Remembering Dark Days: An Heirloom Newspaper Details the Lincoln Assassination

Exhibit ideas often arise from unusual places. EHS benefits from two fine historic sites, but lacks a traditional gallery space for rotating exhibits. However, we are fortunate to maintain two large exhibit cases within Essex Public Library to host small scale exhibits on topical themes with guest curators, such as Jerry Roberts’ fine work on Battle Site Essex in 2014 and the detailed exploration of EHS’ postcard collections from Eve Potts and Pat Tripoli in early 2015, among others.

On occasion, members of the general public loan objects from their private collections for short-term small exhibits. Such was the case with Margaret Whitehead, an Essex resident who offered to loan us a family heirloom to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s assassination in April, 2015. Her reprinted, commemorative issue of the New York Herald of April 15, 1865 traveled through three long-lived generations of her family, folded carefully in a travel pouch and rarely examined. For this mini-exhibit at Essex Library, Ms. Whitehead had this issue custom framed in acid-free housing at Essex Framing.

The following label text accompanied the newspaper for EHS’ exhibit from April through early summer 2015:

“Days after the Civil War came to a close in April 1865, the victory celebrations within the Northern states ended abruptly with terrible news. President Abraham Lincoln was shot by Southern sympathizer John Wilkes Booth on April 14th at Ford’s Theater in Washington D.C.  Lincoln never regained consciousness, dying hours later. An angry, grieving nation mounted a 12-day manhunt for Booth and his accomplices that ended in his death and the capture of several others.

Lincoln’s assassination shocked and horrified a population already weary from years of fighting. Public and private commemorations attempted to console a nation in deep mourning. Millions turned out to watch his funeral train on its journey from Washington to his final resting place in Springfield, Illinois, passing through several Northern cities. Newspapers such as this one captured the impact of those initial dark days as America lost some of its innocence and faith.

This newspaper is on loan from Essex resident Margaret Whitehead whose ancestors lived in New York City during the 19th century, possibly witnessing that city’s events of public mourning. This front page was lovingly passed down in her family, being carefully preserved and recently framed.”