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

 

John Wilkes Booth married Izola when he was twenty-one.

Izola Mills D'Arcy

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.

When Izola's father was alive; he 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. It was 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.

 Even though Izola was married to two men simultaneously, John's unfaithfulness tore her heart apart. Izola was living at Booth's farm near Harper's Ferry. It was a good fifty 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 naïve 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.

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Izola Martha Mills is now an audiobook.

Izola Martha Mills is the story of her struggles in life. This book is a shortened version of Izola. The book ends with her death in 1887. 

Izola is the story of Izola and John Wilkes Booth. Izola ends with John Wilkes Booth’s death in 1903.