Hello, everyone!
First of all, I'd like to apologize for reposting, as this was originally in Campfire Chat. One of my favorite things to study in history (besides the Civil War) is mysterious disappearances. Two rather famous ones involve Civil War soldiers-that of Ambrose Bierce, a writer, into Mexico in 1913 and that of Boston Corbett, the man who killed John Wilkes Booth, in 1888 in Kansas. Since my research on the Bierce disappearance doesn't have enough evidence in it yet for it be anything, I would like to share what I found about the Boston Corbett disappearance.
Boston Corbett was a Union soldier who is best known for killing John Wilkes Booth. He was born in England in 1832 and came to New York in 1840, where he learned the hatter's trade. He lost his wife and child in childbirth and amassed a large amount of debt, causing him to drink and his alcoholic tendencies cost him his job. While in Boston, he became a born again Christian and often passionately preached. In 1861, the Civil War broke out and he served various enlistments totaling six months over two years in the 12th New York Militia Regiment. In 1863, he enlisted in the 16th New York Cavalry and served for two years, being discharged as a sergeant, spent time as a POW at Andersonville and shot John Wilkes Booth against orders because, as he claimed, God directed him to. After the war, he returned to Boston, but then moved to Danbury, Connecticut, because Boston's hat industry was shrinking. By 1870, he was in Camden, New Jersey, where he preached for Broadway Methodist Church and worked as a hatter. In 1878, he moved from Camden to Kansas, where he attempted to homestead a large plot of land. In 1887, a local representative offered him the job of doorman at the Kansas state legislature which he accepted, but was sent to an asylum after he threatened to shoot after a man mocked the opening prayer. In 1888, he escaped the asylum and, after a brief stop at a man he had known at Andersonville's house in Kansas, where he stated he planned to go to Mexico, he was never seen again.
His disappearance is a large mystery and many theories have abounded from it. Some believe he could have been killed shortly after his disappearance after pulling a gun on the wrong man and his body was never found-a good theory, but it could never be proven. Another story is that he died in a snowstorm outside the Leavenworth Soldier's Home (although I did not look extensively, I did not see any man who could have been Corbett ever admitted to the home). In 1894, a group in Arizona decided to investigate a rumor that Corbett had committed suicide at a local mining camp, but one of the men at the meeting claimed Corbett was in South America, so the matter was given up. In 1905, a man was arrested for claiming to be Corbett to receive his pension and got three years in prison. The stories of Corbett's fate continually went around and weren't often given much thought, so his fate is unknown. The current consensus is that he died on September 1, 1894, in the Great Hinckley Fire in Hinckley, Minnesota, as a 57-year old Thos. Corbett is listed among the dead (just as a note Tobies' Resteraunt in Hinckley has a page in their menu about Corbett killing Booth and dying in Hinckley, I'm from Minnesota and have eaten there).
Corbett is said to have disappeared and left neither wife nor children behind. This seems to be true, as it is a known fact that Corbett spent a month in the Massachusetts General Hospital in 1858 after castrating himself. However, a 1908 marriage registrater from Ontario, Canada, begs to differ. On October 7, 1908, William Clise Corbett and Ethel Macdougal were married in the eyes of God and man in Middlesex, Ontario. Mr. Corbett, of Washington, D. C., lists his parents as Thomas Boston Corbett (who was working as a publisher) and Medora Annie Clise Corbett. Is it possible that Boston Corbett had a child, or at least William Corbett was told by another-perhaps his mother-that his father was Boston Corbett and he took it as fact?
William Clise Corbett said he was born on October 15, 1877, in Colorado, although records not asking for an official birth date sometimes place him as born as much later. It is unknown, currently, if he believed Boston Corbett to be his father or if the one he refers to was the man who killed Booth. I do not believe Corbett would have fathered an illegitimate child (he never claims to be married at this time) due to his religious beliefs. One theory that I believe possible is that his father may have been absent from his life and his mother told him Boston Corbett was his father-he disappeared after all-to make him happy. His mother is listed as Medora Bull in his 1918 draft card, suggesting by, at least at that time, his father was gone and his mother remarried. Another theory I believe is possible is that Corbett may have been somewhat of an adopted father during his early life and he may have thought of him as a father. I have found very few records of this man (marriage record, Social Security record, World War I draft card, 1930 and 1940 census) although there are others I have not confirmed as him. But, if William Corbett did have contact with Boston Corbett and knew he was working as a publisher it is possible this may be a clue in figuring out what happened to Boston after his 1888 disappearance. Anyway, I'll leave this up in case anyone wants to look into it further or, at least, if you want to leave your opinion on the matter.
Another thing I wanted to look at while I was on the topic of Boston Corbett. The 1900 census lists that a Boston A. Corbett (born in 1883) living in Alton, Illinois, the son of Thomas Corbett and Melinden Corbett. He had an eleven year old sister, Emma, which was the name of Boston's sister. The father, Thomas Corbett, claimed to be eleven years younger than Boston Corbett and had children before the 1888 disappearance. His biography in a county history states he came to America in 1866 and lived with his uncle, James Corbett, in Alton. Although the uncle can be found in records, I could not locate Thomas. But, if he said to live in Alton, Illinois, since 1866, he would have had to steal someone's identity or get the town in on a lie. Despite this, I thought the coincidences were great and I should include it.
Anyway, that is what I've found on the Boston Corbett disappearance and I figured I would post it here and see if anyone had any opinions or other research done into the case that may solve it. All of the information in this is backed by historical records and, upon request, I will post any of the sources.
