Does anyone know what Cawood did after the war?

[scldrgnfly]

Does anyone know what Cawood did after the war? Did he write anything?

[LincolnMan]

Who is Cawood? Sorry, for my ignorance- I never heard of him.

[L Verge]

Charles Cawood was part of the Confederates' secret line through the Northern Neck of Virginia and Southern Maryland. So far as I know, no one has found out what happened to him after the spring of 1865. He left Richmond to visit his new wife and hasn't been located yet.

Mr. Hall had me searching graveyards in Charles County for awhile because the family was originally from that area. OneI of my cousins married into a branch of the Cawoods in the early-1900s, but her husband died at a very early age and left her with four young boys to raise. By the time I was doing the search, she was well into her 80s and really knew nothing about her in-laws and their ancestors.

John Stanton can probably tell you more.

[LincolnMan]

Interesting. That's why this Forum is so important. Lots of good information.

[RJNorton]

Maybe he went to the same place as Joseph ("Peanut John") Burroughs?

[John Stanton]

I know a small bit about Cawood, but I don't knew it all. His Camp was on my farm. At that time it was owned by Hugh Mercer Tennant. So, referrences to his camp sometimes mention the "Tennant Farm". Charles Hamilton Cawood married Lucy Johnson Macon on Mar. 7 1865 in Richmond. Lucy had a son by her first husband Edgar Conway Macon, but he died at the Battle of the First Manassas. The son was Edgar Jr. More about him later.Did you catch Edgar's middle name? He was related to James Madison's wife.
Cawood disappears after Dec. 1865, along with his son, John Edward Cawood, born Dec. 15, 1865 in Richmond. I have hunted in South America, Egypt and the USA. Not a word. Lucy dropped the Cawood name immediately an she and Edgar lived in Richmond. A little while later she moved to the Macon Home in Orange. (She went where the Money was). She may have had a falling out with the Macons, because she returns to Richmond where she worked as a Matron in the Alms House up into the 1890's. Her son became a Doctor and was in business in Orange. I have more on him - where he lived and died and is buried -but so what? I am working from memory right now but I do have death date on Lucy etc. Either she and/or Edgar Jr. are burried at Montpelier (Madison's home in Orange, VA.
It appears that Cawood and Lucy split shortly after Dec. 1865. Whether he took his son with him, or whether the son died - I don't know. There is no record of their deaths in Richmond Vital Records.
I have talked with Cawood descendants, and the whole family believes that Charles H. Cawood died in the Barn fire on the Garrett farm. I don't laugh - I listen. I will try to find the file where I stored Garrett's testimony, to the Law. I think I gave it the James Hall. (Laurie, ask your Librarian to look, Please. Garrett talks about the "Red Head", that died. (That's History for you!) Laurie - It might show in Garrett's claim for damages to his barn and it's contents.

[L Verge]

You didn't fill me in on the red head dying in the barn fire! Dave Taylor, you are my point man on the Garretts. Any info?

BTW: John, I think you meant that Lucy Macon Cawood's first husband was related to James Madison's mother, not his wife. Madison's mother was a Conway from Port Conway (opposite Port Royal on the Rappahannock River).

[John Stanton]

Hey Laurie! I found the description:
"Cawood is about 40 or 42 years old - 5' -4" in height. Weight about 165 lbs. Hair dark brown greyish x heavy brown beard probably from exposure. The nose ordinary size straight. Division between the nostrils projects below the sides of the nose more than ordinary features good forehead thought prominent Spare straight man rather thin. Rebel women scout in Prince George x eyes blue.."
Tidwell and Hall think that this came from "Crazey Bet". They added, there are quite a number of these, all unsigned. They were sent to Col. Sharpe.
I disagree. Crazy Bet never saw Cawood. She never came to King George -ever. She never had contact with anyone who had contact with Cawood. My guess, the note was written by Fannie Dade, who worked for Sharpe. AND who had frequent contacts with Cawood and Conrad. She would have had the oppertunity to "Scout in Prince Georges"

[Laurie Verge]

But Cawood was in Crazy Bet's territory of Richmond (Crazy Bet being reference to Elizabeth Van Lew, a Union spy operating from her home in Richmond right under the nose of the CSA). Need to know more about Fannie Dade.

[John Stanton]

