reappointed to the Senate by the NH legislature, and he appealed to Lincoln for a position, and Lincoln appointed him as Minister (now Ambassador) to Spain. It would seem more likely that the Hale did not renew his lease in late 1864 or early 1865, and moved to the National Hotel, pending his departure to Spain; however, that is speculation.

The experts on John P. Hale are in Dover, NH, at the Woodman Museum, which includes Hale's home in Dover. I contacted Jonathan Nichols, who is the Executive Director of the Woodman Museum, and asked if there was any definitive proof of when the Hales took up residency at the National Hotel. Jonathan, very graciously, undertook the research, and responded, alas, no, we don't know.

I agree with Dave Taylor that the 1862 "Valentine" to Lucy was not authored by Booth. That Booth and Lucy Hale were "involved" is a virtual certainty, but exactly when and where it started is not.