Thanks,
Josh Nieters
First of all, I'd like to apologize for reposting, as this was originally in Campfire Chat. One of my favorite things to study in history (besides the Civil War) is mysterious disappearances. Two rather famous ones involve Civil War soldiers-that of Ambrose Bierce, a writer, into Mexico in 1913 and that of Boston Corbett, the man who killed John Wilkes Booth, in 1888 in Kansas. Since my research on the Bierce disappearance doesn't have enough evidence in it yet for it be anything, I would like to share what I found about the Boston Corbett disappearance.
Boston Corbett was a Union soldier who is best known for killing John Wilkes Booth. He was born in England in 1832 and came to New York in 1840, where he learned the hatter's trade. He lost his wife and child in childbirth and amassed a large amount of debt, causing him to drink and his alcoholic tendencies cost him his job. While in Boston, he became a born again Christian and often passionately preached. In 1861, the Civil War broke out and he served various enlistments totaling six months over two years in the 12th New York Militia Regiment. In 1863, he enlisted in the 16th New York Cavalry and served for two years, being discharged as a sergeant, spent time as a POW at Andersonville and shot John Wilkes Booth against orders because, as he claimed, God directed him to. After the war, he returned to Boston, but then moved to Danbury, Connecticut, because Boston's hat industry was shrinking. By 1870, he was in Camden, New Jersey, where he preached for Broadway Methodist Church and worked as a hatter. In 1878, he moved from Camden to Kansas, where he attempted to homestead a large plot of land. In 1887, a local representative offered him the job of doorman at the Kansas state legislature which he accepted, but was sent to an asylum after he threatened to shoot after a man mocked the opening prayer. In 1888, he escaped the asylum and, after a brief stop at a man he had known at Andersonville's house in Kansas, where he stated he planned to go to Mexico, he was never seen again.
His disappearance is a large mystery and many theories have abounded from it. Some believe he could have been killed shortly after his disappearance after pulling a gun on the wrong man and his body was never found-a good theory, but it could never be proven. Another story is that he died in a snowstorm outside the Leavenworth Soldier's Home (although I did not look extensively, I did not see any man who could have been Corbett ever admitted to the home). In 1894, a group in Arizona decided to investigate a rumor that Corbett had committed suicide at a local mining camp, but one of the men at the meeting claimed Corbett was in South America, so the matter was given up. In 1905, a man was arrested for claiming to be Corbett to receive his pension and got three years in prison. The stories of Corbett's fate continually went around and weren't often given much thought, so his fate is unknown. The current consensus is that he died on September 1, 1894, in the Great Hinckley Fire in Hinckley, Minnesota, as a 57-year old Thos. Corbett is listed among the dead (just as a note Tobies' Resteraunt in Hinckley has a page in their menu about Corbett killing Booth and dying in Hinckley, I'm from Minnesota and have eaten there).
Corbett is said to have disappeared and left neither wife nor children behind. This seems to be true, as it is a known fact that Corbett spent a month in the Massachusetts General Hospital in 1858 after castrating himself. However, a 1908 marriage registrater from Ontario, Canada, begs to differ. On October 7, 1908, William Clise Corbett and Ethel Macdougal were married in the eyes of God and man in Middlesex, Ontario. Mr. Corbett, of Washington, D. C., lists his parents as Thomas Boston Corbett (who was working as a publisher) and Medora Annie Clise Corbett. Is it possible that Boston Corbett had a child, or at least William Corbett was told by another-perhaps his mother-that his father was Boston Corbett and he took it as fact?
William Clise Corbett said he was born on October 15, 1877, in Colorado, although records not asking for an official birth date sometimes place him as born as much later. It is unknown, currently, if he believed Boston Corbett to be his father or if the one he refers to was the man who killed Booth. I do not believe Corbett would have fathered an illegitimate child (he never claims to be married at this time) due to his religious beliefs. One theory that I believe possible is that his father may have been absent from his life and his mother told him Boston Corbett was his father-he disappeared after all-to make him happy. His mother is listed as Medora Bull in his 1918 draft card, suggesting by, at least at that time, his father was gone and his mother remarried. Another theory I believe is possible is that Corbett may have been somewhat of an adopted father during his early life and he may have thought of him as a father. I have found very few records of this man (marriage record, Social Security record, World War I draft card, 1930 and 1940 census) although there are others I have not confirmed as him. But, if William Corbett did have contact with Boston Corbett and knew he was working as a publisher it is possible this may be a clue in figuring out what happened to Boston after his 1888 disappearance. Anyway, I'll leave this up in case anyone wants to look into it further or, at least, if you want to leave your opinion on the matter.
Another thing I wanted to look at while I was on the topic of Boston Corbett. The 1900 census lists that a Boston A. Corbett (born in 1883) living in Alton, Illinois, the son of Thomas Corbett and Melinden Corbett. He had an eleven year old sister, Emma, which was the name of Boston's sister. The father, Thomas Corbett, claimed to be eleven years younger than Boston Corbett and had children before the 1888 disappearance. His biography in a county history states he came to America in 1866 and lived with his uncle, James Corbett, in Alton. Although the uncle can be found in records, I could not locate Thomas. But, if he said to live in Alton, Illinois, since 1866, he would have had to steal someone's identity or get the town in on a lie. Despite this, I thought the coincidences were great and I should include it.
Anyway, that is what I've found on the Boston Corbett disappearance and I figured I would post it here and see if anyone had any opinions or other research done into the case that may solve it. All of the information in this is backed by historical records and, upon request, I will post any of the sources.
Thanks,
Josh Nieters
Bringing the