Sure enough, widows of all shapes and sizes came out of the woodwork. Edwin would later write that he was besieged by about “twenty [widows] that wrote to me just after John’s death.” While Edwin ignored and denied them all, at least one crafty “widow” discovered and successfully preyed upon Rose. I am happy that my input gives further insight into the question of whether Ogarita really was the daughter of John W.Booth the actor. Up till now I just had second hand accounts on this particular subject that tended to favour Ogarita’s claim. For now, go into the digital world of factoid presentation. What follows, in a series of photographs of articles, probably constitutes the best collection online of items relating to her story — and that is a shame, for it is not through hyperbole that I make the claim “best collection”; rather, it is through endless hours of searching online, and on microfilm in the Binghamton Library that makes me aware that this collection is both MEAGER and the “best.” I fully hope that someone makes me eat the claim. They returned to Baltimore and Stevenson was still planning to marry Izola, he gave the baby his name—John Stevenson. After Izola died, John read his mother’s diary that he was John Wilkes Booth’s son. He was so upset that he refused to be called John. From then on, he wanted to be called Harry. So do you believe Martha Lizola (Mills) Bellows Stevenson married John Wilkes Booth and that he fathered two of her children?

John Wilkes Booth referred to his wife as Izola. I prefer using this name and it is the only one I will use in reference to her. My interest in Izola begins with her marriage to John Wilkes Booth, but when you say that Izola was living with her son in 1860 and I say her son was born in 1861; the discrepancy in dates bothered me, so I decided to see what I could find out. The following is what I learned among the conflicting information. The story of Booth escaping to Virginia then to Harper’s Ferry was researched by Ray Neff based on him unearthing reams of papers from Stokes who was writing a a book on Potter. Andrew Potter and his brother Luther or Earl Potter, were detectives following a lame Booth and a man called Hynson and a third man called Johnson (Booth’s valet). Indeed Potter lived but some doubt is thrown on him working for the NDP under Baker.An article in the Binghamton Herald Republican (which is too obscured for photos) during the week of Rita’s troupe arrival in Binghamton details the Binghamton City Alderman attempting to pass legislation to abandon the City Cemetery and turn it into residential lots. You said, “She claimed she married Stevenson, a friend of Booth's so she could travel to California and meet Booth while he was in hiding before leaving the country. It was during that meeting that Harry Jerome was conceived.” I am afraid there is not enough evidence to suggest these different women having Booth’s chidren. Potter was trying to claim inheritance for Kate Scott’s child; if you can believe any of these stories. Possibly politically motivated or indeed trying to claim inheritance if true? Your criticism of Izola distresses me because it is so undeserved. Izola was a wonderful, caring sensitive woman. We’ve taken it standing up for many years,” Mr. Hulbert said of the complaints, “we don’t want to shirk any responsibility, but since the bodies were reburied the City of Binghamton never has paid a penny for their upkeep. For the price we received we hardly could be expected to maintain the plot.”

However this story gives me a clue that what you say about Kate Scott may have some substance to it. The reason I question it is because she was connected to Andrew Potter in sharing a will ( supposedly found in a certain Bear Cave in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia?), most of it to be inherited by Sarah. Potter was supposedly deligated by General Lew Wallace under President Grant to investigate other murders surrounding Lincoln’s death and to possibly trace Booth.

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There is an interesting account by Charles B. Huppert titled ‘How Our Best Known Assassin Became A Hoosier’ on the Webb. Inside, it relates a story from an interview with John C. Shaffer supposed Editor of the ‘Terre Haute Star’ with Izola Martha Mills at ‘her home in Indianapolis’ but never published. However you are correct, my statements are presented as one would in any discussion. You would have to read the book ‘Our American Hero’ to find all the proofs you need , if you had a mind to. Keep in mind that the Binghamton papers are unindexed in the library: hence the disconnection in finding new (old) materials.) Hi Dave , I want to thank you for all the hard work you’ve done on getting such great and helpful info compiled and put forth for the better understanding of this most fascinating family and the events that shaped our nation. Series III, BOOTH MATERIAL, 1844-2005 (#51.8-57.13), contains materials relating to the Forrester family's efforts to learn whether or not Ogarita Booth was John Wilkes Booth's daughter, and includes correspondence with researchers, correspondence between family members, marriage and death records, pension records, transcription of Izola Martha Mills' diaries, and other materials. It is arranged in two subseries.