Taking inspiration from one of my favorite books, John Wilkes Booth: Day by Day by Art Loux, I’ve been documenting a different Lincoln assassination or Booth family event each day on my Twitter account. If you click on any of the pictures in the tweet, it will take you to its individual tweet page on Twitter where you can click to make the images larger and easier to see. Since Twitter limits the number of characters you can type in a tweet, I often include text boxes as pictures to provide more information. I hope you enjoy reading about the different events that happened over the last week.
NOTE: After weeks of creating posts with multiple embedded tweets, this site’s homepage now tends to crash from trying to load all the different posts with all the different tweets at once. So, to help fix this, I’ve made it so that those viewing this post on the main page have to click the “Continue Reading” button below to load the full post with tweets. Even after you open the post in a separate page, it may still take awhile for the tweets to load completely. Using the Chrome browser seems to be the best way to view the tweets, but may still take a second to switch from just text to the whole tweet with pictures.
December 12
#OTD Dec. 12, 1907: Our American Cousin was performed at the Belasco Theater in D.C. The lead star was Edward H. Sothern who played Lord Dundreary. Sothern’s father had originated the character of Dundreary, the comedic stand out of the play, with Laura Keene in 1858… pic.twitter.com/DGpd2YRKwk
— Dave Taylor (@LinConspirators) December 12, 2022
Coincidentally, the Belasco Theater where Our American Cousin was performed #OTD was built on the former site of the Seward home in Lafayette Square. This was where Sec. William Seward was attacked by #LewisPowell in the night of Lincoln’s assassination… pic.twitter.com/OO5yTYa6bb
— Dave Taylor (@LinConspirators) December 12, 2022
If all this wasn’t eerie enough, a box was reserved for the President to attend this performance of Our American Cousin! However, President Theodore Roosevelt did not attend #OTD due to an illness of his daughter Alice Roosevelt Longworth. pic.twitter.com/yuQbqjfzhF
— Dave Taylor (@LinConspirators) December 12, 2022
December 13
#OTD Dec. 13, 1813: 17 y/o #JuniusBrutusBooth started his acting career. A member of a traveling acting troupe, Junius debuted as the walk-on role of Campillo in the comedy The Honeymoon. His meager salary of one pound sterling a week required J to survive on only 1 meal per day. pic.twitter.com/Kfwo1ePup3
— Dave Taylor (@LinConspirators) December 13, 2022
December 14
#OTD Dec. 14, 1799: George Washington died. One of the doctors who tended him at his deathbed was Dr. Gustavus Brown who was born & raised at Rich Hill in @ExploreCharlesC. In 1865, assassin #JohnWilkesBooth stopped at Rich Hill looking for help after leaving the @DrMuddHouse. pic.twitter.com/zgn22EAHB0
— Dave Taylor (@LinConspirators) December 14, 2022
December 15
#OTD Dec. 15, 1894: Luther Baker, one of the detectives who tracked down #JohnWilkesBooth, used his lecture stationary to respond for a request for photos. Baker sent his composite image explaining the sources of each photo. Apparently JWB’s photo had belonged to Laura Keene. pic.twitter.com/5BA3sY6tYm
— Dave Taylor (@LinConspirators) December 15, 2022
December 16
#OTD Dec. 16, 1868: Richard Junius Booth died. He was the only legitimate son of #JuniusBrutusBooth. In 1821, his dad ran off to America with Mary Ann Holmes, leaving Richard & his mom behind. It was only after a grown Richard came to America that he learned of his half siblings. pic.twitter.com/J7UZ6ZoRpT
— Dave Taylor (@LinConspirators) December 16, 2022
Richard worked as a teacher to support his mother, Adelaide, as she waited to file for a divorce. Adelaide died in 1858. During the Civil War, Richard moved back to England. He & his wife died within a month from typhus. They are buried unmarked in Highgate Cemetery in London. pic.twitter.com/xa1VOa5IEl
