Evening star., 1936-01-19

about the Booth nefgn0OTHOO1 U1tN
Charles A. Phillips. tDhose father
uos an actor and an intimate
friend of Junius Brutus Booth, jr.
By Stanley Kimmel.
a r UGH confusion has resulted
m from inaccurate statements
wv regarding the Booth family
/ / of which Edwin and John
Wilkes were members. Some Of the
accounts relating to John Wilkes Booth
have been responsible for fabulous
tales, such as his escape after assas-
sinating Lincoln and his later suicide
in Oklahoma. It is to be regretted.
however, that one member Of the FAM
lily, Asia Booth Clarke. was so in error
concerning many incidents in ner
fathers life when she wrote her book,
1.-THE Elder and the Younger Bootn."
In that volume she states: I'm the
Summer Of 1922, while the yellow fever
was raging in Baltimore, Mr.. Booth
purchased farm IS miles from tnst
city, lying in Hartford County, Md.
This place became his constant resort
when free from excitement of his pro-
fession, and was the birthplace of his
children"
A letter of Edwin Booth and one Of
Mrs. Elijah Rogers, her husband hav-
ing been the elder Booths first land
lord In Hartford County, give the date
of the Booths arrival at the latter S
farm as 1921, and Scharf's Chronicles
Of Baltimore gives the dates of the
plague mentioned in that city as 1919
and 1921. An unpublished manuscript
OF w. S. Forward, M. D.. now in the
possession of the Maryland Historical
Society, contains some extracts from
Mrs. Rogers letters and in one Of
these she says: MY father. Mr.. John
c. Brown, owned farm of over 200
acres, and also a house and lot in
Belair. He leased the farm to
Mr.. William Hanna for number of
years, and moved to his house in
Belair. After remaining in Belair
six years, he grew tired of public life
and wished to return to the farm; but
expired, and he could not get possess
sion of his house, he built the log
house on the farm, afterward made
famous from having been the first
Hartford County residence Of the cele-
brated tragedian, JuniuS BrutuS
Booth, and in this Mr.: Brown resided
until he got possession of his man.
sion. = = About the time the log
house was vacated by Mr.. Brown, Mr..
Booth came up and rented it,"
ROOTH desired to own a home OF
his own and in 1924 he ap-
preached Dr. Richard w. Hall con-
cerning the purchase Of farm ad-
joining the Rogers property. As
Booth was an alien and could not
hold landed property in the United
States in perpetuity, it was leased to
him for a period of 1000 years at a
rental of / cent, payable yearly, If
lawfully demanded on the premises.
This agreement virtually amounted to
an absolute sale, as no one would col
lect a cent for so long period. The
record of this transaction can be
found in the Land Index of the Har-
ford County court house in Belair,
Md. and conclusively proves that Asia
was also wrong in her assertions re-
garding her fathers purchase" of
"the farm"
In commenting on this matter, DR..
Forward wrote: when Booth first
came to Hartford County, which was
only few months after he landed
in America, 1t is altogether improb-
able that he had the means for the
purchase Of such farm, $50 acres,
but having located in pleasant home
near 1t, after three years Of unprece-
dented success in acting throughout
the country. he thus acquired the
means. and finding this fern in the
market. determined upon its purchase,
or perpetual lease. ="
AS there was no dwelling on this
property, the elder Booth also pur-
chased the log house In which he had
been living on the Rogers place and
moved it over to his farm on rollers.
Asia speaks of this and gives de-
scription of the farm as being "in
reality dense woodland, merging on
one side into great forest called the
Woods, which served as a free hunt
ing ground on moonlight nights, when
the place was rendered musical by
the baying of the hounds and the call
Of the sportsman *++ The rough coach
road to the farm was made picturesque
and delightful in Summer by the mas
sive trees which arched it. From
the road a crooked, narrow pathway
wound to the Booth dwelling a
quarter of a mile distant. This was
log cabin, plastered and whitewashed
on the exterior; the small square win
dow frames and broad plain shutters,
which, like the doors. never knew the
innovation Of lock o. bolt, were paint
ed red. Four rooms besides the loft,
the kitchen and the Old Dominion
chimney, made up picturesque and
comfortable abode, standing in
clearing encompassed by huge oak,
black walnut, beach and tulip trees.
4 AAC S00AAA Ala Aoo ~ uAAoA StdCC, uIl"
painted and upholstered, had been
removed to its present locality across
several fields. This proceeding caused
great wonderment among the villagers,
as every available man, OK and horse
that could be hired were In requisition.
Much time and money was expended
In this undertaking, but its successful
accomplishment stamped the owner
a master mind, and the more fierce
" the Winter storms ragged, and the
summer tornadoes swept by. the more
wise did he appear to those who had
predicted the quick demolition Of the
taut little cabin"
When this log house had been an
chored to its new site, the rearing OF
more American Booths began. Eight
of ten children were born on that site.
and all but one in the log house, Junius