Laurie. I will give you a brief story about Fannie Dade, but I want to leave out names and dates, until I copyright the whole story. When I am ready-to-go, I will give it to you for publication in the Courier. As you know - everything we say here ends up on Google. I'm not writing to make money, I just want credit.
Fanny Dade was born Frances Byrd Turner, in Western Virginia. Her parents died, so she moved in with her Grand parents, here in King George. At 18 she married "Mr" Dade. He lived only two years more and left Fannie with a daughter to raise. Mr. Dade's brothers went off to war and Fannie stayed behind and worked to save the farms. That's plural, there were several farms to save. One on the Rappahannock and one on the Potomac. At this same time, there was a Confederate Agent in Washington who became uncovered, and beat a path to Virginia, but he left behind an agent who reported to him daily, for the rest of the war. The agent on the run ended up setting-up his camp on one of Fannies Farms. They became an item in this town.
As the war progressed, Fannie's slaves left her and tagged along with any Union troop that passed her way. She became desperate, so she began to sell "her observations" to a Union contact in Fredericksburg. Her name is never mentioned in their reports - only "The Woman in Fredericksburg". Here is an item you have NEVER seen before. She was the Northern end of "Crazy Bet's" spy ring. She put the escaped prisoners on to Gunboats, or across the Potomac, to freedom. Everyone knows that Samuel Ruth - Superintendant of the Railroad from Richmond to Fredericksburg - was a Union Agent, and carried the escaped soldiers to the end-of-the-line. And Fannie took over. (That should be news to the whole world).
I will give you a teaser or two and quit for now. The Agent that **** left behind, worked in the front office of the U. S. Secret Service right under the nose of Lafayette Baker. He has never beed discovered - until now. He's the one who tiped-off the south that Wistar and Dahlgren were coming on raids. Another teaser. When *****was arrested and taken to Washington, April 17, 1865 +/-, The same landing party, from the same gunboat, then went ashore and arrested Fannie Dade and took her to Washington. I can describe her trip - boat by boat - as she moved up river. But when she got to the Navy Yard, only MEN got off the boat. Just to tease some more, Fannie got arrested by the South and taken to trial. In order to save her own life, and that of her daughter, she spilled the beans on the "Crazy Bet' escape system. That's a whole story of its own. There was bribery, crooked Judges, etc. and everybody went home to continue their careears. Samuel Ruth, the Union Agent, filed an expense sheet for his "costs" and included the Gold he used to bribe the Judge. It's a great story, very serious, very dangerous, funny at times, and they all go home smiling.
PS. I told this story - way way back, when I was invited to talk to the Surratt Society, when they had monthly meetings, Maybe 30 years ago. But I've learned more since then. I have pictures of Fannie, her daughter, ****, etc.

[John Stanton]

Since we are on the subject of Charles Cawood, here an interesting item, that I just ran across - Charles had a married younger brother who lived in Washington, all through the war. Andrew Jackson Cawood married in 1856. Andrew was a Roman Catholic. Died 1906 and is buried in the Congressional Cem. Plot 84 -208. In 1880 he was a Street Car Conductor (Horse drawn ??) This has some interesting possibilities for Charles. (A news source, a safe house, etc.). He was married to Hariet A. Fosdick ("Hattie") from La Porte, Ind. and had 4 chilldren (2 died young). (Now you know how I spent a chilly Sunday afternoon.) Was Charles a Catholic? that would have a bearing whether or not had got a divorce in 1865. Another item. Charles' son John Edward, born Dec 1865 lived until at least 1867, when he was baptised - and described as "Sickly". (Sometimes I work so hard doing nothing, that I don't have time for anything else.)

[scldrgnfly]

GREAT STORIES!! John, Laurie and everyone.

I was just curious, because of how many in the last group to see John Wilkes Booth alive ended up in the same postal district after the war. I just thought it interesting, because it didn't seem like that is where all of them lived originally.

I don't know if this is the spot to post this or start another thread. I don't think I ever heard this, but did any of you know of Junius B. Booth going by any other name or derivation of it?? Did any of you know that John Wilkes Booth's middle name, before he started using "Wilkes," only started with an E. (Edwin, maybe?)?

I didn't realize this. Junius B. Booth signed his name as "Julius B. Booth," with his profession as a "Tragedian," and his family's names (with John E. Booth, and Julius Booth, Jr.) on the 1850 Baltimore Federal Census
was he trying to hide from someone --- hide Mary Ann? In the 1830 census, he signed his name alone as Junius B. Booth.

I don't know if I am able to do this, but here goes. Look quick , because I might have to take it down, if it even posts:

Okay, it won't post, but if anyone wants to see the .jpg of the two census years, just message me.

[L Verge]

Are you sure that those are not errors of the census takers? I am 99.9% sure that "Wilkes" was part of Booth's name since birth - or at least christening. His grandfather, Richard Booth, was given the honor of naming the child and named him after the rebellious Englishman.

As to where certain members of the conspiracy ended up. D.C. was the most logical place to find work for people of Southern Maryland who had lost most of their fortune and their land as a result of the war.

[scldrgnfly]

WHEN did John Wilkes Booth begin to use the name of Wilkes? Did he make the change after the season he asked to be billed as "J. B. Wilkes" with the Arch Street Theatre in Philadelphia?

I guess my question is did he feel badly about his illegitimate birth and his theatrical background..was he a Southern Maryland farmer wannabee..did he long for deep glorious roots?

There were Booth's and Wilkes' in Southern Maryland. Besides the reason that the Booth's were supposedly distantly related to the English radical politician, John Wilkes.

He was definitely not using the middle name of Wilkes at the age of 10. He's listed with E. as his middle initial.

[scldrgnfly]

You are right about Washington, DC being a go to place after the war, but in this case, I was referring to the 1870's Census of Chotank Township, Va and the Edge Hill Post Office District.

As far as the 1850 census that shows the Booth's, it's just that he was so famous, you would have thought that they would have gotten Junius Sr. and Junius Jr.'s names right, and then the E. initial is very clear after John's name, and while an M and a W might be mixed up. An E. doesn't sound or look at all like a W. Did he have a birth or baptismal certificate, or early school records that showed his full name?