— Dave Taylor (@LinConspirators) December 16, 2022
December 17
#OTD Dec. 17, 1864: #JohnWilkesBooth travelled down to Southern Maryland. This was his second scouting trip to the area he would escape through after assassinating Lincoln. He would spend five nights in the region. On this first night, he stayed at the home of Dr. William Queen. pic.twitter.com/UNAA6OMF0Q
— Dave Taylor (@LinConspirators) December 17, 2022
December 18
#OTD Dec. 18, 1864: #JohnWilkesBooth met #DrMudd at the Bryantown Tavern. There, Mudd introduced JWB to Confederate agent Thomas Harbin. JWB attempted to recruit Harbin into his plot to kidnap Lincoln. That night, JWB spent the night at the @DrMuddHouse. pic.twitter.com/Om0Qs0pLMt
— Dave Taylor (@LinConspirators) December 18, 2022
December 19
#OTD Dec. 19, 1864: #JohnWilkesBooth, who had spent the night at #DrMudd’s, purchased a one eyed horse from George Gardiner who lived next door to the @DrMuddHouse. On the night of Lincoln’s assassination, this horse was ridden by #LewisPowell. pic.twitter.com/YpHPFJsIYp
— Dave Taylor (@LinConspirators) December 19, 2022
December 20
#OTD Dec. 20, 1864: #DrMudd celebrated his 31st birthday by riding into Bryantown with #JohnWilkesBooth. The pair went to Peter Trotter’s blacksmith shop so JWB could get horseshoes for his newly purchased horse. Mudd likely had JWB as a birthday sleepover guest #OTD as well. pic.twitter.com/JiSboXmNVt
— Dave Taylor (@LinConspirators) December 20, 2022
I’m not sure how #DrMudd’s birthday became a “holiday” but here’s a list of #MuddDay messages in case you want to reach out to your friends and family on this festive day. https://t.co/Ui7hXTqhfM pic.twitter.com/7zBasjIt10
— Dave Taylor (@LinConspirators) December 20, 2022
December 21
#OTD Dec 21, 1892: Newspapers reported on the recent death of John M. Lloyd who was a key witness against #MarySurratt. Lloyd’s great niece recalled him fondly and how he was fatally injured in a construction accident. pic.twitter.com/hCigjpBw60
— Dave Taylor (@LinConspirators) December 21, 2022
December 22
#OTD Dec. 22, 1821: #JuniusBrutusBoothJr was born in Charleston, SC. #MaryAnnBooth considered June the handsomest of her children because he so resembled his father. A decent actor, June found success in California & later as a theater & hotel manager in Massachusetts. pic.twitter.com/SyawUp3IDr
— Dave Taylor (@LinConspirators) December 22, 2022
December 23
#OTD Dec. 23, 1864: #DrMudd travelled to D.C. & met up with #JohnWilkesBooth. Mudd introduced JWB to #JohnSurratt who was walking down Pennsylvania Ave. with Louis Weichmann. The four men retired to JWB’s hotel room where JWB recruited Surratt into his plot to kidnap Lincoln. pic.twitter.com/bcZyhGu8ZB
— Dave Taylor (@LinConspirators) December 23, 2022
#OTD Dec 23, 1883: Henry Rathbone shot & stabbed his wife Clara, killing her. He then failed to take his own life. “I don't think that he ever recovered from the shock of the night in Pres. Lincoln's box at Ford’s Theatre. The scene always haunted his mind," stated his lawyer. pic.twitter.com/gcUsZwihvo
— Dave Taylor (@LinConspirators) December 23, 2022
December 24
#OTD Dec. 24, 1869: Former Secretary of War Edwin Stanton died at 55. After arriving at the deathbed of Lincoln at the Petersen House, Stanton took control of the government – starting the manhunt for the assassins from the house’s front parlor. Stanton is buried at @OakHill_DC. pic.twitter.com/cF2WLVGto6
— Dave Taylor (@LinConspirators) December 24, 2022
December 25
#OTD Dec. 25, 1880: #MaryAnnBooth wrote to her granddaughter Edwina Booth informing her of family news & wishing her a happy new year. It was a rare Xmas where Edwina didn’t see her Grandma as she was in England where her father, #EdwinBooth, was on tour: https://t.co/QQd5vcXyvB pic.twitter.com/ZEJYtpivjJ
