Presented by Madison County Historian Matthew Urtz (pictured).
(Hamilton, NY – May 2015) Captain Samuel H. Beckwith, a telegraph and cipher officer to General Ulysses S. Grant, served President Lincoln with daily communications at the end of the Civil War, and was the first to transmit the location of John Wilkes Booth as the authorities searched for Booth, the man who assassinated Lincoln on April 14, 2015. (Lincoln died April 15 at 7:22 a.m.)
Matthew Urtz, Madison County Historian, will present “Samuel Beckwith of Hamilton NY: Lincoln’s Telegrapher” at 6:30 p.m. Thursday May 28 at the Hamilton Public Library (13 Broad St. in Hamilton).
Urtz will share points of Beckwith’s early life in Hamilton and his later life in Utica, as well as his close relationship with the general and the president. In a 1913 interview in Utica, where he lived at that time, Beckwith shared his feelings and thoughts on President Lincoln and General Grant, including such details as sitting with General and Mrs. Grant at the Bloodgood’s Hotel when Grant received notice that Lincoln had been shot.
Urtz was appointed county historian in April of 2010. He has his Bachelors and Masters from State University of New York at Oswego and interned at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio and Fort Ontario in Oswego as well as working at the Rome Historical Society in Rome.
This program is part of the Madison County Civil War Series, a set of presentations recognizing the Sesquicentennial of the last year of the Civil War and featuring Madison County’s connections to the War Between the States. Called “The Banner County” in the mid-1800s because of its voting support of antislavery measures, Madison County was a hotbed of activities that were critical to the outbreak of the war.
Planned by Sue Greenhagen (Village of Morrisville historian), Matthew Urtz (Madison County Historian) and Dot Willsey (23rd Annual Peterboro Civil War Weekend) the series brings national history to the local level.
Future programs in the Madison County Civil War Series include Surrender at Appomattox by Patrick Schroeder, Historian at Appomattox Court House VA at 7 p.m. Saturday June 13 at the Smithfield Community Center in Peterboro.
The National Abolition Hall of Fame and Museum will present Abraham Lincoln: The Great Emancipator with programs including the movie Lincoln and discussion (Sept. 24), an Excelsior Cornet Band Concert (Oct. 23), a panel The Emancipation of Abraham Lincoln: Head, Heart, and the American Memory facilitated by Milton C. Sernett PhD (Oct. 24), and Abraham Lincoln and the Abolition Press presented by Harold Holzer, President of the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Foundation (Oct. 24).
For more information: Matthew.Urtz@madisoncounty.ny.gov and/or 315-366-2453.