John Wilkes Booth’s wife, lovers, and children.

 

Booth’s Wife and Lovers

Izola Martha Mills D’Arcy Bellows

John Wilkes Booth married Izola Martha Mills when he was twenty-one. Izola was an orphan and adopted at twelve by Fanny D’Arcy. Izola’s stepbrother got her pregnant when she was fifteen. After Izola got pregnant, her stepbrother showed no interest in her.

Sixteen-year-old Izola married Charles Bellows to give her baby a father. Charles was a seaman and could be at sea for a year or more. He was never at home. It turned out to be a terrible marriage. Izola fell out of love with Charles.

Izola’s father was married to two women simultaneously. When Izola grew up, she believed the government shouldn’t get involved in the affairs between men and women. She defined marriage as an agreement between a man and a woman, and the government had no say in it.

Izola also believed that the state had no say in a divorce. A divorce is a mutual agreement between a man and a woman to separate permanently. Izola removed herself from Charles, but there was no mutual agreement. As far as Charles was concerned, they were still married.

 On February 8, 1859, Izola and John attended the same dance. There was an immediate attraction, and they married the next night. After a very short honeymoon, John returned to his theatrical engagement. Again, Izola found herself alone. This time, there was a difference. She was madly in love with John.

 About nine months later, Izola and John had a baby. It was a girl. John wanted to be known as an eligible bachelor and told no one about his marriage or child. John named her Ogarita Bellows to keep the public uninformed.

Izola was living at Booth’s farm near Harper’s Ferry. It was a good forty miles from Washington. While John was in Washington, he would see other ladies. Izola knew John was seeing other women, and she could do nothing about it. Izola wished with all her heart that John would come to understand that no one would ever love him as much as she.

Kate Scott

After the war started, Kate became a nurse for the Union Army. At an army ball, she met John Wilkes Booth. They began seeing each other. While she was a nurse, Kate was approached continuously for illicit contact. She became discouraged, left the Army’s nurse corps, and moved back in with her father in Brookville, Pennsylvania. Occasionally, when Booth passed through Brookville, he would stop and see Kate.

On February 6, 1865, Booth passed through Brookville and stopped to spend the night at Scott’s home. When Booth left the house the next day, Kate ran off with him. They went to New York and then to Washington. Kate said, “How naive I was. I did not know then that Booth was married, or I should not have gone out with him. It was not generally known at the time he had a wife and daughter.”

 In early March 1865, Booth impregnated Kate. Before Kate knew she was pregnant, her father demanded that she return home. Kate did return home and soon discovered that she was pregnant. Their relationship lasted until March 15, 1865, one month before Lincoln’s assassination. On December 8, 1865, Kate gave birth to John Wilkes Booth’s daughter, Sarah Scott.

Lucy Hale

When Booth was seeing Kate, occasionally, he would see Lucy Hale. Lucy’s father was a senator. Booth used Lucy to get information on Lincoln’s whereabouts. Booth and Lucy never had a serious relationship.

Ella Turner

 Ella was an actress in Washington. From the middle of March to mid-April, they dated. When Ella learned that Booth Killed Lincoln, Ella tried to kill herself. Her limp body was discovered just in time to save her life. Unknown to her, she was pregnant with Booth’s baby. Ella gave birth to Mary Louise Turner about nine months later.

Louisa J. Payne

A hundred years after Lincoln’s assassination, a wedding certificate between Louisa J. Payne and John W. Booth was found in a Sewanee, Tennessee, courthouse. The marriage occurred on February 24, 1872. For those who believe Booth died at the Garrett farm, this is evidence that Booth lived. Six months after their marriage, Louisa gave birth to John Wilkes Booth’s baby, Laura Ida Booth.

Booth’s children

John Wilkes Booth’s known children are Ogarita Bellows, Charles Still Bellows, Sarah Scott, Mary Turner, John Harry Stevenson, and Laura Booth. Four are blood-related, and two are not.

Before meeting John Wilkes Booth, Izola was married to Charles Still Bellows. Charles was a sailor and would be at sea for more than a year at a time. Izola and Charles had a baby. Their baby died.

While Charles was far out to sea, Izola met John Wilkes Booth, and they fell in love. She married John. Izola was married to two men at the same time.

Nine months after John Wilkes Booth married Izola Bellows, they had a daughter. John named her Ogarita Bellows because he wanted to hide his marriage so he could play around. John kept his wife at his farm forty miles away at Harpers Ferry.

About three years after their marriage, Izola got pregnant again. John knew the baby wasn’t his. The baby was named Charles Still Bellows Jr. Charles knew the baby wasn’t his. The father is unknown. Izola getting pregnant by another man wasn’t a problem for John. He would raise the baby.

John was friends with the Scott family. While visiting, John would meet with Captain John Scott. Captain Scott had a fast blockade runner and was to sail Abraham Lincoln away after Booth kidnapped him. When Booth ended his visit, Kate Scott decided to run away with him. A month later, Kate’s father convinced her to return home. Kate did return home, not knowing she was pregnant. About seven months after Booth assassinated Lincoln, Kate gave birth to Sarah Scott.

After Kate returned home, John began seeing Ella Turner. On April 15, 1865, Ella was riding in a trolley when she heard that John Wilkes Booth shot Abraham Lincoln. She immediately ran home and tried to kill herself. Fortunately, her attempted suicide was discovered and prevented. About eight months later, Ella gave birth to Mary Turner.

John and Izola believed that you remained married as long as you stayed together. If you ever decided to separate, that meant you were divorced. Any governmental degree regarding marriage or divorce was unnecessary. They believed the government should stay out of personal affairs.

Contrary to what our history books say, Booth wasn’t killed by soldiers. He went on to live a long life. Three years after Booth’s supposed death, Izola got pregnant by another man, and she named the baby boy John Harry Stevenson. Although not related by blood, raising his wife’s child wouldn’t be a problem for John Wilkes Booth. However, circumstances forced Izola and John to separate. 

Ten years later, John met Louisa Payne. They had a child together. Louisa named their baby Laura Booth.

John Wilkes Booth’s children by blood are believed to be Ogarita Bellows, Sarah Scott, Mary Turner, and Laura Booth.