In addition to its being such a well run and organized picnic for the OLPH- St Agnes parish, and in addition to everyone having such a great time at the event, the Trivial Pursuit game event which most of the adults participated in as one of the many activities throughout the day has kept people chatting, researching and laughing ever since. Cheers to the Rev. Joseph Donnelly Council of the Knights of Columbus for such a great day and more cheers to Jeannie and her crew for the Trivial Pursuit questions and answers.
It was John Wilkes Booth that drew a lot of attention. And the bottom line is, yes, it could be very true the man who assassinated Abraham Lincoln may have indeed spent a night or two at the Mantell home, currently the St. Agnes Thrift Shop.
Mantell was a renowned Shakespearean actor in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and whether he built the house in 1854 or whether one of the Leonard brothers built it isn’t certain. But Mantell certainly lived there and certainly had numerous actors stay at his home during the summer when they were doing summer theater. Wilkes, being an actor, may have been one of those actors, but there doesn’t seem to be any proof, just great gossip and a wonderful legend to tell.
Mantell had built a dormitory on the top floor of the house, keeping tabs on actors so they wouldn’t sneak out for pursuits other than acting lessons or performances in local theaters. So perhaps Booth was a friend of Mantell or was one of those struggling actors who stayed there to learn more from him.
Mantell has been described as “a beast of an actor,” a tragedian whose troupe could perform a different Shakespearean play every night. He had four wives in his lifetime, and his middle name, Bruce, is reportedly because he was believed to be a descendant of Robert the Bruce. He called his home Brucewood
But Booth also had three brothers, and each of them was also an actor.
Each of them owned a beautiful home in Long Branch. Edwin Booth, who was probably the best performer in the Booth family, also had a mansion on Gramercy Park in New York; today it is the Players Club.
So you’re left to wonder…..if he were spending the summer in Monmouth County because of the heat of the city, would John Wilkes preferred to spend it sleeping in a third floor dormitory with a bunch or actors or in his own room overlooking the oceanfront in one of the palatial homes of his brothers less than ten miles away?
With the Knights of Columbus planning that great Comedy night at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Gym Saturday, Oct. 15, it might be worth it to get tickets to attend to see whether Uncle Floyd will have even more great stories to tell. Tickets are only $40 and include that Oktoberfest buffet menu that includes everything from Bratwurst to German Soup along with hot pretzels and a whole buffet of desserts along with a comedy night that had everyone laughing and clapping last year throughou9t the performance. Contact Mike at 862-368-0801 for all the details.
