Dr. Samuel A. Mudd - Bryantown, Md. - Grave of a Famous Person on Waymarking.com

Dr. Samuel A. Mudd was a native of Charles County, Maryland. He studied medicine at the University of Maryland returned to Charles County opened a successful medical practice. In the early morning hours of April 15, 1865 and actor named John Wilkes Booth arrived at Dr. Mudd’s home seeking treatment for a broken leg. Just hours earlier Booth had assassinated President Abraham Lincoln at Ford’s Theater in Washington, D. C. As Booth jumped from the Presidential Box onto the stage, he broke his leg but still manage to escaped, making his way through the Maryland countryside, eventually arriving at Dr. Mudd’s home. Later in the afternoon of April 15, Booth and his partner David Herold left the Mudd home and continued their escape across the Potomac River into Virginia, where they were captured at the Garrett Farm on April 26, 1865. Herold surrendered, but Booth was shot and killed inside of a barn on the Garrett Property. The same day, Dr. Mudd was arrested and charged with assisting in the assassination of President Lincoln. Mudd was tried and found guilty. He was sentenced to life in prison. Dr. Mudd was sent to Fort Jefferson off the coast of Florida to serve his sentence. While imprisoned at Fort Jefferson, a yellow fever epidemic broke out, claimed the lives of several prisoners and guards, including the fort physician. Following the death of the fort physician, Dr. Mudd stepped in, treating guards, prisoners and eventually stopping the spread of the disease. Because of his actions during the yellow fever epidemic, President Andrew Johnson pardoned Dr. Mudd on March 8, 1869. Upon release from prison, Dr. Mudd returned to Charles County and resumed his medical practice and lived out the remaining years. On January 10, 1883, at the age of 49, Dr. Samuel Mudd died of pneumonia. He was buried in the St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Bryantown, Maryland. The grave marker that stands today replaces the original marker which was basically destroyed by souvenir hunters.
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Description: Samuel Alexander Mudd was born on December 20, 1833 in Charles County, Maryland. Mudd attended school in Frederick, Maryland and later studied medicine at the University of Maryland. Following graduation, Dr. Mudd returned to Charles County where he practiced medicine and operated a tobacco farm. On April 14, 1854, John Wilkes Booth mortally wounded President Abraham Lincoln while he attended a play at Ford’s Theater in Washington, D. C. After firing the fatal shot, Booth jumped from the Presidential Box onto the stage, breaking his leg. Booth and co-conspirator David Herold escaped and rode through the Maryland country side, arriving at the home of Dr. Samuel Mudd in the early morning hours of April 15, 1865. Dr. Mudd set Booth’s broken leg and later in the day Booth and Herald left the Mudd home and continued toward Virginia. On April 26, 1865, Booth and Herold were located by member of the 16th New York Cavalry hiding in a barn on the farm of Richard Garrett near Port Royal, Virginia. Herald surrendered but Booth remained in the barn where he was shot and killed by Sergeant Boston Corbett. The same day that Booth was killed Dr. Mudd was arrested for assisting and conspiring in the murder of President Lincoln. Dr. Mudd was found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment and sent to Fort Jefferson in the Dry Tortugas off the coast of Florida to serve his sentenced. In the fall of 1867, there was an outbreak of yellow fever which claimed the lives of prisoners and guards, including the prison doctor. Mudd took over the role of prison physician and was able to stop the spread of the disease. As a result, several soldiers wrote to President Andrew Johnson detailing Dr. Mudd’s actions during the epidemic. After reviewing the letters and confirming Mudd’s actions, President Andrew Johnson, pardoned Dr. Mudd on February 8, 1869. He was released from prison on March 8, 1869 and returned to his home in Charles County, Maryland where he resumed is medical practice and lived out his remaining years. On January 10, 1883, at the age of 49, Dr. Samuel Mudd died of pneumonia. He was buried in the St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Bryantown, Maryland. The grave marker that stands today replaces the original marker which was basically destroyed by souvenir hunters Date of birth: 12/20/1833 Date of death: 01/10/1883 Area of notoriety: Historical Figure Marker Type: Headstone Setting: Outdoor Visiting Hours/Restrictions: Daylight Hours Fee required?: No Web site: [Web Link]

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Date Logged Log   11/28/2021 Don.Morfe visited it