John Wilkes Booth, the name forever etched in American history as the assassin of President Abraham Lincoln, met a dramatic end following a relentless manhunt. While his act at Ford’s Theatre on April 14, 1865, is widely known, the question of his final resting place often arises. Booth’s burial is a story shrouded in secrecy and family wishes, reflecting the complex legacy of a man who altered the course of a nation. So, Where Is John Wilkes Booth Buried?
The Manhunt and Death of John Wilkes Booth
Following his heinous act, Booth, along with conspirator David Herold, became the target of one of the largest manhunts in US history. For nearly two weeks, Booth evaded capture, fueled by Confederate sympathies and aided by a network of individuals. His initial escape involved a broken leg sustained during his leap from the presidential box onto the Ford’s Theatre stage, yet he managed to flee Washington D.C.
Alt: Illustration depicting John Wilkes Booth leaping from the presidential box after shooting Abraham Lincoln at Ford’s Theatre, highlighting the dramatic escape.
The pair sought refuge at the home of Dr. Samuel Mudd, who treated Booth’s injury before they continued their flight into the Maryland and Virginia countryside. Despite initial Confederate support, news of Lincoln’s assassination was met with widespread dismay, even in the South, isolating Booth and Herold further. Their refuge in Zekiah Swamp offered temporary concealment, but ultimately, a tip led Union soldiers to Richard Garrett’s farm in Virginia.
On April 26, 1865, Union troops cornered Booth and Herold in a tobacco barn on Garrett’s farm. Herold surrendered, but Booth refused, leading to the barn being set ablaze. Emerging from the burning structure, Booth was fatally shot in the neck by Union soldier Boston Corbett. He died a few hours later on the porch of the Garrett family home.
Secret Burial and Reburial
Immediately after his death, Booth’s body was not treated with reverence or public display. Instead, it was swiftly transported back to Washington D.C. and, in a manner befitting a criminal of his magnitude, secretly buried within the confines of the Old Penitentiary. This initial burial was far from a dignified funeral, reflecting the government’s desire to avoid any potential veneration of Lincoln’s assassin and to maintain order in the aftermath of the national tragedy.
Old Penitentiary Burial
The Old Penitentiary served as a temporary, clandestine grave for Booth. This location underscored the shame and secrecy surrounding his death. It was a stark contrast to the public mourning for President Lincoln and highlighted the official condemnation of Booth’s actions. His body remained within the prison grounds for four years, a hidden chapter in the aftermath of the assassination.
Reburial at Green Mount Cemetery
In 1869, President Andrew Johnson, Lincoln’s successor, granted the Booth family’s request to have John Wilkes Booth’s body returned to them. The family sought to provide him with a final resting place within their family plot. Booth was then reinterred at Green Mount Cemetery in Baltimore, Maryland, the Booth family’s long-established burial ground.
Alt: Image of John Wilkes Booth’s diary, a personal artifact that provides insight into his motivations and thoughts leading up to Lincoln’s assassination.
Green Mount Cemetery – The Booth Family Plot
Green Mount Cemetery, a picturesque Victorian-era cemetery in Baltimore, serves as the final resting place for numerous members of the Booth family, a prominent theatrical dynasty of the 19th century. Among them lies John Wilkes Booth. However, unlike other family members, John Wilkes Booth’s grave is unmarked.
The Booth family plot is easily located within Green Mount Cemetery, but visitors seeking John Wilkes Booth’s grave specifically will find no headstone bearing his name. He is buried alongside his mother, father, and siblings, but his grave remains intentionally anonymous.
Why is the Grave Unmarked?
The decision to leave John Wilkes Booth’s grave unmarked was deliberate, likely stemming from a combination of factors. The Booth family, already grappling with the infamy brought upon their name by John Wilkes Booth’s actions, may have sought to avoid further notoriety and unwanted attention. An unmarked grave offered a degree of privacy and perhaps a way to distance themselves from the stain of the assassination.
Moreover, placing a marked grave for Lincoln’s assassin could have become a site of unwanted pilgrimage or even vandalism, causing further pain to both the Booth family and those affected by Lincoln’s assassination. The unmarked grave, therefore, serves as a quiet, albeit permanent, conclusion to the controversial life and death of John Wilkes Booth.
In conclusion, John Wilkes Booth is buried in the Booth family plot at Green Mount Cemetery in Baltimore, Maryland. However, his grave remains unmarked, a silent testament to the complex and tragic legacy of Abraham Lincoln’s assassin.
