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Gene C · (This post was last modified: 02-19-2013 08:20 AM by Gene C.)

In Jason Emerson's "Giant in the Shadows", on page 150, in 1869, Robert Linclon is working on a legal case and is staying with an Eli Royce of Escanaba, MI. Eli had an invalid sister, whom he had hired a nurse to help take care of her.

"When the nurse was asked to wait upon table at diner and told that they had Mr. Lincoln as guest, The young lady flew into a passion and said she would wait upon the table with a pistol in her hand. She was a niece of Wilkes Booth, who assassinated your father. It is almost unnecessary to say that she was immediately dismissed."

No names were mentioned, and the footnote only refers to a letter Robert had written. My question for all you Booth historians, who was this lady and which of John's brothers or sisters were her parents? (I have no idea)

LincolnMan · 02-19-2013, 08:55 AM

Gene, I have the book and it is on my "waiting list" of books to read. This is absolutely a neat little story! Also, I didn't know RTL ever went to Michigan-and I live in Michigan. I will probably make a post about this on my Lincoln blog. Thanks for the story!

Laurie Verge · 02-19-2013, 09:14 AM

I have never heard of anything like this and would question whether or not Booth would have had a niece old enough to be a nurse in 1869.

LincolnMan · 02-19-2013, 09:55 AM

Can anyone "weigh-in" on the "niece" part of the story? Who was she the child of?

J. Beckert · 02-19-2013, 09:59 AM

I've never heard this story before. Booth was the only vehement Confederate sympathizer in his family that I know of. Mr Emerson is a member here and I hope he chimes in.

I've never heard RTL's name and Booth's in the same reference very much after the assassination. He was not pleased at all when he found out Oldroyd kept a photo of Booth on the mantle of the Lincoln home while he was custodian. I believe RTL mentioned that in a letter to a niece or cousin.

LincolnMan · 02-19-2013, 10:01 AM

Can't say as I blame him!

Laurie Verge · 02-19-2013, 01:27 PM

Without doing any research (no time today), it could only be a child of Junius Brutus Booth, Jr., the eldest child. However, I don't think that any of his children would be old enough to be a nurse.

J. Beckert · (This post was last modified: 02-19-2013 01:51 PM by J. Beckert.)

Junius, Jr.'s daughter Blanche was born in 1844, so the age fits. I found this on a site that perpetuates the myth Booth escaped.

"Blanche DeBar Booth was the daughter of Junius (Jr.) Booth, John Wilkes' brother. After Lincoln was assassinated, Blanche was interviewed by a Missouri state law enforcement officer who described her as "an unmitigated rebel" and "possessed of considerable personal attractions, of a vigorous mind and marked histrionic ability."

It also has a voice recording of Blanche.

http://www.wadeburleson.org/2013/01/a-re...debar.html

Gene C · (This post was last modified: 02-19-2013 06:18 PM by Gene C.)

The author of that website is minister from Enid, OK home of John St. Helen of furniture store/funeral home and John Wilkes Booth mummy fame.

This is also from the same blog http://www.wadeburleson.org/2008/08/sett...ncoln.html

(I think you could be right about Blanche, great research work Joe! I raise my dixie cup to you.)

Laurie Verge · 02-19-2013, 03:11 PM

Then it could very well be an accurate account, but it sure seems strange that she would be happy working in a northwestern state. I guess when you were related to a Booth, however, it would be a case of getting any work you can. Thanks for checking on that, Joe.

LincolnMan · 02-19-2013, 06:12 PM

Great find Joe!

L Verge · 02-19-2013, 06:44 PM

I have had several communications with Mr. Burleson. He sticks to his guns as far as the Enid story.

Jason Emerson · 02-23-2013, 09:08 AM

Hey everyone, sorry I have missed out on this comment thread -- I was on vacation and away from all computers.

I checked my research notes again and verified there was no name attached to the story of the JW Booth niece, but remember I assumed it was Blanche as well, since she was the only one old enough to fit the timeline. I tried multiple times to contact the Delta County Historical Society in Escanaba, but never got through and no one ever responded to my emails. So I do not know what further details of the incident they may have there. I know they have something, because letter to RTL, which tell him this story, say it.

I hope this helps!

historybuff22 · 03-05-2013, 08:09 PM

In my Lincoln assassination newspaper archive I have over 200 original newspapers. One of them is the San Francisco Examiner from February 1925. This one has an article about Booth's "niece." It is attached to this post.

Rick Brown
HistoryBuff.com
A Nonprofit Organization

RJNorton · 03-06-2013, 05:24 AM

So he didn't die on October 12, 1883, in Assam, India, after all?