— Dave Taylor (@LinConspirators) December 25, 2022
December 26
#OTD Dec. 26, 1878: Frederick Aiken, one of #MarySurratt’s attorneys at the trial of the conspirators, was buried at @OakHill_DC. In the aftermath of the 2010 film The Conspirator where James McAvoy played him, a gravestone was erected for Aiken by the Surratt Society. pic.twitter.com/62PElIex03
— Dave Taylor (@LinConspirators) December 26, 2022
December 27
#OTD Dec 27, 1839: Ned Emerson was born. A part of the Ford’s Theatre company, Ned played the comedic role of Lord Dundreary in Our American Cousin when Lincoln was shot. He had been friends with #JohnWilkesBooth & bore a such a resemblance to JWB that he was confused for him. pic.twitter.com/Jv65P30fJh
— Dave Taylor (@LinConspirators) December 28, 2022
December 28
#OTD Dec. 28, 1836: Henry Byron Booth died at 11 years old. He was the 3rd & favorite child of #JuniusBrutusBooth & #MaryAnnBooth. Henry died of smallpox while the family was visiting England. He was buried in England in a cemetery that was later turned into a park. pic.twitter.com/cqjhDNNMc8
— Dave Taylor (@LinConspirators) December 28, 2022
December 29
#OTD Dec. 29, 1839: Richard Booth, the father of #JuniusBrutusBooth & the man who named #JohnWilkesBooth, died in Baltimore. As a young man in England, Richard was enthralled with American Liberty. He tried to fight in the Revolution & kept a portrait of Washington in his flat. pic.twitter.com/LOrgDsPnnc
— Dave Taylor (@LinConspirators) December 29, 2022
December 30
#OTD Dec. 30, 1862: A fire completely gutted the interior of Ford’s Theatre. John T. Ford sold stock certificates for $ to rebuild. When he reopened Ford’s New Theatre on August 27, 1863, a poem was read on stage that obliquely referenced #JohnWilkesBooth: https://t.co/cNdSDmWohs pic.twitter.com/vziirT1wN4
— Dave Taylor (@LinConspirators) December 30, 2022
December 31
#OTD Dec. 31, 1892: @ThePlayersNYC celebrated their annual Founders night with #EdwinBooth. The guest speaker was former President/current President-elect Grover Cleveland who toasted the ailing tragedian. Edwin aptly predicted, “A year from tonight you will drink to my memory.” pic.twitter.com/2vRNVbbcla
— Dave Taylor (@LinConspirators) December 31, 2022
Bonus
Here are some other tweets from this period that I thought might interest folks.
Have you heard that we've created incredibly detailed 3D images of some of our treasures? You can look at them top, bottom and sideways, or zoom in on interesting features. Find them at https://t.co/qCWCzrsOSq.@nprillinois has details: https://t.co/iYBcQRxsCC
— Lincoln Presidential Library (@ALPLM) December 15, 2022
There’s an auction lot that contains a pass to the conspiracy trial made out to Dr. Robert King Stone. Dr. Stone was present at the Petersen House & later performed #Lincoln’s autopsy. He testified on May 16th, identifying the bullet that killed Lincoln. However… pic.twitter.com/Kfz76eLVi5
— Dave Taylor (@LinConspirators) December 17, 2022
this pass is dated May 12th, which was the first day of the trial where witnesses were heard. In these first few days, visitors & press were banned from the courtroom. There is no way Dr. Stone was present at the trial on May 12th. Still, the David Hunter signature looks real… pic.twitter.com/J7tSvzLx67
— Dave Taylor (@LinConspirators) December 17, 2022
My guess is that someone came across a blank trial pass signed by Hunter, which are pretty numerous. He pre-signed a lot once visitors started coming. Dr. Stone’s name was then added along with an incorrect date. It’s likely a legit pass, but I doubt it belonged to Dr. Stone.
— Dave Taylor (@LinConspirators) December 17, 2022
#ThomasNast tribute to #EdwinBooth – Founder's Night illustration, 1901, from my personal collection.@ThePlayersNYC pic.twitter.com/9C9S2M0qUb
— SpiritsOfTudorHall (@SpiritsTH) January 1, 2023
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