Home > Samuel Mudd

Dr. Samuel Alexander Mudd ( December 20, 1833 - January 10, 1883) was born in Charles County, Maryland. He was the fourth of the ten children of Henry Lowe Mudd and his wife, Sarah Ann Reeves. His father owned a large plantation called "Oak Hill" which was approximately 30 miles from downtown Washington, D.C.. Mudd attended Georgetown College before studying medicine at the University of Maryland.

After graduating in 1856, he returned to Charles County where he worked as a doctor before marrying Sarah Dyer, his childhood sweetheart, on November 26, 1857 and buying his own farm at Bryantown, Maryland. They became the parents of 9 children.

Mudd had long been an advocate of slavery and was a supporter of the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War. He was known to associate with Confederate agents. This included John Wilkes Booth, who he met for the first time on 13th November, 1864 and may have been involved in the plot to assassinate Lincoln. After Booth's assassination of Abraham Lincoln on April 14, 1865, Booth broke his left leg while fleeing the theatre. He and David HeroldDavid Herold ( 16 June 1842 7 July 1865) conspired to kill United States President Abraham Lincoln. He was born in Maryland, the son of Adam and Mary Porter Herold. He attended Charlotte Hall Academy, where he met John Surratt, who introduced him to John arrived at Mudd's house the following day. Mudd set, splinted and bandaged Booth's broken leg and arranged for a carpenter to make Booth a pair of crutches.

Mudd was arrested and charged with conspiracy to murder Abraham Lincoln. During his trial Mudd denied recognizing Booth while treating him.

On 1st May, 1865, President Andrew JohnsonAndrew Johnson ( December 29, 1808 July 31, 1875) was the sixteenth Vice President ( 1865) and the seventeenth President of the United States ( 1865 1869), succeeding to the presidency upon the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Johnson presided over the R ordered the formation of a nine-man military commission to try the conspirators. The trial began on 10th May, 1865. Mary SurrattMary Surratt the first woman executed by the United States, was hanged on July 7, 1865 for conspiracy related to the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. Her last words were Please don't let me fall . She was the mother of John Surratt, also involv, Lewis PowellNotable people with the name Lewis Powell include: Lewis Powell one of the conspirators hanged for the assassination of United States President Abraham Lincoln. Lewis Franklin Powell, Jr. an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from, George AtzerodtGeorge Atzerodt ( 1832? 1865) was a U. conspirator with John Wilkes Booth. He was a German immigrant from Port Tobacco, MD. He was deputed to assassinate Andrew Johnson in 1865, but failed in the attempt. He was tried and executed along with other conspir, David HeroldDavid Herold ( 16 June 1842 7 July 1865) conspired to kill United States President Abraham Lincoln. He was born in Maryland, the son of Adam and Mary Porter Herold. He attended Charlotte Hall Academy, where he met John Surratt, who introduced him to John, Samuel Mudd, Michael O'Laughlin , Edman Spangler and Samuel Arnold were all charged with conspiring to murder Lincoln.

On 29th June, 1865, Mudd was found guilty of conspiracy to murder. He missed the death penalty by one vote and was sentenced to life imprisonment. Four of the defendants were hangedHanging is a form of capital punishment / execution, or a method for suicide. Hanging may involve breaking of the neck (drop-hanging; causing instant unconsciousness without breathing, and quick death), or one or more of the following: closing the airway at Washington Penitentiary on 7th July, 1865. Mudd and three others were imprisoned at Fort Jefferson.

During an outbreak of yellow fever in 1867Events January 8 African-American men granted the right to vote in the District of Columbia January 11 Benito Juarez becomes Mexican president again January 30 Emperor Komei of Japan dies. Crown Prince Mutsuhito is expected to become the next Emperor of J, the prison doctor died. Mudd agreed to take over the position.

Mudd was pardoned by Andrew Johnson on 1st March, 18691869 is a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). Events March 1 North German Confederation issues 10 gr and 30gr value stamps, printed on goldbeater's skin May 10 Transcontinental Railroad completed at Promontory, Utah. May 15 Wo and returned home. In 1877, Mudd ran unsuccessfully as a Democratic candidate for the Maryland legislature. He died of pneumonia on January 10, 1883.

Note that the expression "His name is mud" is not related to Samuel Mudd as there are much earlier references to it.

In recent years, Mudd's grandson Richard Mudd has worked endlessly to clear his grandfather's name from the stigma of aiding John Wilkes Booth.